Four Irish in Walker Cup squad; five Irishwomen make Curtis Cup panel
Mark Power in action at The K Club in July. Picture: Pat Cashman
The R&A has selected two squads of Great Britain and Ireland players ahead of next year’s Walker Cup and Curtis Cup matches against the United States of America and the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe.
The 48th Walker Cup will be played at Seminole, Florida on 8 and 9 May 2021 and the Vagliano Trophy will be played along with the Junior Vagliano Trophy at Golf Club de Lausanne, Switzerland on 25 and 26 June 2021. Meanwhile, the rearranged 41st Curtis Cup will be played at Conwy, Wales from 26-28 August 2021 after the match was postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States of America halted a run of home wins in the Walker Cup after an outstanding performance in the afternoon singles of the second day at Hoylake last September and so GB&I will be looking to replicate that success and win away from home for the first time since 2001.
Stuart Wilson, GB&I captain, said, “We have selected a talented group of players to work with in preparation for the match against the United States of America next year. We will be closely monitoring their form and results in a number of important events over the coming months while other players still have time to play their way into contention before we finalise the team which will travel to Florida. We will go to Seminole with belief in ourselves and will give it our best shot to win back the trophy.”
GB&I Walker Cup squad:
Jake Bolton (22, Ogbourne Downs, England)
John Murphy (22, Kinsale, Ireland)
Barclay Brown (19, Hallamshire, England)
Tom McKibbin (17, Holywood, Ireland)
Callum Farr (22, Northamptonshire County, England)
Joseph Pagdin (19, Lake Nona, England)
Alex Fitzpatrick (21, Hallamshire, England)
Mark Power (20, Kilkenny, Ireland)
Angus Flanagan (21, St George’s Hill, England)
Caolan Rafferty (27, Dundalk, Ireland)
Benjamin Jones (21, Northamptonshire County, England)
Benjamin Schmidt (18, Rotherham, England)
Matty Lamb (22, Hexham, England)
Sandy Scott (22, Nairn, Scotland)
Joe Long (23, Lansdown, England)
GB&I is looking for its first win in the Vagliano Trophy since 2005 against the Continent of Europe. The biennial encounter will be played in Switzerland for the first time in the match’s history when the two sides meet in Lausanne next summer.
In the Curtis Cup, the GB&I team will be aiming to extend an unbeaten home run to three matches at Conwy having won the match at Nairn in 2012 and Dun Laoghaire in 2016.
Lauren Walsh in action at The K Club in July. Picture: Pat Cashman
Elaine Ratcliffe, GB&I captain, said, “We have been able to bring in a number of new players into the squad alongside those who were selected last year and are now looking forward to working with the group as we prepare for the Vagliano Trophy and Curtis Cup. We have a good blend of youth and experience in the squad but there is still time for other players to make their case for inclusion in the final teams selected. I know the girls will relish the opportunity to compete and try to win the two matches.”
GB&I Vagliano Trophy and Curtis Cup squad:
Hannah Darling (17, Broomieknowe, Scotland)
Shannon McWilliam (21, Aboyne, Scotland)
Annabell Fuller (18, Roehampton, England)
Olivia Mehaffey (23, Royal County Down Ladies, Ireland)
Chloe Goadby (23, St Regulus, Scotland)
Emily Price (21, Ludlow, England)
Paula Grant (27, Lisburn, Ireland)
Euphemie Rhodes (18, Burnham and Berrow, England)
Charlotte Heath (19, Huddersfield, England)
Emily Toy (23, Carlyon Bay, England)
Lily May Humphreys (18, Stoke by Nayland, England)
Lauren Walsh (20, Castlewarden, Ireland)
Hazel MacGarvie (21, Royal Troon, Scotland)
Isobel Wardle (20, Prestbury, England)
Julie McCarthy (21, Forrest Little, Ireland)
Annabel Wilson (19, Lurgan, Ireland)
Caley McGinty (20, Knowle, England)
