GB&I captain Craig Watson has announced the names of the ten players he has selected to play against America in the 47th Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool Golf Club next month.
The GB&I team includes Amateur champion James Sugrue, English Amateur champion Conor Gough (pictured) and Conor Purcell, who won the Australian Amateur Championship earlier this year.
Alex Fitzpatrick, whose brother Matt played in the Walker Cup in 2013, is also selected alongside Scotland’s Euan Walker, who finished runner-up in both the Amateur Championship and European Amateur Championship.
Speaking about his team, Watson said: “It has been a very difficult decision to select ten players from such a strong squad, but we have been very impressed with the results of those we have picked and we believe they will give us the best chance of regaining the Walker Cup against a strong American team.”
He added: “The Walker Cup is a fantastic opportunity for these players to demonstrate their talents on the big stage, and it will be an experience that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. We are looking forward to the match at Hoylake, and I’m sure the players will give it their very best to win.”
GB&I is bidding to win back the trophy after the USA secured a 19-7 victory in the 2017 match at Los Angeles Country Club. Home advantage has favoured the winners in recent matches, with GB&I winning in 2011 at Royal Aberdeen and 2015 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The matches take place from September 7-8.
The GB&I team
Alex Fitzpatrick, Hallamshire, 20
Conor Gough, Stoke Park, 16
Harry Hall, West Cornwall, 22
Thomas Plumb, Yeovil, 20
Conor Purcell, Portmarnock, 22
Caolan Rafferty, Dundalk, 26
Sandy Scott, Nairn, 21
Tom Sloman, Taunton & Pickeridge, 23
James Sugrue, Mallow, 22
Euan Walker, Kilmarnock (Barassie), 23
Reserves: Ben Schmidt, Rotherham, 17; Ben Jones, Northamptonshire County, 20