'Fearless' Connor Graham hoping to boost Walker Cup hopes in St Andrews Links Trophy

Forget the fact he’s just 16 and the youngest of 19 players earmarked as the main contenders to represent Great Britain & Ireland against the United States in the 49th Walker Cup later this year.

Blairgowrie's Connor Graham in action during last week's Scottish Men's Open at Meldrum House, where the 16-year-old became the event's youngest winner. Picture: Scottish Golf

Connor Graham, after all, has already backed up why he’s reckoned by many to be Scotland’s brightest prospect since the likes of Bob MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest, David Law and Connor Syme moved on to the paid ranks.

The Blairgowrie player won The R&A Junior Open at Monifieth Links last year and has just become the youngest Scottish Men’s Open champion, landing that prize in style with a sensational closing 63 at Meldrum House last Sunday.

It was a timely triumph for Graham as the battle begins to heat up for ten spots in that Walker Cup side and now he’s hoping for another strong performance on Scottish soil over the next three days.

Conor Graham celebrates his four-shot success in the Scottish Men's Open at Meldrum House last weekend with his mum June, dad Stuart, brothers Gregor and Archie and the family dog Bonzo. Picture: Scottish Golf

The St Andrews Links Trophy is one of the most-coveted prizes in amateur golf, attracting players from all around the world and boasting a roll of honour that includes Justin Rose, who emerged victorious over the Old and New Courses in 1997.

Winning it any year is something special, no matter what those lucky enough to do so go on to achieve in their careers, but the 34th staging of the St Andrews Links Trust tournament carries added significance due to the aforementioned Walker Cup being held on the Old Course at the start of September.

While the player triumphant on Sunday at the end of 72 holes - the final three rounds are played on the Old Course - won’t be guaranteed a place on Stuart Wilson’s team to face the Americans, it would certainly be looked upon as being money in the bank, so to speak.

Even more so if that player happens to be one of those named in an initial squad that also included Nairn’s Calum Scott, younger brother of Sandy, who played in the 2019 Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool.

“It definitely makes it a big week,” said Graham of that Walker Cup factor, with the biennial bout having last been held at St Andrews in 1975. “The Links Trophy is a great event in its own right but, if you play well this week and get a good finish, it will definitely help you in the battle to be selected and getting into the initial squad was great as it makes you feel you have a chance to be picked for the final team.”

With an impressive 15-under-par total, Graham recorded a four-shot success in the Scottish Men’s Open, which was known as the Scottish Open Stroke-Play Championship when it was claimed in the past by the likes of Stephen Gallacher, Richie Ramsay and Tommy Fleetwood.

“There are some great names on the trophy and it’s pretty cool to have my name added to it,” admitted Graham, who is now bidding to emulate 11 of his compatriots, including the aforementioned Forrest, by doing likewise in the Links Trophy. “It’s probably one of my biggest events so far as it felt a great achievement to win a tournament like that. And to finish the way I did (carding an eagle and seven birdies in the closing circuit) made it feel even better.”

Phil McKenna, who caddied for Bradley Neil, the Scottish starlet at the time and also from Blairgowrie, in the 2015 Masters, watched that win last weekend from the sidelines but, adding some useful experience for this particular assignment, will be on Graham’s bag in St Andrews. “He has great length off the tee, which should certainly help round the New and Old Courses,” observed McKenna. “His practice rounds over the last couple of days have also reminded me that with youth comes fearlessness.”

Big events come thick and fast at this time of the year in the amateur ranks. The R&A Amateur Championship is next up, starting at Royal Birkdale and Southport & Ainsdale on Monday week, then it’s a trip to Estonia for the European Amateur Championship. After that run of tournaments, Wilson and his fellow selectors will be close to knowing how they see that Walker Cup side shaping up.

“It’s definitely a good time to start to feel you are playing well,” admitted Graham, who is an ambassador for the Paul Lawrie Foundation, with the 1999 Open champion and two-time Ryder Cup player having good reason to feel excited what lies ahead for someone he said of last year: “Man, what a player he is already!”

Graham’s big brother, Gregor, is also in the 144-strong field for the Links Trophy, which sees the top 40 and ties after the opening 36 holes progress to Sunday’s final two circuits on the Old Course, where Connor McKinney, who hails from Fife but now plays under the Australian flag, triumphed 12 months ago on the back of a closing 65.

For Scott, it will be a first outing since returning home following an eye-catching season on the US college circuit for Texas Tech, while the Caledonian contingent also includes 2022 Scottish champion Oliver Mukherjee, Battle Trophy winner Jack McDonald and Andrew Davidson, who caddied for Lloyd Shepherd in The Masters last year.

English teenager Frank Kennedy and Irishman Liam Nolan, winners of the Lytham Trophy and Brabazon Trophy respectively over the past few weeks, are other GB&I squad members looking to enhance Walker Cup credentials, as will the likes of Sussex-based Scot Gregor Tait.

As for Australian Harrison Crowe, one of seven amateurs to tee up in this year’s Masters, it will be a chance to put himself in the St Andrews spotlight again after a video of him hitting a shot from outside the Dunvegan Hotel on to the 18th green on the Old Course on a previous visit to the Auld Grey Toun went viral.