Garth McGimpsey will assume his first duty as 2003 Walker Cup captain in April when he assembles a 22-strong squad at the Belfry to be considered for the Great Britain and Ireland amateur team later in the year.
Five amateurs from the victorious Walker Cup side, who retained the trophy 15-9 on American soil last year, form the nucleus of the squad but there is one notable Irish omission.
While Rathmore's Graeme McDowell is named alongside Nigel Edwards, Jamie Elson, Marc Warren and Gary Wolstenholme, the British Amateur champion Michael Hoey is not because he intends turning professional immediately after his invite to the US Masters also in April.
The squad to meet at PGA headquarters on April 23rd-24th will give McGimpsey an opportunity to earmark players for his team to compete in the St Andrews Trophy against the Continent of Europe in Lausanne, Switzerland at the end of August.
"I am impressed with the quality of the players and I am certain that we now have the basis of a strong team for the match later this year," said the Bangorman who is only the second Irishman to captain a Walker Cup side after Joe Carr did in 1965-67.
Peter Benka, chairman of the Royal & Ancient Selection Committee, spoke of the need to keep morale buoyant through a squad system:
"Our recent successes in the Walker Cup and St Andrews Trophy underline the importance of maintaining that momentum by keeping a strong squad system," said Benka.
"Although I expect the bulk of the team to come from these players, I must emphasise that there are still opportunities open to those no listed in the squad."
Aside from McDowell, Waterford's Gavin McNeill, Colm Moriarty from Athlone and Noel Fox who plays out of Portmarnock complete the Irish contingent in this training squad.
22-man squad to meet at the Belfry on
April 24th-25th:
Steven Carmichael (Cardross), Graeme McDowell (Rathmore), Graeme Clark (Doncaster), Gavin McNeill (Waterford), Nigel Edwards (Whitchurch), Colm Moriarty (Athlone), Jamie Elson (Kenilworth), Zane Scotland (Walton Heath), Noel Fox (Portmarnock), David Skinns (Lincoln), Scott Godfrey (St Enodoc), Richard Walker (Walton Hall), Lee Harpin (North Wales), Daniel Wardrop (Didsbury), Craig Heap (East Kilbride), Marc Warren (East Kilbride), Barry Hume (Haggs Castle), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), Jonathan Lupton (Middlesborough), Stuart Wilson (Forfar), Simon Mackenzie (West Linton), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs)