Rhys Pugh celebrates Walker Cup selection

Pugh has been chosen alongside the best amateurs from Britain and Ireland

Welsh teenager Rhys Pugh has continued his remarkable rise through the golfing ranks with selection for the Britain and Ireland side for the Walker Cup.

The 17-year-old will be the youngest member of the 10-man team for the biennial match with the United States.

Nigel Edwards will be captain, only the third Welshman given the honour.

"I'm absolutely over the moon to have been picked to play alongside such talented players, it's a real honour," said Pugh, from Pontypridd.

Pugh's selection comes a few weeks after his victory at the Irish Amateur Open Championship in May and second place at the Welsh Amateur Championship in July.

He will be become the first Welshman to play in the Walker Cup since Edwards and Rhys Davies were part of the team that narrowly lost in 2007.

"I've had an unbelievable year so far, my form has been really good and I've had some great wins," added Pugh, a member of the Vale of Glamorgan Golf Club near Cardiff.

"Hopefully now I can carry that on and do the best job that I can for the team up in Scotland."

The GB&I team to face the USA at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club on 10 September also includes rising star Tom Lewis.

The 20-year-old won the Silver Medal Open Championship's best amateur player at Royal St George's in July. Lewis joined Thomas Bjorn at the top of the leaderboard after the first round.

England's Stiggy Hodgson is the only survivor from the team beaten 16½ - 9½ at Merion two years ago. He is joined by compatriots Steven Brown, Jack Senior and Andy Sullivan.

Scotland are represented by Michael Stewart and James Byrne, and Ireland by Paul Cutler and Alan Dunbar.

Team: Steven Brown (24, Wentworth), James Byrne (22, Banchory), Paul Cutler (22, Portstewart), Alan Dunbar (21, Rathmore), Stiggy Hodgson (21, Sunningdale), Tom Lewis (20, Welwyn Garden City), Rhys Pugh (17, Vale of Glamorgan), Jack Senior (23, Heysham), Michael Stewart (21, Troon Welbeck), Andy Sullivan (24, Nuneaton).

Non-playing captain: Nigel Edwards. Reserves: David Law, Ross Kellett.