Scottish duo selected for Arnold Palmer Cup in South Carolina

Two Scots - Connor Graham from Blairgowrie and Ross Laird of Glenbervie - will be playing in this summer’s Arnold Palmer Cup.

The teams for the college/university match between the US and the Internationals were announced live on Golf Channel on Tuesday night and both Graham and Laird will be in action at Congaree in South Carolina on 5-7 June.

Connor Graham secured one of just two coach’s picks for Team International for this year’s Arnold Palmer Cup at Congaree | Texas Tech

Graham, who has had a standout freshman year at Texas Tech, secured a coach’s pick from Stew Burke and Aaron O’Callaghan for the Internationals while Laird, a sports scholar at University of Stirling, earned his spot in the same team through The R&A Student Tour Series.

“It is an honour to be selected to play in this prestigious event,” said 21-year-old Laird, who is the only member of the men's team who studies outside of the US. “It will be a privilege to represent Team International at such a prolific golf course.”

Dean Robertson, the University of Stirling’s Head of Golf, is “thrilled” for Laird. He said: “His work ethic, dedication and performances have earned him this opportunity to represent Stirling.

“There’s not a bigger stage in the amateur game to showcase his talent than at this prestigious event. We all wish him the very best of luck.”

The duo will be joining forces in the mixed event with the likes of Carla Bernat Escuder, the Spaniard who won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this month, and England’s Lottie Woad, the Women’s Amateur Golf Ranking No 1 and leading amateur in last year’s AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.

Woad’s compatriot and fellow Florida State player Tyler Weaver has also been selected, as has Charlie Forster, another English player, and Elia Galitsky and Louise Rydqvist, two of Hannah Darling’s team-mates at the University of South Carolina.

The International line up includes Justin Hastings, the Cayman Islands player who teed up in The Masters this year after winning the Latin America Amateur Championship in January, as well.

Ross Laird of University of Stirling in action during the R&A Student Tour Series - Spain at La Sella Golf in Alicante | Aitor Alcalde/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Also teeing up through The R&A’s Student Tour Series will be Swede Elice Fredriksson of Halmstad University.

In addition to Graham, Burke and O’Callaghan selected South African Caitlyn Macnab, who is at Ole Miss, as a coach’s pick.

Darling and Calum Scott both played in last year’s match at Lahinch, where the US defeated the Internationals 32.5-27.5 at the end of a gripping three-day contest.