McBride gets Walker Cup call

IRELAND might have won the Home Internationals four years running but The Island’s Paul McBride is the lone Irishman selected for the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup side that will defend the trophy at Los Angeles Country Club from September 9-10.

With many of the top GB&I players now teeing it up in the clashing US Amateur Championship, the annual battle for the Raymond Trophy did Ireland few favours this time.

Naas’s Conor O’Rourke had a slim chance of making it but his singles defeat to Welsh rival Jack Davidson at Moortown last week meant he was only named as first reserve for a 10-man side that includes five Englishmen, two Scots and two Welshmen.

Wake Forest star McBride (21) believes his consistency was the key to his selection for a team that won with five Irishmen at Royal Lytham and St Annes two years ago.

“I have been very consistent, but I haven’t won,” said McBride, who reached the quarter-finals of the British Amateur Championship and played all four rounds in the Porsche European Open, finishing tied 47th.

While Ireland made up half the winning side in 2015 – all of whom are now professionals – England dominates this year’s team with British Amateur champion Harry Ellis, Open Championship Silver Medal winner and European Amateur champion Alfie Plant, Lytham Trophy winner Jack Singh Brar and St Andrews Links Trophy winner Matthew Jordan all selected.

Last year’s Amateur champion Scott Gregory is joined by Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and Connor Syme and Welshmen Davidson and David Boote. There were no major surprises in the US side with US Amateur champion Doc Redman and beaten finalist Doug Ghim making the team.