Bug flattens Walker Cup squads as rain softens Seminole

Not only was Seminole flooded by torrential rain, the tummy bug that affected two players from each side early in the week (including Kinsale’s John Murphy) spread to five on each side

Kinsale's John Murphy, of the Great Britain and Ireland team, smiles as he walks to the third tee during a practice day for the Walker Cup at Seminole Golf Club. Picture: Gerald Herbert

It’s not quite the 10 plagues of Egypt but Great Britain and Ireland will have to overcome a host of problems to claim just their third Walker Cup win on US soil.

The tummy bug that affected two players from each side early in the week (including Kinsale’s John Murphy) spread to 14 players and captains Nathanial Crosby and Stuart Wilson, forcing the USGA and the R&A not only to issue a statement explaining “gastrointestinal issues” but also to change the rules of the event.