GB&I Gets Luck of the Caddie Draw
07 Sep 2013
by Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com
see also: The Walker Cup, Cypress Point Club
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As I got ready to head out and watch the foursomes matches this morning at National Golf Links, I spoke with Caddy Master Billy Muller.
He explained the caddie assignment process to me. All players are using National Golf Links veteran caddies, with at least ten years of experience. 16 of them are Americans, one is from Scotland, one is from Ireland, and two are Kiwis. The USGA wanted them to be assigned by blind draw, so Muller and the head pro called out player names and pulled caddies from a hat.
The Irish caddie, Nigel Lysaght, wound up on the bag of Welshman Rhys Pugh. The Scot, Steve MacDonald -- known locally for his saying "It's going to be magic" -- is carrying for Kevin Phelan of Ireland. Muller assured me that the assignment was luck of the draw, but it's possibly a good omen for the GB&I team.
Rest assured that there are wagers on the outcome, and regardless of where a caddie's home may be he is going to be doing his best to guide his player around the tricky National Golf Links layout.
There are bragging rights on the line after all, and those will last for years after the playing of the 44th Walker Cup.
If you can't be here, check amateurgolf.com for updates and make sure to tune in to the Golf Channel for live coverage from 4-6pm Eastern time. It's amateur golf at its finest.
ABOUT THE The Walker Cup
The Walker Cup Match is a biennial 10-man
amateur
team competition between the USA and a team
composed of players from Great Britain and
Ireland
and selected by The R&A. It is played over two
days
with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes
(alternate-shot) matches.
The first United States Walker Cup Team, which
in
1922 defeated the GB&I side, 8-4, at the
National Golf
Links of America, is considered among the best
teams
ever and included Francis Ouimet, Bob Jones,
Charles
“Chick” Evans and Jess Sweetser. Many of the
game’s
greatest players have taken part in Walker Cup
competition, including U.S. Open champions
Jack
Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth for
the
USA
and Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Justin
Rose
for Great Britain and Ireland.
View Complete Tournament Information