GB and Ireland take early Walker Cup lead

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.