Former UVA golfer Denny McCarthy named to Walker Cup team

Former Virginia All-American Denny McCarthy (Rockville, Md.) has been named by the United States Golf Association to the 2015 Walker Cup team. The 10-member U.S. squad will compete against a team from Great Britain Sept. 12 and 13 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.

McCarthy was one of five players named to round out the squad following the conclusion of the U.S. Amateur Championship Sunday. Also named were Mike McCoy, Scott Harvey, Robby Shelton and Jordan Niebrugge.

The USGA named the first five members of the team on Aug. 10. Those players are Bryson DeChambeau, Beau Hossler, Lee McCoy, Maverick McNealy and Hunter Stewart. DeChambeau defeated UVa junior Derek Bard in the finals of the U.S. Amateur Championship on Sunday.

McCarthy, DeChambeau and Hossler led the U.S. to the World Amateur Team Championship last September.

McCarthy was the first player in UVa history to earn All-ACC honors all four years of his collegiate career. He was a three-time All-American at UVa and is currently ranked as the No. 10 amateur in the world.

“What honor and a privilege it is for our program to have our first Walker Cupper since James Driscoll,” said Virginia coach Bowen Sargent. “Denny is really deserving of this honor to represent America as this is been a lifelong dream backed up by an incredible amateur and collegiate career. I wish he and the other nine American representatives all the best as they play Europe in a few weeks.”

The Walker Cup is contested biennially in odd numbered years and features the top amateur players from the U.S. and Great Britain.

On Saturday, there are four matches of foursomes in the morning and eight singles matches in the afternoon. On Sunday, there are again four matches of foursomes in the morning, followed by 10 singles matches in the afternoon. In all, 26 matches are played.

Each of the 26 matches is worth one point in the larger team competition. If a match is all-square after the 18th hole extra holes are not played. Rather, each side earns 1Ž2 a point toward their team total. The team that accumulates at least 131Ž2 points wins the competition. In the event of a tie, the current holder retains the Cup.