Youthful Rose ready to blossom

A Briton will become the youngest golfer in Walker Cup history today. Andy Farrell, in New York, found him in confident mood

Youth being the flavour of the sporting moment, Great Britain and Ireland set about their defence of the Walker Cup with the youngest player ever to compete in the biennial transatlantic competition. Justin Rose is today 10 days past his 17th birthday but the does not stop him being a key member of a side which also contains the 44-year-old Open silver medal winner Barclay Howard.

Rose is younger than Ronan Rafferty, Peter Baker and the American Roland MacKenzie, who were all also 17 when they played in the two-day amateur version of the Ryder Cup. Tall and strong, but also mature beyond his years, Rose, who left school last year with eight GCSEs, has been groomed for his occasion almost like Tiger Woods.

Photographic evidence exists of Rose, who was born in South Africa of English parents, using plastic clubs and balls at 11 months. He does not remember, but he does recall breaking 70 for nine holes for the first time. He was five. "Dad would give me little targets," Rose said, "and would give me a train set or something if when I did them."

In this, his first summer as a full-time amateur, Rose won the St Andrews Links Trophy. "At the start of the season I felt it was unrealistic to make the Walker Cup, but it was what I wanted to achieve. All the tournaments I played were mapped out to try to get into the team." His selection became inevitable. Peter McEvoy, the former British Amateur champion who played against Sandy Lyle and Nick Faldo before they turned pro, says Rose is better than either of those two at his age.

"His maturity is what strikes you," said Gary Wolstenholme, who played foursomes with Rose in an England international against Spain earlier this year. "You think he's 22 or 23. Technically, he has an extremely good swing."

Wolstenholme, famously, beat Tiger Woods as Great Britain and Ireland regained the Cup at Royal Porthcawl two years ago. But overall, America lead the series 30 to four, with one tie. On home soil the Americans have only lost once, at Peachtree in 1989, and four years ago, led by the new Open champion Jason Leonard, delivered a thundering 19-5 thrashing at Interlachen.

Where the visitors are better off this time is in having had four of their number - Steven Young, David Park, Richard Coughlan and Keith Nolan - play American college golf. This is Rose's first experience over here and Quaker Ridge offers a typical US Open set-up with the thick rough around the greens to be avoided.

"This is my favourite type of golf," Rose said. "I prefer target golf to links golf. No doubt I'll be nervous, but I don't think there's any extra pressure on me being the youngest. If you're playing well you can cope with anything."

While the Americans are led by Steve Scott, 19, the runner-up to Woods when he won a third US Amateur last year, and 45-year-old John Harris, Great Britain and Ireland also have a range of youth and experience. Up to five of the team may turn pro after the match - Rose will probably stay on for one more match - but their are also career amateurs in the form of Amateur champion Craig Watson, 31, Graham Rankin, also 31, Wolstenholme, 36, and Howard.

The reformed alcoholic was the only amateur to play all four rounds at Royal Troon and has decided to retire after playing for Scotland in the Home Internationals next month. "It's time to go," he said. "I want to go out on a high and there's no way you can top all this."

Teams, Digest, page 24