Second Scot secures spot in Dean Robertson's Lahinch line up for Walker Cup
Connor Graham joins Niall Shiels Donegan in GB&I team to face Americans in County Clare
Dean Robertson reckons “fierce competitor” Niall Shiels Donegan and “prodigious talent” Connor Graham can help him become a winning Walker Cup captain at the second attempt when Great Britain & Ireland take on the United States at Lahinch in just over a fortnight’s time.
Robertson is also hoping that Paul McGinley, a triumphant European Ryder Cup captain at Gleneagles in 2014, can sprinkle some of his stardust on the home team in County Clare as GB&I bid to claim this particular trophy for the first time in six encounters.
Automatic qualifier Shiels Donegan, who is based in California, will be facing the Americans for the second match running while Blairgowrie’s Graham, one of five captain’s picks, will be making a third straight appearance in the transatlantic tussle at the tender age of 19.
The Scottish duo will join forces on Ireland’s north-west coast with seven English players, including Luke Poulter, Ian’s son and newly-crowned US Amateur champion Jack Whaley, as well as one home player in Stuart Grehan, The R&A Amateur champion.
“Niall is incredibly dedicated,” said Robertson of Shiels Donegan, the world No 18. “He's a fierce competitor. He's not fazed at all with any situation or any environment, and he proved that last year at Olympic Club (when reaching the semi-finals in the US Amateur). He's going to bring growing experience, having transferred to North Carolina this past year and doing exceptionally well.
“Connor is going to move into his third year as a Texas Tech Raider. Connor is a prodigious talent, an absolute prodigious talent. The one upside for Connor is his ability to just let a bad situation pass and not let that transfer over, hence the reason why Tyler Weaver (one of the English septet) is such a positive influence on Connor.
“But to be a three-time Walker Cupper at 19 is quite unique. I don't know if that's the first time that's happened. The two times that he's been involved before, he's been on a losing team, and I'm quite sure that Connor is going to be super focused to put a W (win) to his record this year.”
Six players - Shiels Donegan, Graham, Poulter, Graham, Weaver and 2025 Scottish Men’s Open winner Eliot Baker - were in the team that tasted defeat at Cypress Point in California last September, when the visitors trailed by just one point heading into the concluding singles before ending up losing 17-9.
They’ll all be thirsty for revenge, with man-of-the-moment Whaley - the Rotherman man joined Harold Hilton and Matthew Fitzpatrick as the only English players to be crowned as US Amateur champion - joining compatriots Ben Bolton, Sam Easterbrook and Josh Hill as debutants for the 51st edition of one of golf’s great team tussles.
“They're all so excited,” declared Robertson of Whaley landing a timely triumph in the build up to the contest and, in the process, pipping Irishman Thomas Higgins for one of the coveted berths. “Every one of them was texting me last night. To have the Amateur champion and the US Amateur champion in your roster is not something that Great Britain & Ireland can say that they do often.
“We are pumped to have those two current champions in the GB&I roster, and also, irrespective of the fact that the Irish are not represented more than Stuart, that won't hold them back. They are the best support, and they are an 11th man, and we are really looking forward to engaging with them and getting their support.”
Having felt a change of course conditions from a pre-event visit had contributed to last year’s defeat on the California coast, Robertson is hoping that a traditional links like Lahinch will be an advantage to his players on this occasion, having not only held a training camp at the venue but seeing the majority of the team compete in the South of Ireland Amateur Championship on it last month.
As for McGinley, Robertson revealed the Ryder Cup-winning captain will be playing a part in GB&I’s final preparations. “Basically, Paul keeps things nice and simple, but he's a big person on representing, and he talks about being a real passionate Dub,” said the former Scottish Amateur champion. “When he came down to Tralee for the Palmer Cup (in July), he spoke beautifully at the opening ceremony about Kerry and it being the gold standard for Gaelic football until Mayo beat them a few weeks ago.
“But he's really going to just come in and support the things that I'm doing. There's nothing that I'm doing that I haven't spoken to him or others about and taken counsel and great advice. The key all along is getting ready. But the preparation and the process that we've had in the lead up as opposed to going to Cypress is something we are far more comfortable with. We are far more able to understand the skill set that's required (for links golf), and that's really been the key all along is getting ready.
“Equally, for me, confidence is preparation and we will be prepared to play winning golf and focusing on the things that we can control as a team. We have a mission, and that's one team with one purpose, and that's what we're going to do.”
Despite losing the highly-decorated Jackson Koivun to the professional ranks, where he landed a PGA Tour win in the 3M Open in just his third start, the Americans are heading to Ireland with a team described by the opposition captain as “incredibly talented”. It is spearheaded by world No 1 Preston Stout, third-ranked Tyler Watts and Miles Russell, who has been tipped to be another US superstar. Stewart Hagestad, meanwhile, will be making a sixth Walker Cup outing at the age of 35.
Teams
GB&Ireland: Eliot Baker (Eng), Ben Bolton (Eng), Sam Easterbrook (Eng), Connor Graham (Sco), Stuart Grehan (Ire), Josh Hill (Eng), Luke Poulter (Eng), Niall Shiels Donegan (Sco), Tyler Weaver (Eng), Jack Whaley (Eng).
US: Jay Leng jr, Kihei Akina, Ryder Cowan, Josiah Gilbert, William Jennings, Stewart Hagestad, Ethan Fang, Miles Russell, Preston Stout and Tyler Watts
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