Wolstenholme and Skelton open Walker Cup challenge

GARY WOLSTENHOLME and Michael Skelton, the oldest and youngest members of the Britain and Ireland team, have been paired together for the opening game of the Walker Cup against America at Ganton in Yorkshire today.

Wolstenholme, the 43-year-old British champion, and 19-year-old Skelton, from Middlesbrough, will play the United States' best-known pair Bill Haas, son of US Tour player Jay, and Trip Kuehne, whose brother Hank is a former US Amateur champion and whose sister Kelli plays in next week's Solheim Cup.

Wolstenholme and Skelton both have female caddies this week. Helping the former is Sara Garbutt, a plus-one handicapper at the host club, while former British champion Emma Duggleby, who played in the 2000 Curtis Cup on the course and is a member at nearby Malton and Norton, and has the same coach as Skelton, jumped at the chance to caddie for him. Duggleby said: "I've got my yardage book from the Curtis Cup and it should be so much fun being inside the ropes again."

Home captain Garth McGimpsey and opposite number Bob Lewis are putting all their 10 players into action on the first day.

McGimpsey brings in England's Oliver Wilson and Scot Graham Gordon in place of Skelton and Welshman Stuart Manley for the afternoon singles, while Brock Mackenzie and Matt Hendrix sit out the foursomes, but then make their American debuts when Ryan Moore and Lee Williams are rested.

There are no surprises for the start of the match, with Irish pair Noel Fox and Colm Moriarty, Welsh duo Nigel Edwards and Manley and Scots Stuart Wilson and David Inglis.