INTERNATIONALS COULD BE LAW'S LAST WALKER CUP CHANCE

Scotland's amateur stars of tomorrow - the Under-18s team at Royal St David's, Harlech, on the eve of the boys' home internationals at the North Wales venue. Coach Neil Marr is on the left and team captain Stuart Wilson (Forfar) is in the middle of the back row. Picture by courtesy of Tom Ward Photography.

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By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The Great Britain and Ireland team to play the United States in the Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen on September 10-11 is due to be announced on August 15.
If David Law’s recapture of the Scottish men’s amateur title at Western Gailes last week has not clinched a place in skipper Nigel Edwards’ team of 10, then the Aberdonian has one last chance to convince the selectors – in next week’s home internationals at County Sligo, Ireland (August 10 to 12).
Walker Cup places can and have been won or lost by performances in the home internationals where the selectors have a close look at the GB and I team candidates in match-play conditions. 
For instance, Steven Young (Inverallochy) won all six matches for Scotland in the 1996 Home Internationals at Lossiemouth and was rewarded with a Walker Cup team place.
Hazlehead’s 20-year-old Law, pictured by Andy Forman, arguably Scotland’s best match-player since the days of Ronnie Shade, was today named in a Scotland team that shows three changes from the line-up that lost to Wales (8-7) and England (8-7) but beat Ireland (10-5) at Ashburnham, South Wales last year.
Law, still recovering from a broken knuckle during the winter months, did not play in last year’s internationals.
He comes back in alongwith Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), who has had an impressive series of high finishes in this season’s 72-hole SGU Order of Merit tournaments, and Paul Shields (Kirkhill). Neither Robertson nor Shields, twice a beaten Scottish boys’ finalist, has played in the men’s home internationals previously.
Dropped from last year’s Scotland team are Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe), despite winning the Newlands Trophy 72-hole tournament at Lanark a couple of weeks ago, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) and Peter Latimer (St Andrews New).
Despite Findlay’s demotion, there are four North-east players in the line-up: Law, James Byrne (Banchory), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) and Philip McLean (Peterhead).
The inclusion of Lundin's James White’s is reward for an excellent season by the Stirling student and 2006 Scottish boys' match-play champion. This summer White's CV includes a win at the Tennant Cup as well as three runner-up finishes, as he continues to lead the SGU Order of Merit from Graeme Robertson.
Brian Soutar (Leven GS), this year’s Champion of Champions winner and a another member of the successful Fife side who won the Moneygate Scottish Area Team Championship in May, earns his second international cap, while fellow Fifer Greg Paterson, currently fourth in the SGU Order of Merit standings and winner of the Craigmillar Park Open, is also included.
Team captain Scott Knowles, believes the Scots are capable of their first title win since 2006.
“It was tough to pick the team this year as we’ve had alot of guys playing well recently but that shows we have good strength in depth coming through,” said Knowles, who played for Scotland in the 1991 Home Internationals at County Sligo against a victorious host side which included Padraig Harrington.
“The team has a great blend of experience and fresh blood, with players the calibre of James Byrne, Michael Stewart and David Law, who played superbly last week, coupled with young emerging talent such as Graeme Robertson and Paul Shields and I believe we’ve got the mix right.”
The full Scotland team, sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidas Golf, is:

James Byrne (Banchory)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
David Law (Hazlehead)
Philip McLean (Peterhead)
Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
Greg Paterson (St Andrews New)
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie)
Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
Brian Soutar (Leven GS)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
James White (Lundin)
Team Captain: Scott Knowles

+Michael Stewart, James Byrne, Greg Paterson, David Law, Paul Shields, Ross Kellett, Jordan Findlay, Kris Nicol and James White are now in Sweden for this week's European men's individual amateur championship - four rounds of stroke-play at Halmstaad Golf Club, teeing off on Wednesday.