Home boys graft hard for slim lead

THE weather changed a lot on the opening day of the 43rd Walker Cup. So, too, did the scoreboards during the afternoon singles. By the finish, the majestic Balgownie Links was bathed in sunshine and Great Britain & Ireland had emerged with a hard-earned 7-5 lead heading into the second and final day.

The Scots played their part. Ayrshireman Michael Stewart joined forces with Tom Lewis, the Silver Medal winner at this year’s Open, to strike a huge psychological blow by winning the top foursomes tie. Banchory’s James Byrne, who was rested in the morning, came out after lunch and beat the experienced Nathan Smith in the singles.

Stewart led Patrick Cantlay, the world No 1, with five holes to play before running out of steam. But, in addition to Byrne, Rhys Pugh, Steven Brown and Paul Cutler also won their singles. Against an American side brimming with talent, it was a fantastic start for the home team’s Welsh captain, Nigel Edwards, and his players.

In the morning gloom, GB&I took the foursomes 3-1. For a spell, the afternoon session was also looking rosy. Then came an American surge. Peter Uihlein won three holes in a row from the sixth in accounting for Tom Lewis. Jack Senior fell shortly afterwards to Jordan Speith after the two-time US Junior champion delivered a telling burst around the turn. Harris English recovered from three down with seven to play to beat Andy Sullivan.

The rot was stopped by Welshman Rhys Pugh, the youngest player in the home team. The 17-year-old was three down after eight. He still trailed Patrick Rodgers with six to play. But Pugh is a tenacious type. He won three holes in quick succession. A hearty hug from his captain was deserving.

Brown, a lanky lad from Wentworth, capitalised on late lapses from Russell Henley. Byrne was never down in his match. Cutler holed a crucial par-saving putt at the 15th in beating Kelly Kraft, the US Amateur champion. It was the Irishman’s second win of the day.

Earlier, GB&I made an inauspicious start. Lewis took driver off the tee at the first and plonked the home team’s opening tee shot deep into a gorse bush. It resulted in a lost ball and his partner facing a rather embarrassing buggy ride back to the tee to reload. It was no surprise they immediately fell behind.

As the home pairing struggled to find fairways early on, they found themselves two down after seven, but then came alive. Stewart hit a majestic iron to four feet for a winning birdie at the short eight; Lewis returned the favour two holes later. When Uihlein hit a shocker to go out of bounds at the 11th, the GB&I pair went in front for the first time.

They were two up after a wayward tee shot from English resulted in an American lost ball at the 16th and Stewart shut the door in style at the penultimate hole. Faced with a devilish pitch after Lewis missed the green left, the Scot produced a touch of genius as he bumped a 54-degree wedge into the slope and judged the run to perfection.

It was Uihlein’s first taste of defeat in the event. Stewart described the win as “huge”. He lapped up the way it was clinched. “Tom was a bit frustrated with his tee shot. I just rubbed his shoulders and said: ‘It’s OK because Harry Houdini is hitting the next shot,’” said the Ayrshireman.

Senior and Sullivan also won at the 17th, but the other two morning matches proved poor contests. The all-Irish pairing of Cutler and Alan Dunbar were two up then one down before running away from Smith and Blayne Barber. The rout was reversed in the bottom match as Cantlay and Chris Williams raced out in three-under to be five up.