Lahinch has been bitten by the Walker Cup bug. Let’s hope it’s not the one that struck down three players from Team USA, forcing them to sit out a day of practice. But this famous West Clare links is primed and ready for action and it looks like Mother Nature is pulling for Great Britain and Ireland this weekend.
The USA are heavily fancied to survive the 50-60km/h gusts and squally showers and lift a sixth consecutive title in what would be their 41st victory in 51 contests. But Great Britain and Ireland boast arguably their strongest side since their last triumph in 2015. By retaining captain Dean Robertson and six of the ten players from last year’s 17-9 defeat to the US in Cypress Point, a result they feel they left behind them, they are motivated by disappointment and loathe the thought of tasting another bitter defeat.
Despite playing host to the Americans, GB&I are still outsiders but there is no doubt that if any team is going to stop Stars and Stripes dominance in this contest, it’s this one. For the first time since 2017 every Great Britain and Irish player is ranked inside the top-100 on the amateur rankings.
Warnings should still be heeded as that 2017 team, that included 53rd ranked Paul McBride, was steamrolled by a star studded US side that included Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikara, Maverick McNealy, Will Zalatoris, Doug Ghim, Doc Redman and Cameron Champ.
This US team boasts potential superstars with nine of the top-12 making up their team including 21-year-old world number one Preston Stout, 18-year-old world number three Tyler Watts and 17-year-old world number four Miles Russell.
Team USA often have an average ranking of single digits and this year is no different at 8. But GB&I have an impressive average ranking of 41 and for the first time since 2013 carry the Amateur and US Amateur champions (Stuart Grehan, Jack Whaley) in their arsenal.
Last year’s 17-9 scoreline doesn’t tell the full tale of the tape. A gallant GB&I trailed by just one point heading into the Sunday singles only to be blitzed 8.5-1.5 on that fateful afternoon – Gavin Tiernan was the only winner for GB&I.
GB&I haven’t won a Sunday singles session since their last victory in the contest in 2015 and have won just two singles sessions since then. It’s clear where they need to improve if they are to stop USA from winning six contests in a row.
To combat that issue, Robertson, all the way back to an extended panel training camp at the South of Ireland in Lahinch, was practicing three to six hole matches with his players to train them to get out of the blocks quickly as he believes quick starts and early momentum can help GB&I topple the US in the singles ties.
The weather of course, may help that and also may help quell the birdie barrage that the Americans usually enjoy in singles and make this contest a battle of wits, will and determination. In the GB&I ranks is Stuart Grehan who has a love affair with Lahinch having won the South of Ireland Championship during his first stint as an amateur before he entered the pro ranks in 2017.
Great Britain and Ireland have also been helped by the quick turnaround in the usually biennial fixture. The 12-month gap has allowed most of the team from Cypress Point to stick together and that would have made the challenge of bonding and preparation a lot easier. 19-year-old Scot Connor Graham is making his third Walker Cup appearance already and he is an experienced head on young shoulders.
Grehan will be playing the Stewart Hagestad role – a 35-year-old veteran of now six consecutive Walker Cup contests and he is carrying the tone of revenge and vengeance in the team room.
There is a quiet confidence about the Great Britain and Ireland side, there is real talent in world number two Tyler Weaver who has been passed fit to play despite an oblique injury keeping him out of action since April. Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cup hero Ian, has been a top amateur for the last few seasons
The mood in the camp is very good. Perhaps the same cannot be said for the Americans who have been hit with a stomach virus which forced Preston Stout, William Jennings and Ethan Fang to sit out practice on Thursday although the Stout and Fang are paired in the opening foursomes match against Grehan and Eliot Baker.
The infamous stomach bug of 2021 which struck down Players from both sides, 16 in total including the two captains, doesn’t look likely this time around. Reserves were needed for the first time in the contest’s history in Seminole.
So, with the weather, a perhaps not fully healthy USA camp, AND an in form GB&I panel. This seems as good a year as any for the hosts to end their Walker Cup drought and claim just their tenth victory of the contest.
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