Great Britain & Ireland is going to have a veteran Walker Cup team as it tries to end a five-match skid against the United States next month at Lahinch.
Four players automatically earned spots on the GB&I team Wednesday, which now has five players officially on the roster ahead of the biennial bout against Team USA. Eliot Baker, Luke Poulter, Niall Shiels Donegan and Tyler Weaver earned automatic berths thanks to their Official World Golf Ranking. The quartet of players, who all competed on last year's team at Cypress Point, join British Amateur champion Stuart Grehan, the 33-year-old mid-amateur who also was on the team last year.
GB&I captain Dean Robertson will make his five captain's selections Tuesday, Aug. 18, after the conclusion of the U.S.
Amateur. Team USA will also name its remaining six players following next week's competition at Merion.
Weaver, ranked second in WAGR, hasn't competed since April due to a back injury and withdrew Tuesday from the U.S. Amateur, so if he's unable to go, it would be one less vet for GB&I. However, Team USA will have a much younger team heading across the pond than the one that dominated Sunday Singles at Cypress Point last September.
The 51st Walker Cup is set for Sept. 5-6 at Lahinch in Ireland. USA leads the all-time series 40-9-1.
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor for Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 4 returnees earn automatic Walker Cup spots as GB&I roster takes shape
