Latest news with #GB&I
Scotsman
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Britain's '100 per cent best amateur' moves on to radar for prestigious golf event
GB&I captain opens up on one Scot who is turning pro but two others who are in contention to face Americans Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Luke Poulter, the son of Ryder Cup player Ian, has been hailed as Great Britain & Ireland's '100 per cent best amateur' at this moment in time, making him a strong contender for a Walker Cup debut in California later this year. The praise heaped on Poulter, who has made an impressive recovery after fracturing his back this time last year and was sidelined for around seven months, came from Dean Robertson, the man who will lead the visitors into battle in that biennial clash at Cypress Point in September. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In an exclusive interview with Scotland on Sunday, the GB&I captain mentioned Poulter's name without any prompting about the 20-year-old and also revealed that Calum Scott, last year's Silver Medal winner in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon, had ruled himself out of contention for a second successive appearance against the Americans due to the fact the Nairn man is turning professional at the end of his college career. Luke Poulter pictured caddying for his dad Ian in practice round prior to The 150th Open at St Andrews |Blairgowrie's Connor Graham, who created history in the 2023 match at St Andrews when he became the youngest-ever player on either side to play in the event, is pushing hard to be involved again after an eye-catching freshman season on the US college circuit. It also sounds as though Cameron Adam, the 2023 Scottish Amateur champion from Royal Burgess, is in with a good chance of securing one of just ten spots up for grabs after the left-hander impressed during a preparatory visit to Cypress Points towards the end of last year. There's no denying, though, that it was the mention of young Poulter, who, in his sophomore year at the University of Florida, landed his maiden US college win in the Schenkel Invitational in Georgia and recently came through the first qualifying stage for next month's US Open, that seemed a particularly significant soundbite. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The best GB&I player 100 per cent at the moment is Luke Poulter and don't be surprised if he's got a very strong chance of representing GB&I this year,' said the former Scottish Amateur and Scottish Professional champion, as well, of course, as a DP World Tour winner in the Italian Open. Robertson, who is being assisted by his long-time friend Raymond Russell - the pair fought out an epic battle in the Scottish Amateur at Royal Dornoch 32 years ago - and Welshwoman Kath O'Connor, a well-known figure in the amateur game, will oversee a squad get-together at Dumbarnie Links just before the St Andrews Links Trophy early next month. He'll then get to try out some pairings in the St Andrews Trophy match against Continental Europe in Madrid towards the end of July, admitting that being held in the same year as the Walker Cup on this occasion could be 'huge' when it then comes round to the Walker Cup. It had been suggested by someone who keeps a close eye on the amateur game that all ten spots on this occasion could be filled by English players, but that is unlikely to be the case and, though certainly not about to show any bias, Robertson happily talked about some of his compatriots. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dean Robertson, the University of Stirling's head of golf, with past programme member Louise Duncan and current scholar Ross Laird in the new state-of-the-art facilitiy | Contributed 'Calum is turning pro and let me know that he would be unavailable,' he said of Scott, the current top-ranked Scottish amateur, who is set to bring down the curtain on his college career with an appearance for Texas Tech along with Graham in the upcoming NCAA Championship in California. 'Connor has a chance again as he's really maturing and has been sending me texts and phoning me up,' he added of Graham while, referring to Adam, admitted: 'Cameron impressed when we were at Cypress Point, which is short by modern standards and he showed a great understanding of how to play it.' Only two GB&I teams - the first at Peachtree in 1989, when Jim Milligan holed the winning putt, and the other under the captaincy of Peter McEvoy, who passed away last month, at Ocean Forest in 2001 - have won on US soil. 'On paper, we don't have a chance - but let's wait and see,' said Robertson, who, as the University of Stirling scholars he's worked with for the last 15 years would happily testify, will certainly leave no stone unturned. The current members of that programme and the others who will follow in their footsteps will not only be able to benefit from the Head of Golf's vast knowledge but also have the use of a new indoor Golf Performance Studio, which was opened earlier this week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are really fortunate as it has been a massive investment,' said Robertson, who mentored the likes of Lorna McClymont, Louise Duncan and Graeme Robertson, all now pursuing professional careers, in their time on the campus. 'The money for all the technology came from the MacLeod Foundation and then the capital investment was made by the university itself, so that is going to an extension of my office. An external shot of the University of Stirling's new state-of-the-art Performance Golf Studio, located on the Stirling campus | Contributed 'When I arrived in 2010, it was Bobby Rushford, Graeme Robertson, Zander Culverwell, Jack McDonald, those sort of players. The campus is about 350 acres but it had its own nine-hole golf course and an area where they would hit some balls. But it was nothing more than that and there weren't any greenkeepers. 'Straight away, my aim was to start to work with the grounds crew to create things in an environment that we could then tap into structure our training programme around. We are really fortunate that it is an amazing campus. We call it a golf classroom where my office is and, for the last 15 years, we've had an all-weather facility as I like to call it where we just had to wrap up and get out there in all sorts of weather and get on with it. 'Now, to have an indoor studio along with the latest technology, which is something we've never really had, is going to be amazing for when the weather is poor. Right now, when the weather is great, we are outside and it was ironic that we opened the new facility on Wednesday when it was 'Costa del Ecosse'. It will allow us to structure irrespective of what the weather conditions are and it will help the players to develop their skills, which the programme is all about. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Times are difficult. There's been a big tightening of belts, which means you are having to cut the cloth due to the higher education sector literally being on its knees at the moment. Budgets are tightening and we are going to just have to make the most of what we've got.'
Telegraph
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Peter McEvoy: First British amateur to make Masters cut dies, aged 72
Pete McEvoy, the first British amateur to make the cut at the Masters, has died aged 72. The Londoner was one of the best golfers never to turn pro, instead electing to stay in the non-paid game and inspire youngsters who went on to become Ryder Cup heroes. One of these was Luke Donald, who does not make any secret of his admiration for the man who made history by leading Great Britain & Ireland to Walker Cup victories over the United States in 1999 and 2001 – the first time they had won consecutively in the then 79-year-old biennial match. There can be no doubt that McEvoy helped Donald's own captaincy style that guided Europe to the last Ryder Cup and which, in September in New York, he will deploy again to try to end a 13-year wait to win on away soil. 'Pete did a brilliant job of getting us in the right frame of mind and making us prepared,' Donald said in an interview. 'He couldn't control how we played but he certainly put us in a very confident mood. He painted a picture that we were champions and that we knew how to win – he put together a motivational video made by Saatchi & Saatchi at Nairn in 1999. 'Pete would go through each player individually and go through their records; he would say to me 'you are conquering America'. He had a funny line to Gary Wolstenholme: 'You are the champion of a billion people.' Because he had won the Chinese Open. 'He would come up to you and say 'two up? You're doing great, maybe you could win a few more holes here'. It was succinct, no bulls--t, you heard what you wanted to hear.' McEvoy called that side who followed up their Nairn glory by stunning the Americans in Sea Island, Georgia, with 'the strongest GB&I team ever'. In 1998, he had skippered Great Britain and Ireland on their way to the Eisenhower Trophy – aka the World Amateur Team Championships for men – making McEvoy the only player to win the individual event, the team event as a player, and the team event as a captain. McEvoy, who died after a long battle with cancer, was a brilliant player in his own right and would have easily have made a living as a pro. He finished 53rd here at the 1978 Masters – where he played with Jack Nicklaus - the same year in which he claimed the second of his back-to-back Amateur Championship victories at Royal Troon. McEvoy also won the silver medal given to the leading amateur in the Open Championship in 1978 and 1979. Awarded an OBE in 2003, McEvoy, who was also a successful course designer, is survived by his wife, Helen, and their children Cameron, Richie, Douglas and Mary. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon paid tribute to McEvoy as one of amateur golf's 'most respected figures'. 'Peter was an outstanding amateur golfer and enjoyed an illustrious career, including his two victories in The Amateur Championship and success in the Walker Cup,' Darbon added. 'He also worked so hard to develop the game as an administrator and help provide opportunities for aspiring players. Peter was dedicated to the amateur game, choosing not to turn professional, and will be widely missed across the golf world.'
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Former amateur champion McEvoy dies, aged 72
Peter McEvoy, the first British amateur golfer to make the cut at the Masters, has died aged in London, McEvoy was brought up near Turnberry on the Ayrshire coast. Despite a gentle Scottish birr, he represented England in a decorated career among the unpaid ranks."We have lost one of amateur golf's most respected figures," said R&A chief executive Mark Darbon."Peter was an outstanding amateur golfer and enjoyed an illustrious career. He also worked so hard to develop the game as an administrator and help provide opportunities for aspiring players."On behalf of The R&A and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews I would like to offer our deepest condolences to Peter's family at this sad time."Although regarded as talented enough to make his living playing the game, McEvoy preferred to remain a leading figure away from the professional won the Amateur Championship in both 1977 and 1978, the second of those victories coming in the same year as he made it to the weekend to finish 53rd at in 1978 he was the lowest amateur at the Open, finishing in a share of 39th place. The following year at Lytham he was the leading unpaid finisher, coming tied was on the winning Walker Cup team - the amateur equivalent of the Ryder Cup - in 1989 at Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta. He went unbeaten in each of the first three sessions as the visitors built a crucial 11-5 advantage over the United States.A decade later he led GB&I to a famous 15-9 victory at Nairn in Scotland. McEvoy captained a side that included current European Ryder Cup skipper Luke Donald, Paul Casey, Simon Dyson and Graeme played again two years later at Sea Island in Georgia, as McEvoy inspired GB&I to another convincing win. The team also included tour winner Nick Dougherty and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who would go on to win the US went on to become chairman of the R&A's selection committee while embarking on a career involving golf course design. He was a hugely respected figure in every facet of the game, receiving an OBE in 2003 for his services to golf.
USA Today
03-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pine Valley selected to host 2044 Walker Cup, will be third time hosting biennial competition
Pine Valley selected to host 2044 Walker Cup, will be third time hosting biennial competition The Walker Cup is returning to Pine Valley. The second-ranked course in Golfweek's Best list of Classic Courses in the United States, Pine Valley Golf Club will host the 2044 Walker Cup match. Yes, 19 years from now. Pine Valley also hosted the 1936 and 1985 Walker Cup Matches and is on tap to host the 2034 Curtis Cup. The Walker Cup is a biennial competition between the top male amateurs from the United States against their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland. The USA Team, captained by Francis Ouimet, won the 1936 Walker Cup at Pine Valley in dominant fashion, skunking GB&I, 9-0. The USA narrowly won the 1985 match, 13-11, with a team featuring playing captain Jay Sigel and future PGA Tour winners Davis Love III, Scott Verplank and Duffy Waldorf. The 50th Walker Cup will be played later this year at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California, on Sept. 6-7. Cypress Point is No. 1 in Golfweek's Best list of Classic Courses in the U.S. The United States leads the overall series, 39-9-1.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pine Valley selected to host 2044 Walker Cup, will be third time hosting biennial competition
The Walker Cup is returning to Pine Valley. The second-ranked course in Golfweek's Best list of Classic Courses in the United States, Pine Valley Golf Club will host the 2044 Walker Cup match. Yes, 19 years from now. Pine Valley also hosted the 1936 and 1985 Walker Cup Matches and is on tap to host the 2034 Curtis Cup. The Walker Cup is a biennial competition between the top male amateurs from the United States against their counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland. The USA Team, captained by Francis Ouimet, won the 1936 Walker Cup at Pine Valley in dominant fashion, skunking GB&I, 9-0. The USA narrowly won the 1985 match, 13-11, with a team featuring playing captain Jay Sigel and future PGA Tour winners Davis Love III, Scott Verplank and Duffy Waldorf. The 50th Walker Cup will be played later this year at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California, on Sept. 6-7. Cypress Point is No. 1 in Golfweek's Best list of Classic Courses in the U.S. The United States leads the overall series, 39-9-1. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: USGA announces Walker Cup will return to Pine Valley Golf Club in 2044
