Robert MacIntyre and Connor Syme to play in Walker Cup

Connor Syme will make his Walker Cup debut. Picture: Ian Rutherford.

Both players will be making their debuts in the event, in which a fellow Scot, Craig Watson, will captain the visitors as they attempt to hold on to the trophy after a thumping 16½-9½ victory at Royal Lytham two years ago.

MacIntyre and Syme will be joining forces at Los Angeles Country Club on 9-10 September with five Englishmen, including this year’s St Andrews Links Trophy winner Matthew Jordan, two Welshman and one Irishman.

“We have been very impressed with the performances of many of the GB&I players so far this season and it has been a difficult decision to select only ten players,” said Watson, who will be captaining the GB&I team for the first time in the match.

“The Walker Cup match is one of the highlights of the golfing calendar and a tremendous opportunity for the players to shine on such a big stage.

“The Americans will be determined not to lose two matches in a row, but we have selected a strong team and I’m sure the players will give it their all to try to retain the trophy.”

MacIntyre and Syme, Scotland’s top-ranked players at No 12 and No 13 respectively in the world, have both produced some strong performances over the past couple of months to secure their spots.

MacIntyre, the beaten finalist in the same event 12 months earlier, enjoyed another good run in the Amateur Championship, making it to the last 32 at Royal St George’s, as well as finishing fourth in the European Amateur Championship at Walton Heath.

Syme, meanwhile, secured a berth in the Open Championship by sharing top spot in the final qualifier at Gailes Links and, just last week, made it to the last eight of the US  Amateur Championship, which was also being played in Los Angeles.

Last year, the Fifer won the Australian Amateur Championship and, along with MacIntyre, helped Scotland make a successful defence of the European Amateur Team Championship in France.

Scott Gregory, MacIntyre’s conqueror in last year’s Amateur Championship final at Royal Porthcawl, and Alfie Plant, the Silver Medal winner in last month’s Open, join Jordan in the sizeable English representation. It is completed by this year’s Amateur champion, Harry Ellis, and Lytham Trophy winner Jack Singh Brar.

David Boote and Jack Davidson will be the Welsh duo on duty while Paul McBride is the sole Irishman in the team –two years after a record five players were in the line-up in Lancashire.

Peebles player Craig Howie has been named as second reserve, with Irishman Conor O’Rourke the first player set to step in.