10 Years Ago: Rickie Fowler Named to Walker Cup Team

Ten years ago, Rickie Fowler, 18, of Murrieta, Calif., and Kyle Stanley, 19, of Gig Harbor, Wash., were selected to complete the 10-man squad that would represent the United States of America for the 2007 Walker Cup Match.

The USGA had earlier announced eight members of the team, which included Billy Horschel, 20, of Grant, Fla.; Dustin Johnson, 23, of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Chris Kirk, 22, of Woodstock, Ga.

Also previously named were 2007 U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Colt Knost, 22, of Dallas, Texas; Trip Kuehne, 35, of Irving, Texas; Jamie Lovemark, 19, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Jonathan Moore, 22, of Vancouver, Wash.; and Webb Simpson, 21, of Raleigh, N.C. All but Kuehne were collegians or recent graduates, playing on their first Walker Cup team.

The alternates to the team, in rank order, were Michael Thompson, 22, of Tucson, Ariz.; Drew Weaver, 20, of High Point, N.C., and Alex Prugh, 22, of Spokane, Wash.

Fowler won the 2007 Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown, Pa., by one stroke, finishing at 8-under-par 272 for his four rounds. He followed with a win at the 2007 Players Amateur in Bluffton, S.C., where he was 24 under par for 72 holes. He also was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur.

At the Sunnehanna, he was in the 60s for three of the four rounds. At the Players, his four rounds in the 60s included a 63 and 64.

He won the individual title at the 2007 Southern California High School Championship and the 2006 California State High School Championship. At the time of his selection he was in his first year at Oklahoma State University.

Stanley won the 2006 Southern Amateur in Birmingham, Ala., as part of a resume that included five top-10 finishes in highly regarded amateur events over the previous two summers. In winning the Southern Amateur, he posted a 9-under-par total of 275 for 72 holes to win by a single stroke. He reached the second round of match play at the 2007 U.S. Amateur.

Stanley, a sophomore year at Clemson University, was individual runner-up at the 2007 NCAA Championship, where he had a 65 in the third round. He was invited to play in the PGA Tour’s 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

The victorious 2007 U.S. Walker Cup Team (Newsday photo)

George "Buddy" Marucci, 55, of Villanova, Pa., who played on the USA Walker Cup teams of 1995 and 1997 and was runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1995 U.S. Amateur, was team captain.

"I couldn’t be more pleased to lead this Walker Cup squad to Ireland," said Marucci. "It is an honor to be involved with this competition and these fine young men who will represent the USA. I appreciate the commitment on the part of our players who were chosen and those who were considered."

The 41st Walker Cup Match was played at the Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, County Down, Northern Ireland. Team United States would go on to win 12½ to 11½.

- The USGA contributed to this report.