Six Irish stars named in GB&I squad for Walker Cup

SHANE LOWRY, Paul Cutler and Niall Kearney, all members of Ireland’s winning team at the 2008 European Amateur Team Championships, have been included in the Great Britain & Ireland squad ahead of September’s Walker Cup.

The squad also includes fellow Irish talents, Dara Lernihan, Alan Dunbar and Simon Ward.

Scotland’s World Amateur Team Championship winners, Wallace Booth and Gavin Dear, have also been included in the GB & Ireland squad. The final team of 10 players to face the USA will be selected in August.

Meanwhile Ireland’s Hugh Smyth (Mourne) finished second at the Spanish Seniors Championship held at Costa Ballena over the weekend.

After winning the International Doubles Championship with Killeen’s Maurice Kelly last Thursday, the tall Ulster man shot rounds of 80, 72 and 72 to miss out on the top prize by just two shots.

Defending champion, Maurice Kelly, finished sixth after producing rounds of 77, 75 and 75.

Meanwhile former Irish girls champion Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), a student at the International Golf Academy at Hilton Head Island, finished joint third at the prestigious Verizon Junior Heritage girls’ 36-hole golf championship at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina on Sunday.