McGinley can’t see R&A turning to a pro Walker Cup Captain any time soon

John Craven
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Paul McGinley (Photo by Phil Inglis/Getty Images)

John Craven

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While Paul McGinley admits it would be “an honour” to captain the GB&I Walker Cup team, he believes it will be a long time before the R&A appoints a professional golfer to the position.

McGinley’s name has appeared across social media as a possible future Walker Cup Captain in recent weeks, no doubt sparked by news of Catriona Matthew being named GB&I Captain for next year’s Curtis Cup.

Legendary Scot Matthew is a two-time winning Solheim Cup skipper and is the first professional golfer to Captain a GB&I Curtis Cup team.

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McGinley famously enjoyed success as a winning European Ryder Cup Captain, while he also got hands on at Seminole in 2021 helping out the GB&I amateurs ahead of their Walker Cup battle with America alongside US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick.

And while McGinley, a Walker Cupper at Portmarnock in 1991, would dearly love to Captain the side one day, it would be a change in policy from the R&A that he can’t envisage happening any time soon.

“A lot of water has to flow under the bridge before then,” McGinley told Irish Golf Desk.

“I think every past Walker Cup player would love to give back to the game, and it would be an honour to be asked. But I think we are some way away from that happening.”

The Walker Cup will be played at the Home of Golf in St Andrews this year as Stuart Wilson captains the side on home soil.

Matthew McClean, Hugh Foley, Robert Moran, Mark Power, Liam Nolan and Peter O’Keeffe were all included in the provisional squad ahead of its return to the Old Course on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September 2023.

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