Walker Cup thoughts dominate as England win Home Internationals
Dermot McElroy won six points out of six for Ireland in the Home Internationals. Outstanding performances from Dermot McElroy, Gavin Moynihan and Kevin Phelan will give Walker Cup captain Nigel Edwards food for thought but Ireland paid the price for that first day defeat to the hosts and finished second to England in the Home Internationals at Ganton.
Pádraig Hogan’s charges did their part of the job - just - when they beat Wales 8-7 on the final day to keep their title hopes alive. England needed only a halved match with champions Scotland to frustrate Irish hopes and regain the Raymond Trophy but went one better, producing a strong singles peformance to run out 9-7 winners and take the title.
It’s a measure of the huge strength in depth in English golf right now that they were able to come through despite the fact that almost all their leading players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking were competing in the US Amateur Championship.
How much weight that will hold with the selectors and Great Britain and Ireland skipper Edwards remains to be seen but it is taken as given that the Home International and European Team champions will make up the backbone of the side to take on the United States at the National Golf Links of America in New York from September 7-8.
It would be a major surprise if Phelan does not get the nod and Irish hopes of getting at least one more player in the side are high with Moynihan (5 points out of 6), Whitson and McElroy all presenting strong credentials. Ballymena star McElroy won six points out of six at Ganton, three of them alongside Phelan in the foursomes.
Whether Edwards and Co see him as the ideal partner for the US-based Waterford man Phelan remains to be seen. The side is expected to be named on Monday.
2013 Home International Matches, Ganton GC
Played Won Drawn Lost Points Played Won Drawn Lost Points
1st England 3 3 0 0 6 45 26 4 15 28
2nd Ireland 3 2 0 1 4 45 21 5 19 23.5
3rd Scotland 3 1 0 2 2 45 20 4 21 22
4th Wales 3 0 0 3 0 45 15 3 27 16.5
England 9, Scotland 6
Ireland 8 Wales 7
Foursomes
Kevin Phelan & Dermot McElroy bt Matthew Moseley & Ben Westgate 1 Hole
Gavin Moynihan & Reeve Whitson bt David Boote & Jason Shufflebotham 1 Hole
Brian Casey & Rory McNamara bt Lee Jones & Alistair Jones 3 & 2
Paul Dunne & Jack Hume lost to Mike Hearne & Craig Melding 4 & 3
Cormac Sharvin & Gary Hurley bt Jack Bush & Zach Galliford 3 & 2
Foursomes Ireland 4 Wales 1
Singles
Kevin Phelan halved with Ben Westgate
Gavin Moynihan bt Jason Shufflebotham 3 & 2
Reeve Whitson lost to Matthew Moseley 1 hole
Dermot McElroy bt Craig Melding 3 & 2
Rory McNamara lost to Mike Hearne 3 & 1
Paul Dunne lost to Zach Galliford 1 hole
Brian Casey lost to Lee Jones 3 & 1
Gary Hurley halved with David Boote
Cormac Sharvin bt Alistair Jones 3 & 1
Jack Hume lost to Jack Bush 2 holes
Singles Ireland 4 Wales 6
Friday Total Ireland 8 Wales 7
Player P W H L Pts
Dermot McElroy 6 6 0 0 12
Gavin Moynihan 6 5 0 1 10
Kevin Phelan 6 3 2 1 8
Brian Casey 6 3 0 3 6
Rory McNamara 6 3 0 3 6
Reeve Whitson 6 1 1 3 5
Cormac Sharvin 5 2 0 3 4
Paul Dunne 5 1 1 3 3
Jack Hume 5 1 1 3 3
Gary Hurley 6 1 1 4 3
Chris Selfridge 3 1 0 2 2