Phelan and Moynihan in rearguard action
Gavin Moynihan (GB&I) watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the foursomes match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)Skipper Nigel Edwards will be relying on Ireland’s Kevin Phelan and Gavin Moynihan to put a sting in Great Britian and Ireland ’ tail as they attempt to battle back from 8-4 down in the Walker Cup in New York.
The visitors took a 2/5 to 1.5 lead after the opening foursomes despite a 2 and 1 defeat for Moynihan and Phelan at the hands of Patrick Rodgers and Justin Thomas in the anchor match.
Gavin Moynihan (GB&I) plays his tee shot on the seventh hole during the singles match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)Edwards wanted to play all 10 member of his team on the opening day and rested Phelan for the singles. However, the mano a mano contests were decidely red, white and blue and only Moynihan and Nathan Kimsey remained undefeated as the Americans won six matches to go 8-4 in front.
Kimsey halved with Justin Thomas while Moynihan, playing at eight, beat Rodgers 2 and 1.
Phelan and Moynihan were again chosen to anchor the foursomes today against Rodgers and Jordan Niebrugge. In the singles, Waterford Castle man Phelan will play at No 8 against Max Homa with Moynihan, from the Island, will meet Rodgers in the final match.
Dave Shedloski caught up with the Irish pair for the USGA website:
“They hit some shots at the end there that were very good; they deserved to win,” said Phelan, who hails from Waterford, Ireland. “All you can do is tip your cap to them and move on. We’d be keen to have another go tomorrow [in foursomes]. We like the pairing.”
Moynihan, 18, and Phelan, 22, have known each other for several years going through the ranks of amateur golf in Ireland. They recently played together in the Men’s Home Internationals at Ganton Golf Club in Yorkshire, England, and before that were teammates in the biennial World Amateur Team Championship, a global team event run by the International Golf Federation.
Gavin Moynihan (GB&I) plays his tee shot on the seventh hole during the singles match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)When the two were added to the Great Britain & Ireland team, Phelan tweeted: “Delighted about making the Walker Cup team with nipster extraordinaire Gavin Moynihan. Should be a great week in NY.”
Phelan, as the senior member of the duo, can make the “nipster” joke, being on the other side of the college golf experience. He recently completed his psychology studies at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and played this summer for Europe in the Palmer Cup. Moynihan, who competed in the Junior Ryder Cup, is an incoming freshman at the University of Alabama.
“I’ve got a bit of a ways to go with the studies and all compared to Kevin,” said Moynihan, a native of Dublin, with a slight smile.
But make no mistake, they are on equal ground as teammates.
“We’ve all watched how strong a player Gavin has become, how much he’s grown and improved,” said Henry Collier, president of The Island Golf Club, in Dublin, where Moynihan plays. Collier made the trip to the National with about a dozen club members. “Kevin and Gavin make a nice complement to each other. They have proved themselves in the bigger events, and they are comfortable with each other because of that.”
The two youngsters have, indeed, proved themselves on “bigger” stages.
Phelan, who intends to turn pro following the Walker Cup, competed in June in his second U.S. Open and made the cut at Merion Golf Club, eventually finishing 62nd. Moynihan became the youngest player to compete in the Irish Open after becoming, at 17, the youngest player to win the Irish Amateur last year. He also was able to put a positive spin on his day by being the only GB&I player to win a singles match in the afternoon session, turning the tables on Rodgers, 2 and 1.
Gavin Moynihan (GB&I) reacts after missing his putt on the seventh hole during the foursomes match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)
“They’re very good lads,” said GB&I captain Nigel Edwards. “They get along with everyone, but our whole team gets along very well. They are probably the most quiet of the group, similar in personality, but they are determined, and they wanted to play together.”
“We get on very well from the standpoint of similar games, hitting it a similar distance, similar approach, perhaps, to short game,” said Phelan, who sat out the afternoon singles. “We’ve traveled around together for a few years, know each other’s games.”
Phelan and Moynihan did not put their heads together on every shot they faced Saturday morning, only when there was some doubt in their minds. This is a product of their preternatural reserve, but it can also be construed as a sign of trust, a notion Moynihan didn’t dismiss.
“We call each other in [to talk about strategy or club selection] when necessary,” he said. “We know what the other guy is capable of. We just like to get on with it and play. Unfortunately, we probably didn’t play our best today. We let some chances slip by, and they [USA] did what they needed to do. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance tomorrow to get that point back. It would be fun.”
Gavin Moynihan (GB&I) plays his third shot on the sixth hole during the singles match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)
Kevin Phelan (GB&I) blasts out of the greenside bunker on the seventh hole during the foursomes match at the 2013 Walker Cup at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y. on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (Copyright USGA/Chris Keane)
44th Walker Cup
National Golf Links of America , Southampton, New York
(6,995 yards, par 72)
September 7-8, 2013
Saturday
Morning Foursomes (US names first)
Cory Whitsett and Bobby Wyatt halved with Nathan Kimsey and Max Orrin
Jordan Niebrugge and Nathan Smith lost to Matthew Fitzpatrick and Neil Raymond 1 up
Michael Weaver and Todd White lost to Garrick Porteous and Rhys Pugh 3 and 1
Patrick Rodgers and Justin Thomas, USA, bt Gavin Moynihan and Kevin Phelan 2 and 1
USA 1 1/2, Great Britain and Ireland 2 1/2
Afternoon Singles
Bobby Wyatt bt Neil Raymond 2 up
Max Homa bt Max Orrin 5 and 3
Michael Kim bt Callum Shinkwin 2 and 1
Cory Whitsett bt. Jordan Smith 1 up
Michael Weaver bt Matthew Fitzpatrick 3 and 1
Jordan Niebrugge bt Garrick Porteous 1 up
Justin Thomas halved with Nathan Kimsey
Patrick Rodgers lost to Gavin Moynihan 2 and 1
USA 6 1/2 GB&I 1 1/2
Overall Saturday, USA 8, Great Britain and Ireland 4
Sunday
Morning Foursomes
7:15 a.m. - Nathan Kimsey and Max Orrin, GB&I vs. Bobby Wyatt and Cory Whitsett, USA
7:30 a.m. - Matthew Fitzpatrick and Neil Raymond, GB&I vs. Michael Weaver and Todd White, USA
7:45 a.m. - Garrick Porteous and Rhys Pugh, GB&I vs. Max Homa and Michael Kim, USA
8 a.m. - Gavin Moynihan and Kevin Phelan, GB&I vs. Patrick Rodgers and Jordan Niebrugge, USA
Afternoon Singles
12:30 p.m. - Neil Raymond, GB&I vs. Bobby Wyatt, USA
12:42 p.m. - Max Orrin, GB&I vs. Justin Thomas, USA
12:54 p.m. - Matthew Fitzpatrick, GB&I vs. Michael Weaver, USA
1:06 p.m. - Rhys Pugh, GB&I vs. Todd White, USA
1:18 p.m. - Nathan Kimsey, GB&I vs. Nathan Smith, USA
1:30 p.m. - Callum Shinkwin, GB&I vs. Cory Whitsett, USA
1:42 p.m. - Garrick Porteous, GB&I vs. Michael Kim, USA
1:54 p.m. - Kevin Phelan, GB&I vs. Max Homa, USA
2:06 p.m. - Jordan Smith, GB&I vs. Jordan Niebrugge, USA
2:18 p.m. - Gavin Moynihan, GB&I vs. Patrick Rodgers, USA