Walker Cup Captain's Picks

The U.S. Amateur finalist and British Amateur Champion were passed up for younger players...

FOWLER AND STANLEY COMPLETE USA TEAM
FOR WALKER CUP MATCH AT ROYAL COUNTY DOWN IN IRELAND
 
Far Hills, N.J. (Aug. 27) – Rickie Fowler, 18, of Murrieta, Calif., and Kyle Stanley, 19, of Gig Harbor, Wash., have been selected to complete the 10-man squad that will represent the United States of America for the 2007 Walker Cup Match. The Match is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland.  
 
Chosen by the International Team Selection Committee of the United States Golf Association, the squad will face an amateur team representing Great Britain and Ireland.
 
The USGA had earlier announced eight members of the team. They are: Billy Horschel, 20, of Grant, Fla.; Dustin Johnson, 23, of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Chris Kirk, 22, of Woodstock, Ga.
 
Also previously named were 2007 U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Colt Knost, 22, of Dallas, Texas; Trip Kuehne, 35, of Irving, Texas; Jamie Lovemark, 19, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Jonathan Moore, 22, of Vancouver, Wash.; and Webb Simpson, 21, of Raleigh, N.C. All but Kuehne are collegians or recent graduates, who are playing on their first Walker Cup team.
 
The alternates to the team, in rank order, are Michael Thompson, 22, of Tucson, Ariz.; Drew  Weaver, 20, of High Point, N.C., and Alex Prugh, 22, of Spokane, Wash.
 
The Walker Cup Match consists of 16 singles and eight foursomes (alternate shot) matches. The USA reclaimed the Cup with a one-point victory at Chicago (Ill.) Golf Club in 2005. Great Britain and Ireland’s team had won the three previous Matches, in 1999, 2001 and 2003, twice by scores of 15-9 and by 12½ -11½ in 2003. The USA leads the series overall, 32-7-1.
 
Fowler won the 2007 Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown, Pa., by one stroke, finishing at 8-under-par 272 for his four rounds. He followed with a win at the 2007 Players Amateur in Bluffton, S.C., where he was 24 under par for 72 holes. He also was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur.
 
At the Sunnehanna, he was in the 60s for three of the four rounds. At the Players, his four rounds in the 60s included a 63 and 64.
 
He won the individual title at the 2007 Southern California High School Championship and the 2006 California State High School Championship. He is currently in his first year at Oklahoma State University.
 
Stanley won the 2006 Southern Amateur in Birmingham, Ala., as part of a resume that includes five top-10 finishes in highly regarded amateur events over the past two summers. In winning the Southern Amateur, he posted a 9-under-par total of 275 for 72 holes to win by a single stroke. He reached the second round of match play at the 2007 U.S. Amateur.
 
He was individual runner-up at the 2007 NCAA Championship, where he had a 65 in the third round. He was invited to play in the PGA Tour’s 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla.
 
Stanley, a sophomore year at Clemson University, will be playing in his first Walker Cup Match.
George “Buddy” Marucci, 55, of Villanova, Pa., who played on the USA Walker Cup teams of 1995 and 1997 and was runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1995 U.S. Amateur, will serve as team captain.
 
“I couldn’t be more pleased to lead this Walker Cup squad to Ireland,” said Marucci. “It is an honor to be involved with this competition and these fine young men who will represent the USA. I appreciate the commitment on the part of our players who were chosen and those who were considered.”

Anyone who follows amateur golf closely care to weigh in? On paper, it seems odd to pass up the first American to win the British Amateur in ages when you will be playing links golf.