2009 Walker Cup at Merion

http://www.2009walkercup.org/cms/

Merion Golf Club is privileged to host the 42nd Walker Cup Match on September 12th and 13th, 2009. The Walker Cup pits the finest amateur golfers from Great Britain and Ireland against those from the United States. While Merion has hosted many other USGA events, this is the first time that we will host the Walker Cup. We’re quite proud that Buddy Marucci, a Merion member, will captain the United States team, as he did for the 2007 U.S. victory at Royal County Down.

The Walker Cup features spirited, intense competition between the two teams in an atmosphere that captures the utmost in sportsmanship. Merion and the USGA are eager to welcome a knowledgeable gallery, and Merion will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 spectators each day.

We hope that you will enjoy this website and that you will want to attend and support this marvelous amateur golf competition. Ticket information is available by clicking on the "Tickets" heading above. Merion looks forward to welcoming the finest amateur golfers in Great Britain and Ireland and those from the United States for this exciting match.

Sincerely,

Rick Ill, President
Merion Golf Club
Rod Day, Chairman
2009 Walker Cup Committee

Eight Players Named To US Team for 2009 Walker Cup Match
Far Hills, N.J. (Aug. 9) – Eight of the 10 amateur players who will comprise the 2009 USA Walker Cup Team have been selected by the International Team Selection Committee of the United States Golf Association. The 2009 Walker Cup Match will be played Sept. 12-13 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

The eight players are:

Bud Cauley, 19, of Jacksonville, Fla.
Rickie Fowler, 20, of Murrieta, Calif.
Brendan Gielow, 21, of Muskegon, Mich.
Brian Harman, 22, of Savannah, Ga.
Morgan Hoffmann, 19, of Saddle Brook, N.J.
Adam Mitchell, 22, of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Nathan Smith, 30, of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Drew Weaver, 22, of High Point, N.C.

To view the US Team Photo Gallery, click on the photo below.

The final two players of the team that will compete against 10 amateurs representing Great Britain and Ireland will be named following the conclusion of the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship, scheduled to be played Aug. 24-30 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.

The captain of the USA Team is George “Buddy” MarucciJr.,57, of Villanova, Pa., a playing member of the 1995 and 1997 USA Teams, as well as the captain of the victorious 2007 USA Team at Royal County Down in Newcastle, Ireland. Marucci is the reigning USGA Senior Amateur champion, though he will not be able to defend his 2008 title due to a scheduling conflict with the Walker Cup Match.

The biennial Walker Cup Match consists of 16 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate shot) matches. The USA Team has won the last two Matches, posting one-point victories at Chicago (Ill.) Golf Club in 2005 and Royal County Down in 2007. The USA leads the series overall, 33-7-1.

You can read short bios about the USA team members on the USGA website .
About the USGA

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in the USA and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the world’s golfers and golf courses. The USGA annually conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Senior Open, 10 national amateur and two state team championships. It also helps conduct the Walker Cup Match, Curtis Cup Match and World Amateur Team Championships.

The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, provides expert course maintenance consultations, funds research for better turf and a better environment, maintains a Handicap System®, celebrates the history of the game, and administers an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” grants program, which has allocated more than $65 million over 13 years to successful programs that bring the game’s values to youths from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.

GB&I Walker Cup Final Squad Announced

August 3, 2009, St. Andrews, Scotland

Ten players have been selected to form a final Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad for the match against the USA at Merion Golf Club, Pennsylvania, on 12 - 13 September.

The ten players in the squad are as follows:

Wallace Booth (Comrie)
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall)
Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall)
Luke Goddard (Hendon)
Matt Haines (Rochester & Cobham Park)
Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale)
Sam Hutsby (Liphook)
Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin)
Chris Paisley (Stocksfield)
Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes)

Squad reserves:

1. Paul O'Hara (Colville Park)
2. Rhys Enoch (Truro)

The squad will make a trip to Valderrama Golf Club in southern Spain on August 9-12 as part of advance preparations for the match.

This group will ultimately be named as the confirmed team subject to no British or Irish player winning the US Amateur Championship (to be held at Southern Hills, Tulsa, on 24 - 30 August) and claiming automatic selection to the team via that route.

The announcement of the final team of ten to compete at Merion will immediately follow the conclusion of the US Amateur, or the point in time at which no eligible British or Irish player remains in that Championship.