Edwards inspires Walker Cup win

A simple message from captain Nigel Edwards paid dividends as Britain and Ireland抯 amateurs defied the odds to take the Walker Cup back off America at Royal Aberdeen.

Against a line-up containing six of the world抯 top 10, Edwards told his side: 揑t抯 not played on paper?

With his fellow Welshman Rhys Pugh ?at 17 easily the baby of the team ?and Northern Ireland抯 Paul Cutler unbeaten, the strongly-fancied United States were beaten 14-12.

It ended a run of three successive defeats for Britain and Ireland and was their biggest margin since the 15-9 victory in 2001, when the team included current world number one Luke Donald and last year抯 US Open champion Graeme McDowell.

What this team will go onto achieve remains to be seen, but they can be pretty sure they had got the better of some future stars ?amateur world number one Patrick Cantlay has already had a 60 on the PGA Tour and Harris English has already won a 憇econd tier?Nationwide Tour title.

After taking a 7-5 overnight lead, the gap became five with another outstanding performance in the four morning foursomes.

Having dropped just one point in the opening session, Edwards抯 men did even better and would have completed a whitewash if only Tom Lewis and Michael Stewart had not halved from four up with six to play against Jordan Spieth and Patrick Rodgers.

Lewis, of course, is the 20-year-old from Welwyn Garden who created Open Championship history with his 65 at Sandwich in July.

Many thought he had to be in similar form for the home team to win, yet he lost both his singles and they still triumphed.

A mere three points were needed from the 10 concluding games, but when Lewis lost to Russell Henley and Andy Sullivan to teenager Jordan Spieth there was still work to be done.

Stewart, one of the two Scots, beat world number three Patrick Rodgers 3&2, then Lancashire抯 Jack Senior, who two weeks ago reached the semi-finals of the US Amateur, sank a 35-foot putt on the final green for a half with Nathan Smith.

Pugh, who beat Rodgers on the first day, added the scalp of American champion Kelly Kraft and the celebrations started when English champion Steven Brown won his final hole for a half against Blayne Barber.

Cutler could argue he was the one who secured the win because he was already four up with four to play in the bottom game, but, spared the need to go through the agonies that compatriot McDowell did in last year抯 Ryder Cup, he lost them all to give Cantlay a half.

Pugh said: 揑 couldn抰 have dreamt of better ?I抳e never felt anything like this before.?br />
Stewart commented: 揑 knew what I had to do and it meant a lot.?br />
He had his father as his caddie and added: 揌e knows exactly what to say at the right time and keeps me cool.?br />
Senior was the player involved in controversy on the first day. His brother, a professional golfer, should not have been allowed to carry his bag as he won in the foursomes, but the Americans agreed for the result to stand.

On his closing putt he stated: 揟he emotions were seriously high when it went in ?I抎 not really made anything.?br />
Edwards summed it all up by saying: 揊antastic. They are a very special bunch of guys and have a lot of passion and desire to be successful.?/p>