Munster golfer tees it up for Europe at Junior Ryder Cup on Long Island

FOTA Island’s John Doyle is bidding to cap a memorable year by helping Europe make it back-to-back wins in the Junior Ryder Cup on Long Island.

The 18-year-old Munster golfer secured a captain’s pick from Stephen Gallacher for Europe’s trophy defence after a stunning 20.5-9.5 win over the Americans in Rome two years ago.

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The 13th edition got underway on Tuesday at Nassau Country Club, where the second day’s play is also being held before the last-day singles take place on Thursday morning at Bethpage Black on the eve of the Ryder Cup.

“Yesh, it is going to be great,” admitted Doyle. “It’s been kind of my goal all year to make the team and I am just going to try and enjoy the experience now and try my best for the team.”

The young Cork man currently sits second and third respectively in the Under-18 European Amateur Golf Rankings and European Amateur Men’s Golf Rankings.

He has enjoyed an exceptional season, winning in Ireland twice at the Flogas Irish Boys’ Amateur Open the Munster Men’s Open Stroke-Play.

Doyle also finished runner-up in both the St Andrews Links Trophy, losing to Cameron Adam in a play-off, and the English Under-18s Championship for the Carris Trophy.

“It’s good,” he said of now being among 24 players battling it out in an event that has spawned a large number of Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup players, including Rory McIlroy and Leona Maguire.

“It shows you where you are at in terms of the best players in the world at your age. It shows you where you might need to improve going forward.

“Two years ago, if you’d said I was playing with these people - the best players in Europe - I’d have been delighted with myself.”

The European players played a practice round at Bethpage Black on Sunday, when they met Luke Donald and were urged to strike first blood again this week.

“Yeah, it was great,” he said of that experience. “It is so surreal just seeing a Ryder Cup course because I haven’t been to too many big golf events, to be honest. I’ve been to The Open and it is cool to see all the stands and hospitality units.

“I’ve played in the US a few times but it’s been more in Florida and this is different. Even Bethpage yesterday was different as there are so little trees on a parkland course and the fairways look smaller due to it being such a big expanse of land.”

Gallacher, who played in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, is up against a Team USA side on this occasion by Suzy Whaley, a past president of the PGA of America Past President and PGA Master Professional.