Golf: No fear factor for Walker Cup team
Nick Faldo protege Nick Dougherty and Jamie Elson, whose father Pip played on the European tour, have both been named today in the Britain and Ireland team which will defend the Walker Cup in Georgia on August 11-12.
Dougherty is the 19-year-old Liverpudlian whom Faldo took under his wing when he launched his junior series and who finished a brilliant 12th in the Benson and Hedges International Open at The Belfry in May.
Elson, 20 and from Kenilworth, is currently on a golf scholarship at Augusta State after also coming through the England boy ranks.
England teammates Luke Donald and Gary Wolstenholme are the only survivors of the side which won at Nairn two years ago.
Donald, who wins his second cap, won four points out of four then, while 40-year-old Wolstenholme, now winning his fourth cap, finished with three points out of three.
His cup career is still best remembered for his victory over Tiger Woods at Porthcawl in 1995, but he also beat another American champion in David Gossett last time.
The other members of the team are Essex’s Richard McEvoy - no relation to non-playing captain Peter - Scottish champion Steven O’Hara, Marc Warren, Graeme McDowell, British amateur champion Michael Hoey, from Belfast, and lone Welshman Nigel Edwards.
Former Amateur champion Craig Watson, who was the playing-captain of the Scotland side which won the European team championship at the weekend, just misses out on a second cap, being named first reserve.
Chairman of selectors Peter Benka said: ‘‘We have a very solid-looking team with a nucleus of players who have international experience at the highest level.
‘‘They have consistently shown they can perform on the world stage and I have every confidence that under Peter McEvoy they will gel and achieve our first back-to-back wins.’’
What McEvoy wants is a repeat of the spirit and belief of Nairn. Trailing 7-5 overnight, Britain and Ireland took the second day foursomes 3-1 and then the singles 7-1 for an astonishing 15-9 victory, their biggest-ever win.
‘‘The proudest moment of my golfing life - I’ve never known a day like it,’’ said McEvoy. ‘‘But while I was surprised by the margin, I wasn’t by the result.
‘‘And it’s not only the memory of that that makes me convinced we can win again. We’ve had wins in America in the Ryder Cup and the Curtis Cup and we now hold the Solheim Cup.
‘‘We’ve also seen Luke Donald go to college in the States and become their number one. We’ve no need to feel intimidated going over there any more.’’
Donald, inevitably cast in the role of the team’s star following the decision of Eisenhower Trophy runner-up Paul Casey to turn professional, has seen first-hand how effective a captain McEvoy can be.
‘‘He has a great way of motivating players,’’ says the 23-year-old from Beaconsfield, expected to go pro himself immediately after his second cap.
‘‘His best strength is getting players to believe in themselves.’’
The Americans will doubtless point out that the overall tally in the Walker Cup reads 31 wins to them, one tie and Britain and Ireland five wins. But it is 3-3 in the last six.
Team: L Donald (Beaconsfield, age 23), N Dougherty (Shaw Hill, 19), N Edwards (Whitchurch, 32), J Elson (Kenilworth, 20), M Hoey (Shandon Park, 22), G McDowell (Rathmore, 21), R McEvoy (Thorpe Hall, 22), S O’Hara (Colville Park, 20), M Warren (East Kilbride, 20), G Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs, 40). Reserves: C Watson (East Renfrewshire, 35), B Hume (Haggs Castle, 19). Non-playing captain: P McEvoy.
