FOUR IRISH players have been named by the Royal and Ancient selectors in a list of 16 to attend the first of this season's squad training sessions. Jody Fanagan, Richard Coughlan, Keith Nolan and Bryan Omelia are being offered the benefit of Bernard Gallacher's wisdom at Woodhall Spa on April 8th to 10th.
Fanagan is among four survivors from the British and Irish Walker Cup side which crushed the US 14-10 at Royal Porthcawl last September. With Barclay Howard, Graham Rankin and Gary Wolstenholme the Milltown player will be amongst the most experienced of those vying for places on the British and Irish sides for the St Andrews Trophy against the Continent of Europe, also at Wood hall Spa on August 30th and 31st.
They will also be in line for selection on the four member line up for the World Amateur Team Championship in Manila on November 14th and 17th. This event will be particularly notable for the fact that an Irish representative if there is one will be playing for the last time as a member of a British and Irish team. Starting in 1998, Ireland will be going it alone in the Eisenhower Trophy.
"While this is the first squad to be named in 1996, it is important to stress that there will be many opportunities for others to earn recognition by their performances this season," said George Macgregor, chairman of the R and A selectors, yesterday. Though Coughlan, Nolan and Omelia will feel honoured by their inclusion, it is highly unlikely they will attend the opening session due to their status as students at American universities.
The selection committee of Macgregor, Peter Benka, David Carrick, Rupert De Lacy Staunton, Jeffrey Toye and Clive Brown, will be present at the following events.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)