US suffer Walker walkover

Golf

Britain and Ireland's amateurs turned what had been dubbed the "Walkover Cup" on its head with victory at Royal Porthcawl yesterday. Two years after suffering a record 19-5 Walker Cup defeat in Minnesota - their 30th defeat in 34 matches - Clive Brown's side marched to a 14-10 win over the United States.

"It's the best moment of my life," said Stephen Gallacher, whose uncle, Bernard, will be hoping to express similar sentiments in the Ryder Cup in a fortnight. Gordon Sherry birdied the last two holes to beat Chris Riley, calling his eight-foot putt on the long 17th: "The most important I've ever made." He followed that with a 156-yard nine-iron - "I was pumped up" - to three feet.

The margin was the widest of their four rare victories in a series which dates back to 1922, the other successes coming at St Andrews in 1938 and 1971, and at Peachtree, Georgia, in 1989.

Tim Glover, page 20