WALKER CUP:A TRIO OF Irish players, Paul Cutler, Alan Dunbar and Kevin Phelan, have been named in a 23-man Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad ahead of the first training session to take place at Portmarnock Golf Club next month.

Portstewart’s Cutler won this year’s prestigious Lytham Trophy, while Rathmore’s Dunbar secured the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin and put local knowledge to good use by winning the North of Ireland Championship played over the two courses at Royal Portrush.

Phelan came to prominence earlier this year when he came through local qualifying to book his place at this year’s US Open at Pebble Beach, where Graeme McDowell famously won his first major. The Waterford native is based in the US and attends the University of North Florida, but he, along with Cutler and Dunbar, represented Ireland at the recent World Amateur Team Championships in Argentina where they finished a creditable sixth.

Walker Cup captain Nigel Edwards is pleased with the selection but said it is up the players to push on to try to secure a place on the 10-man team to take on the Americans at Royal Aberdeen, Scotland next September.

“I have no doubt that every one of the 23 players we have selected could acquit themselves well in next year’s match,” said Edwards. “But it is up to them to show that they are ready for the challenge that the Americans will present by performing with distinction and backing up their most recent performances during the season to come.

“Players from this group will form the majority of the 10-man team. However, Britain and Ireland selectors will be at all major amateur events next year, so there is every chance that someone not included in this initial 23 could play their way into the side,” added the Welshman, a veteran of four successive Walker Cups between 2001 and 2007.

Stiggy Hodgson (21), is the only player with Walker Cup experience. The Sunningdale golfer played on the losing side against the Americans at Merion GC in Pennsylvania last year, where Royal Dublin’s Niall Kearney was the sole Irish representative.

The final selection of the Britain and Ireland side will be in August.

BRITAIN AND IRELAND WALKER CUP SQUAD(23): James Byrne (Banchory); Laurie Canter (Saltford); PAUL CUTLER (Portstewart); ALAN DUNBAR (Rathmore); Rhys Enoch (Truro); Oliver Farr (Ludlow); Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford); Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth); Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale); Alastair Jones (Radyr); Ross Kellett (Colville Park); Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City); Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire); Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh); Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne); Eddie Pepperell (Drayton Park); KEVIN PHELAN (University of North Florida); Rhys Pugh (Vale of Glamorgan); Jack Senior (Heysham); Matthew Southgate (Thorpe Hall); Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck); Andy Sullivan (Nuneaton); Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle).