GB&I team show stomach for the fight in Walker Cup
THE Walker Cup has always been a stomach-churning experience for those involved but it was more than butterflies doing the rounds as the 48th edition of this grand transatlantic tussle got underway at Seminole in Florida yesterday.
A series of “gastrointestinal issues” prior to the opening session affected 14 players and both USA and GB&I captains while leading to the travelling reserves being plunged into action. But, when things settled down, Stuart
Wilson’s GB&I team showed they had, well, the stomach for a fight.
In a series of engrossingly nip-and-tuck foursomes encounters which all went to the 18th green – the first time that has happened since 1983 – the honours were shared 2-2.
Given the USA had significant leads in three of the four matches heading on to the back nine, it was an admirable salvage operation from a visiting side seeking just a third Walker Cup win on American soil and a first since 2001.
Wiltshire’s Jake Bolton, who was originally a reserve, rose to the occasion after being sent to the front and helped to bolster the GB&I assault against Stewart Hagestad and William Mouw. Bolton holed a curling 30-footer for a hole-winning par on the 17th, after playing partner Angus Flanagan had dunted a fine recovery shot on to the green, before firing a brilliant approach into 10-feet at the last to all but ensure a one-hole win in the anchor match.
In the top match, the GB&I duo of Alex Fitzpatrick and Barclay Brown had been three down through 13 against Cole Hammer and Davis Thompson but rallied to square the match at the 16th. The GB& I pairing lost the 17th, however, and hopes of stealing a half were dashed on the last when Hammer dealt the ultimate blow with a raking putt for birdie to seal a narrow win.
The Irish partnership of John Murphy and Mark Power, meanwhile, had been three-down after 12 against Quade Cummins and Austin Eckroat but won four of the last five holes to win by one hole.
Despite Jack Dyer and Matty Lamb falling to Mac Meissner and Ricky Castillo, GB&I would have been more than happy with a share of the spoils heading into the afternoon’s singles.