FIRST G B AND I WALKER CUP WIN SINCE 2003 AT GANTON

   Captain Nigel Edwards and his Walker Cup-winning team at Royal Aberdeen GC (Image by Tom Ward Photography).

FROM THE R AND A WEBSITE
Great Britain and Ireland have defeated the United States to win the 43rd Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen.
The 14-12 victory is the first GB and I win since 2003 and came against a very strong US side that included six of the world’s top 10 amateur players.
The home side may have started the week as underdogs but went into the final afternoon singles with a commanding 10½ -5½ lead after winning three of the Sunday morning foursomes.
However, a late charge from the US made for a tense finish with GB and I not securing the three points required from the afternoon play until Steven Brown claimed a half point in the sixth match.
It sparked jubilant scenes on the 18th green as he was swamped by team-mates and GB and I captain Nigel Edwards.
“I don’t know what to think at the moment, it’s just fantastic,” a delighted Edwards said.
“The boys have been awesome all week. They’ve got a fantastic team spirit. We were not given much chance but I wasn’t going to let my team think that they didn’t have a chance.
“We always knew that this match wasn’t going to be played on paper but around this golf course. I felt that we had a really good group of guys who would do the job.”
The home side dominated throughout and held a 7-5 lead after Day 1. Wins in three of the four morning singles left them needing three points from the final 10 singles matches.
Despite the US winning the final session 6½ -3½ , GB and I held on to win. Edwards admitted to feeling the pressure but remained confident of victory.
“The Americans got off to a great start out there but our boys in the middle have done a great job all week. Yesterday afternoon when it looked a bit tough, they dug in and pulled out the stops. We’ve holed putts at the right time and we’ve manned up.
“We were close in Chicago in 2005 and then County Down in 2007, there was one point in it then which is one putt basically. It feels fantastic to win it back and we’re going to enjoy it.”
Speaking shortly after securing the winning half point, 24-year-old Brown said: “It’s unbelievable, I’m just so happy. I didn’t know it was coming down to me. I tried not to look because I didn’t want it to make any difference but just that we won. We were all happy that we got picked but we all wanted to be on a winning Walker Cup team. To win is just unbelievable.
“I didn’t just want to win myself. I didn’t care if I won four points or one point or no points if we won. That’s all that mattered. We’re a team. The team spirit has been unbelievable all week. We’ve been in it together and to actually win as a team is unbelievable.”
Speaking afterwards, GB and I players paid tribute to their captain. Jack Senior, who holed a long putt for a crucial half on 18, said: “Preparation was unbelievable. I mean, his comments and everything, he just makes you feel so special, and makes you want to go out there and win for him.
"You don't want to go out there and win for yourself, you want to go out and win for your team. It's an unbelievable experience.”
Michael Stewart, who won his afternoon singles match, added: “It's just that we’ve got the respect for Nigel, he's played in this event more than once and he's done so well. We hang on every word he says really. The motivation in the team room has been great. It’s Just a pleasure playing with him as a captain.”
The next Walker Cup match is scheduled for September 7-8, 2013 at The National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.

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