Walker Cup captain says Law omission ‘unfortunate’

TWO-TIME Scottish champion David Law was “unfortunate” not to be picked for next week’s Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, according to Great Britain & Ireland captain Nigel Edwards.

The 20-year-old’s omission from the ten-man team has proved controversial, with former Open champion Paul Lawrie claiming the decision means the home side will not be heading into the biennial match with their strongest-possible side.

“David Law is unfortunate and his situation is accentuated by the fact he comes from Aberdeen,” admitted Edwards. “If he’d had a better summer from the Lytham Trophy through to the Scottish Amateur, it might have been different, but that’s stating the obvious.

“Sometimes you have to go with a hunch. I’m not saying that David wouldn’t have won points for us, but myself and the selectors took an accumulation of factors into account. It was a tough call for a number of reasons and not just the obvious ones. If the teams had been picked straight off the world rankings (Law was 121 places above Irishman Alan Dunbar when the side was selected), both sides would be very different to what they are.”

The final three spots in the American team have now been filled. Kelly Kraft, the newly-crowned US Amateur champion, has been added to the line-up, along with Jordan Spieth and Blayne Barber. They will join forces with Peter Uihlein, Patrick Cantlay, Russell Henley, Harris English, Patrick Rodgers, Chris Williams and Nathan Smith in a team bidding for fourth successive victory in the event.

“It was a surprise that Kraft won the US Amateur, but Speith and Barber are certainly two good players who’ve been added,” noted Edwards. “However, let’s not bother what they are doing – let’s focus on our players.”

They include Banchory’s James Byrne, who delighted the Welshman by finishing in a tie for 26th in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles – his first appearance in a European Tour event. “James has really come on to a game since the European Team Championship, which is a good thing,” said the four-time Walker Cup player. “He produced a strong performance there and has gone from strength to strength since then.

“He had a good Scottish Amateur and has now had a good performance in the Johnnie Walker Championship. It is good to have a player like him on form. I am looking for him to be a leader up in Aberdeen.”