The Walker Cup: Who will make the cut?

GB&I team captain Nigel Edwards and the R&A’s team of selectors are preparing to choose the 10 young amateurs tasked with regaining the Walker Cup from September 12-13.

The team to play at Royal Lytham & St Annes will not be selected until after the English, Scottish and Welsh Amateur Championships, the Home Internationals and the US Amateur – which finishes on August 23.

Last week a 15-strong squad of hopefuls met at the host venue one last time, but in this series of features we will look at the players most likely to be selected for the final team. 

We’ve chosen five who are certain to go, and five who lead the race to claim the other available spots.

Regular NCG contributor Colin Callandar will also have his say on why these players are the ones to regain the Walker Cup.

It’s worth noting that if a GB&I player wins the US Amateur, they would earn an automatic place in the team.
‘Sharvin has been GB&I’s most consistent performer this season’ The Certainty






Cormac Sharvin (Ardglass, Ireland)

Age: 23

WAGR position: 15

Won the 2015 Brabazon Trophy. Shared second place in this year’s Lytham Trophy. Part of the Ireland squad that won the 2014 Home Internationals.

Colin says: Sharvin has arguably been GB&I’s most consistent performer since the start of the season. He came tied second behind Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult at this year’s Lytham Trophy so clearly can play this year’s Walker Cup venue. He was also second behind Moynihan at the Irish Open Stroke Play and third at the Scottish equivalent before claiming the title with a fine display at the Brabazon Trophy at Notts (Hollinwell). It might be less significant but he’s also been the British University champion for the past two years.

The Possible






David Boote (Walton Heath, England)

Age: 22

WAGR: 164

Born in Surrey, but chose to represent Wales. Won the Nick Faldo Series Championship in 2011. Tied for 3rd at the 2014 NCAA Championship

Colin says: The last place probably won’t be decided until after the Scottish, English and Welsh Amateur Championships, the Home Internationals and the US Amateur, but the players likely to be under consideration will include Hume, Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson, England’s Ben Taylor and David Boote from Wales. The experienced Scot, Graeme Robertson, might also be in the equation, too, particularly having amassed three wins out of three in tandem with Grant Forrest at the European Men’s Team Championship. Whichever player does best between now and the day the team is picked is likely to get the nod. However, as things stand, it is the Welshman might just have the edge.  

Click here to read about the next two players hoping to make the Walker Cup team.