GB and Ireland take early Walker Cup lead
Great Britain and Ireland’s golfers drew firsgt blood on Saturday as they looked to re-capture the Walker Cup against the United States at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
The home team took the morning foursomes 3-1.
The English pair of Ashley Chesters and Jimmy Mullen led from the front in the opening foursomes, defeating Maverick McNealy and Hunter Stewart 3&2.
The home side made it 2-0 when Cormac Sharvin and Jack McDonald beat Jordan Niebrugge and Robby Shelton 5&4.
“We just kept going and building momentum and just did not really give them much,” McDonald said. “It was great to have fun.”
Paul Dunne and Gary Hurley lost 3&1 to Americans Beau Hossler and Denny McCarthy.
A superb bunker shot from Dunne on the 16th set up a winning birdie to keep the match alive, but the 22-year-old drove into a bunker on the 17th and Hossler and McCarthy claimed the first point for the United States.
However, moments later Jimmy Hume and Gavin Moynihan put the finishing touches to a 3&2 win in match four to give Nigel Edwards’ side a 3-1 lead ahead of Saturday afternoon’s eight singles.