James makes Walker Cup debut

 

James Sugrue from Mallow made his Walker Cup debut last weekend at Hoylake in Liverpool, and while the Great Britain and Ireland team were beaten by a rampant USA side, he learned a lot from the experience, and there was no shortage of support from his family and Mallow Golf Club members over the two days of the competition. On Saturday, James played John Pak in the singles and was two holes ahead at halfway. As he stood on the 17th tee he was still one hole in front, but unfortunately his opponent won the last two holes to snatch an unlikely win. On Sunday afternoon, James was paired with US star Akshay Bhatia, and he had a torrid start as his opponent blitzed the fairways and greens to race into a three-hole lead. James hung on gamely and never gave up, but after the 16th hole he had to concede defeat. It was a tough day on the golf course for James, but he wasn’t alone in that respect, as the US team gave a fantastic display, coming from behind to win the Walker Cup on foreign soil for the first time since 2007.
Representing Ireland at the Walker Cup was a wonderful experience for James, but he had little or no time to rest and reflect, because he was in Lahinch yesterday, Wednesday for the Home Internationals where he played for his country against national teams from England, Scotland, and Wales. Best of luck, James.