Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney was today confirmed in the final 10-man Great Britain and Ireland squad for September’s Walker up clash with the USA at the Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
The 21-year-old, who won the Brabazon Trophy earlier in the summer, learned of his call-up yesterday while competing in the Mullingar Scratch Cup. He becomes the 34th Irishman to compete in the amateur team event.
Speaking yesterday, Kearney expressed relief at making the final cut: “It’s fantastic. I have had a great year but you are never sure until the call comes through. I’m over the moon.”
He is the only Irish golfer in the squad, with Rathmore’s Alan Dunbar and Portstewart’s Paul Cutler missing out despite some fine performances this season.
The squad will travel to Valderrama in southern Spain this Sunday for a four-day training camp and will be named as the final confirmed team subject to no British or Irish player winning the US Amateur Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa at the end of the month and claiming automatic selection to the team via that route.
Squad:Wallace Booth (Comrie), Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall), Luke Goddard (Hendon), Matt Haines (Rochester & Cobham Park), Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale), Sam Hutsby (Liphook), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Chris Paisley (Stocksfield), Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes). Squad reserves: Paul O'Hara (Colville Park), Rhys Enoch (Truro).
