Belfast golfer Matthew McClean set for Walker Cup debut after being picked for the Great Britain and Ireland team to compete against the USA at St Andrews

The biennial encounter against the United States is taking place over the Old Course, marking 100 years since it was first played at the home of golf, on Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3.

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.

In what will be a Walker Cup debut for McClean, the qualified optometrist won the US Mid-Amateur Championship by defeating Hugh Foley in the final at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.

To date in 2023, the member of Ireland’s national team has competed in both the Masters Tournament and the US Open and recorded top-ten finishes in the South African Amateur, East of Ireland Amateur Open and Brabazon Trophy.

He also reached the last-64 of the US Amateur and the semi-finals of the Western Amateur. In addition to his USGA championship title in 2022, he also finished runner-up in both the Irish Amateur Open and North of Ireland Amateur Open, reached the last-16 in The Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes and represented Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy.

In that year, he was also a member of the winning GB&I team in the St Andrews Trophy against the Continent of Europe.

Stuart Wilson, GB&I captain, said, “We have selected ten players who we believe will give us the best chance of regaining the Walker Cup against the United States of America.

“This is their opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in amateur golf and have their name written alongside some of the greatest names in the history of the sport by winning the Walker Cup. There is arguably no more iconic venue in the world to achieve that feat than on the Old Course in St Andrews.

“We look forward to the challenge of winning the match next week and I know these players will give it their all to win back the trophy in front of a home crowd.”