Marsh in Walker Cup squad

Nick Marsh is one of nine England players named in the initial 20-man squad announced by the R & A for the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team to face the USA at Royal Lytham & St Annes in September.

The 20-year-old Halifax-born player has been targeting the event as a way to sign off his amateur career for some time.

The 45th Walker Cup match will be played on the weekend of September 12/13 and the hosts will bid to win back the historic trophy after the USA’s convincing 17-9 victory at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York in 2013.

A get-together for the 20-man squad will be held on July 21 and 22 at Royal Lytham & St Annes and the players will also meet ahead of the Lytham Trophy in May.

Nigel Edwards, captain of the GB & I team, said, “We have selected a strong squad of players and they will all know that they are in contention for a place on the team and it is up to them to perform this season.”

Marsh, the English amateur champion, is one of three players currently representing England Golf in Australia.

He won the stroke play medal after shooting two roundsa of 68 in the Australian Amateur Championship last week, only to lose in the first round of the matchplay.

He was sightseeing in Sydney today, posting a picture of the opera house on social media.

His final event is the New South Wales stroke play and match play competitions, held at three different courses, from Wednesday.