Even Captains Get The Local Rules Sheet Reading Blues

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I didn't pay much attention to the Walker Cup caddie flap, where GB&I's Jack Senior harmlessly had his club pro brother Joe caddy for him. The local rules sheet stipulated this was a no-no, and as Ryan Herrington explains in a Golf World Monday item, neither captain knew this because they had not read the one age (two-sided!) local rules sheet.
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2011 Walker Cup Final Day Open Comment Thread

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Several milestone moments await during day two of the Walker Cup, where the U.S.A. trails Great Britain/Ireland 7-5...

- Will the ESPN3.com telecast end with four singles matches still on the course, as happened Saturday?

- Which American will be the first to make a well-intentioned but ultimately embarrassing 9-11 reference in summing up where he found the energy to finish off his opponent?

- Will the U.S. team's bond, forged over straight-to-video films and the comfort in knowing John Peterson was not there to help win matches, motivate the Yanks enough to overcome a two point deficit?

It all starts at 9:15 a.m. ET.

U.S. Walker Cup Captain Goes On The Defensive?

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The U.S. Walker Cup captain Jim Holtgrieve was asked about his team in today's pre-Cup press conference.

Q. The last American Walker Cup team to come over here, to Royal County Down, proved to be very special. On paper do you think this team looks even better?

JIM HOLTGRIEVE: You know, I know what's been going on with all the conversations. These ten young men are a very, very strong, talented team. Every one to me could beat each one of them any day of the week. I will just tell you that comparing them to the three teams that I played on, it's the most talented ten young men I've ever seen play in a Walker Cup amongst the three teams that I played on.

Excellent answer. Next quest...oh wait...there's more?

Obviously we have a process. We select the guys, and these ten young men earned their way onto this team. They're not only talented in playing golf, but they're very respectful young men who honour the game and have a lot of respect for each other, which has really been quite a daunting -- not a task, but a daunting observation from me. I'll just say that they're just ten great players.

Sounds like the Captain anticipated a John Peterson question!

Lewis: "I was asked if I wanted to go to US college and was told not to worry about my schoolwork – they would do it for me."

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The Walker Cup cocktail banter just got a lot more interesting thanks to this James Corrigan Independent profile of amateur Tom Lewis, the lad who starred at this year's Open Championship and headliner of the GB&I team playing this week at Royal Aberdeen.
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Q-School Re-Evaluation, USGA Politics At Heart Of Walker Cup Player Apathy?

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While the U.S.G.A. figures to still field a Walker Cup team loaded with top American amateurs Uihlein, Cantlay, Henley and Langley, Ryan Herrington files a Golf World Monday item suggesting players on the cusp are not retaining their amateur status because of uncertainty about the future of Q-school and the secretive process the USGA goes about selecting the team.
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