Irish Walker Cup quartet ready to shock US at St Andrews
Mark Power hits a bunker shot on the 2nd hole during Foursomes at the 2021 Walker Cup at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla. on Saturday, May 8, 2021. (Scott Halleran/USGA)
Mark Power insists Great Britain and Ireland can deny a heavily fancied USA a fourth successive Walker Cup win at St Andrews next month.
The Kilkenny star (23) returns to the side after starring in a narrow 14-12 defeat to a red-hot US team at Seminole two years ago.
He's joined by Galway's Liam Nolan, Laytown and Bettytown's Alex Maguire and Malone's Matt McClean— the biggest Irish presence since Paul Dunne, Gary Hurley, Cormac Sharvin, Jack Hume and Gavin Moynihan helped GB&I claim its most recent win at Royal Lytham in 2015.
The Americans had nine of the world's top 20 in 2021 and while all 10 are in the top 20 this time compared to just one for GB&I, Power believes they can win at the Old Course from September 2-3.
"They're a very strong side and it was exactly the same case last time around," said Power, who won three and lost one of his four matches in 2021. "No one really fancied our chances and we gave them a good run. It will be a great test, but we have a good chance.
"We have an advantage with links golf and hopefully the elements get nasty because we are used to playing in that kind of stuff and they definitely aren't."
Nolan, Maguire and McClean feel the same about the centenary match.
"They are ranked where they are because of how good they are, but if we can all play like we can play anything can happen on the day, and hopefully we may have some extra links knowledge that will help us," McClean said.
Nolan added: "The Americans have an amazing team, but the fact that we're so used to links golf, growing up on it gives us a great chance against them."
Maguire described his call-up as "amazing", adding: "We are all gunning to bring that trophy home. We're sick of the Americans winning."
The team is completed by Welshman James Ashfield, England's Jack Bigham, Barclay Brown and John Gough, and Scots Connor Graham and Calum Scott.
Meanwhile, Zach Johnson will complete the US Ryder Cup side with six picks after this week's Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa qualified automatically on Sunday alongside Xander Schauffele, who edged LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka out of the final automatic spot in Chicago.
Koepka now joins Jordan Spieth, Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Rickie Fowler, Denny McCarthy, Justin Thomas and Lucas Glover in needing a pick.
Luke Donald will name his six picks after next week's Omega European Masters with Shane Lowry, who joins Padraig Harrington in this week's Czech Masters, still in with a chance of qualifying automatically. Seamus Power likely needs a win in Crans to have any chance of a pick.
