David Law keeps Walker Cup bid alive

DAVID Law's dream of playing in a Walker Cup in his native North-East have been revived after he was named yesterday in the Scottish side for next month's European Team Championship in Portugal.

The 20-year-old from Hazlehead admitted last week he didn't expect to be in the six-man line-up after failing to qualify for the knock-out stage in the Amateur Championship in Lancashire. If that had been the case, Law acknowledged he could almost certainly have kissed goodbye to his chances of making the Great Britain & Ireland side to take on the Americans at Royal Aberdeen in September.

However, no doubt influenced by an excellent match-play record - he was double Scottish champion in 2009 and won the Northern Amateur Open in South Africa this year - the selectors have handed the Paul Lawrie protege a spot for the event at Oceanico Victoria in Vilamoura on 5-9 July. Amateur Championship runner-up Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) heads the line-up, which also includes James Byrne (Banchory), Ross Kellett (Colville Park), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) and Greg Paterson (St Andrews New).

Kirkhill's Paul Shields, who topped this year's SGU Order of Merit until recently, will surely be among those disappointed at missing out, as will Lundin's James White, who won the Tennant Cup at the weekend.