PGA Master Professional Graham Walker has been named as a Vice-Captain for Great Britain & Ireland in next year’s PGA Cup match against the PGA of America.
Walker will Captain assist Tim Rouse for the 2024 match which will take place at Sunriver Resort in Oregon from 9th-15th September.
"I was very honoured when Tim asked me and I was very happy to accept,” said Walker, who has been the Head Coach at The Oaks in Yorkshire since 2004. “Being a PGA Member is close to my heart, I got close maybe once or twice as a player to making the team but I’ve not been involved in it before.
“The PGA Cup has always been massive, it’s the Pros’ Ryder Cup. To represent your nation is incredible and, to be involved in it, is huge.
"I’ve known Tim for a lot of years and we've always got on well. Our primary objective is to give the players every opportunity to have their best game out on the course and to give it their best go."
"Then it is all about the ‘win’ and that stands for ‘What’s Important Now’, I pinched it from an American football coach. So, at any given stage, in the match, team room or prep, what’s important now?
“If you’ve won by a lot, then you need to get ready for your next match, if you've just been in a tight match then go and have a cold shower, wake yourself up and go again. I want to be a support and resource for Tim, I will go as a Vice-Captain but I will also go as a coach as well and it will hopefully be an advantage to have a recognised coach to call upon."
Great Britain & Ireland Captain, Tim Rouse, added: “I am delighted Graham has accepted the invitation to join the team as Vice-Captain.
“Graham is respected and admired as a player, coach and PGA Master Professional by the best players around the world. His vision, understanding and abilities will be a tremendous asset and inspiration to our team.”
The PGA Cup is a biennial contest between the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland and the PGA of America. The event is seen as the pinnacle for any PGA Professional as both teams prepare to go head-to-head in a Ryder Cup format at Oregon’s Sunriver Resort next September to win the Llandudno Trophy in September 2024.
The qualification process for the Great Britain & Ireland team began at the 2023 PGA Professional Championship where Paul Hendriksen won by six shots from Matthew Cort at Sherwood Forest. The team will be made up of 10 players, with the top six from the 2023/24 PGA Professional Championship points list over a two-year counting period joining the top three from the 2024 PGA Play-Offs. Then there will be one captain's pick to round out the team.
CLICK HERE to find out more about the PGA Cup.
