Maguire and Gough will fly the Royal flag in Walker Cup

GOLF

Laytown and Bettystown golfer Alex Maguire will be one of four Ireland players to on the the 10-man Great Britain and Ireland side that will try to win back the Walker Cup at St Andrews from 2nd September.

That number of Irish players can be considered five when John Gough's qualifications are taken into consideration.

From Dunderry to Kilmessan, Athboy to Navan, Royal Tara to Headfort, Gough has family ties all across Meath. His father is from Dunderry while he has cousins in Athboy and his uncle and aunt own Fergie’s pub in Kilmessan.

Maguire qualified for the The Open this year and shot a superb opening round before falling back with an 80 on day two and missing the cut, but he is regarded as one of the leading amateurs in the world.

Kilkenny’s Mark Power returns to the side for his second cap following the 14-12 GB&I defeat at Seminole in 2021 and is also joined in the team by Malone’s Matthew McClean and Galway’s Liam Nolan.

GB&I is bidding to win the famous trophy for the first time since 2015 when it secured a 16½-9½ victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The biennial encounter is taking place over the Old Course, marking 100 years since it was first played at the home of golf.

The USA is the hot favourite to win the match for the fourth time in succession with all 10 of their team ranked inside the top 20 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, headed bye world number one Gordon Sargent.

Just one of Great Britain and Ireland side is ranked inside the top 20, the reigning Irish Amateur Open champion Gough, who is 11th.