Tough year for Dean Robertson can have happy ending in Walker Cup at Lahinch

Robertson referred to his passing in a media chat a fortnight ago and there’s absolutely no denying that he’ll be on his mind as the Scot leads Great Britain & Ireland into battle in the 51st Walker Cup against the United States at Lahinch in County Clare over the next two days.

It is Robertson’s second bite at the cherry in the event as a captain, having played in it at Interlachen in Minnesota in 1993 in a team that also included Padraig Harrington before being at the helm for last year’s milestone match at Cypress Point in California.

Heading into that encounter, Robertson, who was assisted by his long-time friend Raymond Russell - the pair fought out the 1993 Scottish Amateur Championship final at Royal Dornoch - felt that he’d left no stone unturned and, consequently, felt quietly confident about GB&I’s chances of landing a rare victory on US soil.

The visitors led 3-1 after the opening foursomes session before falling 6.5-5.5 behind following the afternoon singles. The gap remained just one point after the second-day foursomes before the Americans triumphed 8.5-1.5 in the concluding singles matches to run out comfortable 17-9 victors.

It was GB&I’s fifth straight defeat in the contest, yet it was no surprise that Robertson, the University of Stirling’s Head of Golf, was reappointed as captain for match being held just 12 months later on this occasion due to the encounter being moved to even years so that it will no longer be held in the same year as the World Amateur Team Championship or, as others prefer referring to it, the Eisenhower Trophy.

So, what lessons did Robertson learn from Cypress Point as he now bids to become the first winning GB&I captain since Nigel Edwards at Royal Lytham in 2015, where home side contained Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson and Jack McDonald while a certain Bryson DeChambeau was in the US ranks?

“It was a very challenging venue to prepare for, and the way that the weather changed the golf course during the course of the week was something that I really hadn't experienced before, nor had the players,” he said. “Our big focus last year was in creating momentum in foursomes play and getting a platform from which to then kick on from in singles. We did that well, I felt, but, given the strength of the US team, we were outplayed in the singles. So a big focus and emphasis has been on the singles play for this year.

Looking to get ‘momentum and fast starts’

“That's not to say that we're going to be neglecting the foursomes preparations. But most certainly taking a leaf out of the Ryder Cup, Luke Donald's book and Paul McGinley's book and the things that have been successful for them and getting momentum and fast starts. We've been applying a lot of that.

”We've had a few training sessions over the course of the year, and that's something that I've integrated into that in terms of small matches, whether it be three-hole matches or six-hole matches, but really an emphasis on the head-to-head match play.”

As was the case in California, Niall Shiels Donegan and Connor Graham are flying the Saltire. It’s a third straight appearance for the latter after the Blairgowrie player created history as the youngest player from either side to play in the contest at the age of just 16 at St Andrews in 2023. Luke Poulter, Ian’s son, is another survivor from last year in the home ranks.

There’s no Jackson Koivun to worry about in the US team - Nathan Smith, last year’s winning captain, is at the helm again - on this occasion following his switch to the paid ranks and a spectacular early success on the PGA Tour in the 3M Open. There’s the likes of 17-year-old Miles Russell, though, who looks destined for stardom as well as a professional. Oh, and world No 1 Preston Stout, too.

GB&I’s preparation included a get-together at Dumbarnie Links in Fife around the time of the St Andrews Links Trophy. It included the squad members playing against the likes of Richie Ramsay, Grant Forrest, Jack McDonald and Cameron Adam, who was on Robertson’s team at Cypress Point before turning professional.

“As opposed to going to Cypress, the preparation and the process that we've had in the lead up to links golf is something we are far more comfortable with,” insisted Robertson. “We are far more able to understand the skill set that's required, and that's really been the key all along is getting ready.”

In what was undoubtedly a welcome bonus, a number of the GB&I players, including Graham, played at Lahinch a few weeks ago in the South of Ireland Championship. “It's not about bombing it and gouging it,” observed Robertson of the game that is required for the Old Course, where Jon Rahm won the Irish Open in 2019. “That's not going to work. You've got to be in the short stuff!”

Like most other events, the Walker Cup now receives a lot more exposure than it used to and, not surprisingly, this one is sold out, meaning 8,000 fans will be in attendance on both Saturday and Sunday and, of course, out walking on the fairways behind the players.

“(But) the match hasn't changed,” insisted Robertson as he reflected on his first taste of it more than 30 years ago. “Friendships forged not just with the players but with the families is something that's huge. Something I've taken from Paul McGinley, there's a big emphasis on making the whole family part of such an occasion, and that's something that we're really going to do.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Robertson won this one for his biggest fan in golf?

Teams

GB&Ireland: Eliot Baker (Eng), Ben Bolton (Eng), Sam Easterbrook (Eng), Connor Graham (Sco), Stuart Grehan (Ire), Josh Hill (Eng), Luke Poulter (Eng), Niall Shiels Donegan (Sco), Tyler Weaver (Eng), Jack Whaley (Eng).

USA: Jay Leng jr, Kihei Akina, Ryder Cowan, Josiah Gilbert, William Jennings, Stewart Hagestad, Ethan Fang, Miles Russell, Preston Stout, Tyler Watts