GB&I take one-point lead into Saturday singles after solid start at Lahinch

Connor Graham, left, and Tyler Weaver of Great Britain and Ireland during the foursomes matches on day one of the 51st Walker Cup at Lahinch. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Great Britain & Ireland will take a one-point lead into Saturday afternoon’s singles matches after their bid to regain the Walker Cup for the first time since 2015 got off to an encouraging start in front of sell-out home crowd in Co. Clare.

Dean Robertson’s GB&I team won the opening foursomes session 2.5 to 1.5 over the USA as they chase the 13.5 points necessary to wrest the coveted men’s amateur matchplay prize and prevent a sixth successive victory for the Americans, who require 13 points to retain on Sunday evening.

Saturday afternoon’s singles at Lahinch will comprise eight matches, to be followed on Sunday by another four foursomes, alternate shot matches and then the full slate of 10 singles matches. The opening foursomes on a mild, dry morning at the revered Old Course links made for a confident first session for the hosts, Ireland’s Stuart Grehan, the reigning British Amateur champion and his English playing partner Eliot Baker putting up the first half point having been given the honour of leading out the GB&I challenge in the opening match.

Playing against Ethan Fang and men’s amateur world number one Preston Stout, the GB&I pair had gone to last hole trailing 1 down and when Baker missed his putt from the fringe of the green it looked like the chance to halve the match had passed. Yet Stout missed his much shorter putt for victory and honours were shared with a half-point each.

Stuart Grehan of Great Britain and Ireland watches his tee shot on the 17th. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

“That was cool,” Grehan said. “Really cool, really enjoyed it. I think a half point was a fair result.

“We played really nice golf to be honest. We just didn't hole a few putts here and there, but I think a half point is a fair result, to be honest.

“These are moments that I'll remember forever. I've got to relish it and take it all in and try to be as accommodating to everyone else as you can.” The last of the four matches out on Saturday was the next to finish as Scotland’s Niall Sheils Donegan and Josh Hill of England wrapped up a one-sided 4&3 victory over Americans Josiah Gilbert and Ryder Cowan before English world number two Tyler Weaver and Scots teenager Connor Graham, 19, continued their partnership from the defeat at Cypress Point with a valuable 1Up win over Jay Leng Jr and Kihei Akina.

That left just the third match of the morning to complete and having trailed by three holes, English duo Luke Poulter and Sam Easterbrook dragged their American rivals Mike Russell and Tyler Watts to the final hole all square having won the 17th.

Both pairs missed the final putting surface, their greenside chips leaving each team with pressurised putts of around 15 feet. Watts drained his for the USA, piling even more pressure on Easterbrook to halve the match and there was agony for the Englishman as his putt lipped out to hand the Americans their first whole point of the weekend.

Grehan, the oldest GB&I team member at 33, was set to lead his team out once again in the first of Saturday afternoon’s eight singles matches and will once again face world number one Stout.

Walker Cup Saturday Singles (GB&I lead USA 2.5 to 1.5pts) 

Match 1, 2.02pm: Preston Stout (USA) v Stuart Grehan (GB&I). 

Match 2, 2.12pm: Ethan Fang (USA) v Jack Whaley (GB&I).

Match 3, 2.22pm: William Jennings (USA) v Connor Graham (GB&I). 

Match 4, 2.32pm: Jay Leng Jr (USA) v Tyler Weaver (GB&I).

Match 5, 2.42pm: Stewart Hagestad (USA) v Ben Bolton (GB&I). 

Match 6, 2.52pm: Miles Russell (USA) v Luke Poulter (GB&I). 

Match 7, 3.02pm: Tyler Watts (USA) v Niall Sheils Donegan (GB&I). 

Match 8, 3.12pm: Josiah Gilbert (USA) v Eliot Baker (GB&I).