ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Nigel Edwards has been reappointed as captain of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team that will face the USA at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in the 2015 Match.
Edwards, 45, of Wales, will serve as Walker Cup captain for a third consecutive time as GB&I tries to win back the trophy in England next year. He is the first person in the modern era to be invited to captain GB&I three times.
A long-time member of Whitchurch Golf Club in Cardiff, Edwards played in four successive Walker Cup matches between 2001 and 2007. He was instrumental in GB&I’s 2003 victory at Ganton Golf Club, holing the winning putt, finishing undefeated and as the match’s leading points-scorer.
After twice playing on the winning side, Edwards completed a hat trick of wins by captaining GB&I to victory in the 2011 Match at Royal Aberdeen in Scotland. Edwards’ GB&I Team was defeated, 17-9, by the USA last September at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y.
John “Spider” Miller has been chosen by the USGA to captain the USA.
“I’m very proud to have the opportunity to captain the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team for a third time in 2015,” said Edwards. “I am looking forward to continuing my involvement and using my past experience as both a player and captain to make sure the players are prepared to play to the best of their ability.”
In addition to his Walker Cup successes, Edwards has been part of three victorious GB&I teams in the St Andrews Trophy, featuring in the winning 2002, 2004 and 2006 teams at Lausanne in Switzerland, Nairn in Scotland and Marianske Lazne in the Czech Republic respectively. He captained the teams which lost to the Continent of Europe at Castelconturbia in Italy in 2010 and Portmarnock in 2012.
Edwards was also part of two winning European teams in the Bonallack Trophy match against the Asia-Pacific.
“Nigel has demonstrated great passion and pride for the Walker Cup and we are very pleased that he has accepted the invitation to lead GB&I next year,” said Jonathan Plaxton, Chairman of The R&A Selection Committee.
“He has proven to be very popular with the players and his experience in the amateur game will continue to be a tremendous asset as he prepares the team for the Walker Cup.”
Edwards is currently Performance Director for England Golf, and previously served as Director of Player Development and Coaching at The Golf Union of Wales.