St. Andrews, Scotland – Nigel Edwards has been reappointed Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup captain for the 2013 Match after leading this year’s team to victory over the USA.
The Welshman, of Whitchurch Golf Club in Cardiff, will also be GB&I captain for the 2012 St Andrews Trophy Match against the Continent of Europe, as well as the Walker Cup contest at the National Golf Links of America in Southhampton, N.Y., Sept. 7-8.
Edwards played in four successive Walker Cups between 2001 and 2007, twice on a winning side, before completing a hat trick of victories by leading GB&I to a 14-12 victory at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland last month.
GB&I went into the contest as underdogs against a USA team that included six of the world’s top 10 amateurs, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking supported by The R&A and USGA. But brilliant performances, from the likes of Welsh teenager Rhys Pugh and Open Championship low amateur Tom Lewis of England, saw the team win the Walker Cup for the first time since 2003.
Edwards, 43, has also played in three St Andrews Trophy matches, winning on every occasion. However, he was captain for the last match at Castelconturbia, Italy, in 2010 which saw GB&I suffer a 14-10 defeat and will get the chance to reclaim the trophy at Portmarnock, near Dublin, next August.
Edwards said: "Captaining the winning side in the 43rd Walker Cup was truly fantastic and to be given the chance to be part of this special event again is a great honor. I am looking forward to being involved with the selection and preparation for 2013. The experience shared by this year’s team will stay with all of those involved for the rest of their lives.
“I will use my own experience as a player and captain to ensure that the next team is fully prepared to play to the best of their ability and make the most of their own Walker Cup experience.
“I am also excited about the challenge of getting the St Andrews Trophy back into GB&I hands in front of what I’m sure will be an enthusiastic Irish support.”
He is the third Welshman to captain the Walker Cup team after Tony Duncan, as a playing captain in 1953, and Clive Brown in 1995 and 1997, when his side beat a USA team that featured Tiger Woods at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Edwards, recently appointed Director of Coaching at the English Golf Union (EGU), is also a former Director of Player Development and Coaching at the Golf Union of Wales.
The R&A’s Chief Executive Peter Dawson said: “Nigel proved himself to be as good a captain as he was a player and has already secured his place in Walker Cup history.
“His experience, not only of team golf but of the wider amateur game, will be a tremendous asset as he prepares teams for both next year’s St Andrews Trophy match at Portmarnock and the 2013 Walker Cup.”
About The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A organizes The Open Championship, major amateur events and international matches. Together with the United States Golf Association, The R&A governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The R&A’s working jurisdiction is global, excluding the United States and Mexico.
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