Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup captain Dean Robertson shook David Howard’s hand after the latter was beaten 2&1 by Wales’ Tomi Bowen in the semi final of the South of Ireland on Sunday. He will be hoping it’s not the last time they cross paths.
Robertson organised a pre-Walker Cup camp for potential selections with Howard a late addition following his exploits in qualifying for the Open and narrowly missing the cut by two shots. He joined a strong Irish contingent in certain selection and Amateur champion Stuart Grehan, Matthew McClean, John Doyle, Gavin Tiernan, Jonathan Keane, Mark Cadden and Dylan Keating.
The message was simple: win and you are on the team.
The Scotsman and former European Tour winner hoped for an All-Ireland final in Lahinch on Sunday. He got an all-Welsh affair and probably came away with more questions than answers as to who he will select on his ten-man panel for September against the USA.
Howard, who was exhausted after an intense three-week stretch of Open qualifying, Interprovincials, Barton Shield and the Open Championship, wasn’t part of Robertson’s plans but has at least forced himself into the reckoning by being the leading Irishman at the South. However, he fears his lack of silverware this season may count against him as he felt he had to win the South to earn Walker Cup honours.
But perhaps Howard’s run can convince Robertson to give him the nod. If not, he may turn to Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins who took the notable scalp of soon to be three-time Walker Cup player Connor Graham. Higgins (23) beat the 20-year-old Scot in the last-16 just a couple of weeks after holing the winning putt for Ireland in the final of the European Team Championships.
Cadden, Keane and Keating look to be out of the running now after early exits in the matchplay stages last week but the trio will take huge learnings from the environment they were thrown into.
As for McClean and Tiernan, stars of the 2023 and 2025 GB&I teams respectively. They are in last chance saloon next month at the US Amateur in Merion where they join Grehan knowing a win is more than likely needed to earn a late call up to the team for September in Lahinch.
18-year-old former Junior Ryder Cup star Doyle showed glimpses of what he can do at the European Team Championships against England and in fits and starts at the South. He started the season well and was 5th at the Lytham Trophy. Maybe the Leaving Cert left him too short on sharpness. He was on the fringes of contention last year for Cypress Point after a breakout summer so it’s clear that Robertson is a fan of the Fota Island teen.
Robertson though, must find the balance between wanting an Irishman on the team and picking the correct team.
Welshman Bowen may well have claimed a spot on the team had he not capitulated late on in the final against his compatriot Sean David. Robertson has stressed his desire to have another Irishman on the team alongside Grehan to really drum up the 30,000 strong home support as a weapon.
At one point it looked as if there would be two if not three Irish players on the team. Everything remains up in the air. The South of Ireland Championship was billed as big and as pivotal as the Amateur Championship but Robertson leaves with more headaches than he would have envisaged.
Maybe a lack of individual titles will count against them all when judgement day comes or maybe form and team success will be enough.
Then again, he loves Caolan Rafferty so watch this space…
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