Hexham Golf Club’s Matty Lamb has been named in the 10-man Great Britain & Ireland team for the 2021 Walker Cup, which takes place at Seminole Golf Club, Florida on May 8 & 9.
Matty, 23, said: “I’m over the moon to have been picked for the Walker Cup team. It’s been a strange 12 months after deciding to wait to turn professional, but ending my amateur career in May at the Walker Cup will make it all worth while.
“I can’t wait to play in the event. I’ve played at Seminole before and competing on that global stage will be an amazing experience. I just missed out on the last Walker Cup and the guys that were part of it said it was an incredible experience, so I’m raring to get out there and take it all in.”
A former England Boys’ captain, Matty follows in the footsteps of Chris Paisley (2009) and Garrick Porteous (2013) in representing GB&I in the biennial match with the USA.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the Walker Cup and knew it would make a perfect end to my amateur career. It’s a cool thing to have on your record, and seeing Chris and Garrick play in it has inspired me to make it into the team for a long time,” Matty added.
Following the Walker Cup, Matty will take up his membership of the EuroPro Tour, which he secured through a T-22 finish at Qualifying School in October 2020, as well as seeking invitations to events on the Challenge and European tours.
“The Walker Cup will be my last event as an amateur. After that, I’m hoping to have a lot of playing opportunities as a professional. Having a good card on the EuroPro Tour is the start. From there, I hope the Walker Cup experience will lead to other opportunities and I can make the most of them to make a fast start as a professional.”
An England international since 2014, Matty helped England’s men’s team win the Home Internationals in 2019, and won the North of England Open Amateur Championship and Tillman Trophy in 2020. He also finished T-8 at Linden Hall on the EuroPro Tour in 2019.
The 48th Walker Cup match takes place at Seminole Golf Club, Florida on May 8 &9 2021. GB&I is bidding to win back the famous trophy after the USA secured a 15½-10½ victory at Royal Liverpool two years ago, marking the first away win in the match since 2007 when the USA prevailed at Royal County Down.
The GB&I team also includes Yorkshire’s Barclay Brown, Alex Fitzpatrick and Ben Schmidt and will be captained by Stuart Wilson. He said: “The Walker Cup is the pinnacle of the amateur game for these players and we are delighted that they will have the opportunity to compete against their counterparts from the USA at Seminole. It gives them the opportunity to display their exceptional talent and will provide a lifetime of memories. After a difficult year with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all looking forward to the match this year and I know the team will be doing their very best to win back the Walker Cup.”
The GB&I team
Barclay Brown (20, Hallamshire, England)
Alex Fitzpatrick (22, Hallamshire, England)
Angus Flanagan (21, St George’s Hill, England)
Ben Jones (21, Northamptonshire County, England)
Matty Lamb (23, Hexham, England)
Joe Long (23, Lansdown, England)
John Murphy (22, Kinsale, Ireland)
Mark Power (20, Kilkenny, Ireland)
Ben Schmidt (18, Rotherham, England)
Sandy Scott (22, Nairn, Scotland)
Reserves: Jack Dyer (23, Boyce Hill, England), Jake Bolton (22, Ogbourne Downs, England)
Recent results
2019, Royal Liverpool, GB&I 10½ USA 15½
2017 Los Angeles Country Club, USA 19 GB&I 7
2015 Royal Lytham & St Annes, GB&I 16½ USA 9½
2013 The National Golf Links of America, USA 17 GB&I 9
