Moriarty and Fox named in Walker Cup side

Golf: Athlone's Colm Moriarty and Portmarnock's Noel Fox will be in the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup side to face the United States at Ganton in Yorkshire next month. Brian Keogh reports from Mullingar.

The Royal and Ancient will officially announce the 10-man team at midday today.

Moriarty and Fox will swell the numbers of Irish Walker Cup representatives to 30 since CO Hezlett of Royal Portrush got the call in 1924.

The players were informed of their selection by Britain and Ireland captain Garth McGimpsey shortly before they embarked on their second rounds in the Mullingar Scratch Cup yesterday.

Although they were sworn to secrecy until today's announcement, news of their selection had already leaked out through other sources and quickly spread around the club.

Moriarty (24) was regarded as a certainty to make the side after high-profile performances at home and abroad over the past two seasons.

The Athlone man, who will become the first Connacht player since County Sligo's Cecil Ewing to win a Walker Cup cap, began the year by completing the double of New South Wales Matchplay and Strokeplay championships in February. Second in the Duncan Putter in Wales at Easter, he was third in the Lytham Trophy and finished in the top 15 at both the Sherry Cup and the Brabazon Trophy.

The winner of the South of Ireland championship last year, he was beaten in the final of the same championship by Mervyn Owens of Mallow at the 18th hole less than a week ago.

Fox (29) has long been regarded as one of the outstanding talents in amateur golf in this country and was on the fringes of selection for the last edition of the Walker Cup at Sea Island, Georgia.

Winner of the Irish Amateur Open Championship for the second time at Royal Dublin back in May, he was fourth in the St Andrews Trophy, fifth in the Lytham Trophy and 10th in the Sherry Cup.

The US team for the match, scheduled for September 6th-7th, will be announced later this week.