Irish trio in cup clash with US

Irish players could hold the key to home chances of winning the PGA Cup match for the imposing Llandudno Trophy over the next three days at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Wexford's Damien McGrane, Stephen Hamill from Allen Park in Antrim and John Dwyer from Ashbourne are in the 10-strong side which clashes with the US in a Ryder Cup format over the tough Wentwood Hills lay-out.

Dwyer sits out this morning's opening session of fourballs, but Hamill lines up with the hugely experienced Scot Russell Weir, while McGrane partners Chris Hall.

Weir makes his eighth successive appearance in a PGA Cup, a tournament record, and Hamill will realise the significance of partnering such a legend of the club professionals' scene.

Britain and Ireland have not won this fixture since 1984, and since matches between the two sides began in 1973 the Americans have 12 victories to their credit to the home side's four, with three ties.

But captain David Llewellyn believes that the drought can end this weekend.

"I cannot imagine a side with players better prepared than these 10 guys. There is a wonderful feeling in the camp and I am very confident that we can regain the Cup," said the 49-year-old, a former Welsh World Cup hero.

Foursomes and four-balls are contested today and tomorrow with 10 singles on Sunday.

Today's fourballs (B&I names first): B Cameron and P Wesseling v T Dunlavey and B Boyd; R Weir and S Hamill v K Burton and J Freeman; S Bebb and H Stott v T Thelan and M Brown; C Hall and D McGrane v F Dobbs and M Gill.

The controversial drivers banned in the US will continue to be legal in the rest of the world. The Royal and Ancient Club, the sport's ruling body outside the US, has decided not to introduce a test to limit the so-called "trampoline" effect in clubs, deeming it unnecessary at present.

"Based on the data currently available to the R&A, any consequential increase in driving distance that may be achieved is not considered to be detrimental to the game," the R&A said in a statement.

In July, David Fay, executive director of the USGA, described the clubs they ruled illegal as the equivalent of "diving into a swimming pool off a diving board versus the side of the pool".

For the time being, however, around 20 clubs banned in America - the best known of them being the Callaway ERC driver tried by a number of European Tour players - have the okay elsewhere.