Ireland's current amateur strength is reflected in the inclusion of five players in a squad of 22 for the Walker Cup against the US at Nairn on September 11th and 12th of next year. It is anticipated that the bulk of the 1999 team will be drawn from this line-up.
The Irish candidates are: Eamonn Brady (Royal Dublin), Noel Fox (Portmarnock), Paddy Gribben (Warrenpoint), Michael Hoey (Shandon Park) and Garth McGimpsey (Bangor).
The inclusion of McGimpsey is particularly interesting. The Bangor player seemed to be out of favour with the Royal and Ancient selectors, despite consistently strong performances at national level. But against the background of successive, crushing defeats in the US, they clearly see the value of experience.
McGimpsey, whose victory in the East of Ireland last June was his 13th championship triumph in this country, has been in three Walker Cup teams - in 1985, 1989 and 1991. This is the same as Padraig Harrington (1991, 1993, 1995), but three fewer than Cecil Ewing who, with six appearances, is second only to Joe Carr (10, once as non-playing captain), among Irishmen selected.
Ireland's Walker Cup representatives, with appearances in brackets, are: Charles Hezlet, Royal Portrush (1924, 1926, 1928); Noel Martin, Royal Portrush (1928); John Burke, Lahinch (1932); Cecil Ewing, Co Sligo (1936, 1938, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1955); Jimmy Bruen (Muskerry) 1938, 1949, 1951; Joe Carr, Sutton (1947, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965 as non-playing captain, 1967; Max McCready, Royal Belfast (1949, 1951); Norman Drew, Bangor (1953); David Madeley, Royal Belfast (1963); David Sheahan, Grange (1963); Tom Craddock, Malahide (1967, 1969); Roddy Carr, Sutton (1971); Pat Mulcare, Woodbrook (1975); Ronan Rafferty, Warrenpoint (1981); Philip Walton, Malahide (1981, 1983); Arthur Pierse, Tipperary (1983); Garth McGimpsey, Bangor (1985, 1989, 1991), John McHenry, Douglas (1987); Eoghan O'Connell, Killarney (1989); Padraig Harrington, Stackstown (1991, 1993, 1995); Paul McGinley, Grange (1991); Raymond Burns, Banbridge (1993); Jody Fanagan, Milltown (1995); Richard Coughlan, Birr (1997), Keith Nolan, Bray (1997).
Peter McEvoy, non-playing captain of the side, will lead the first squad session at Nairn from October 16th to 18th.
Walker Cup Squad: Brady, Paul Casey (Burhill), Luke Donald (Beaconsfield), Jamie Donaldson (Macclesfield), Simon Dyson (Sand Moor), Colin Edwards (Bath), Kenneth Ferrie (Alnmouth), Graham Fox (West Kilbride), Fox, Gribben, Max Harris (Ham Manor), Hoey, Lorne Kelly (Cowal), Simon Mackenzie (West Linton), Ben Mason (Sand Moor), McGimpsey, David Patrick (Mortonhall), Philip Rowe (West Cornwall), Mark Sanders (Bristol and Clifton), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), Craig Williams (Creigiau), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).
