Captain's role a rare honour for Irishman

Garth McGimpsey has become only the second Irishman to be appointed captain to a Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team. He will take charge of the team for the defence of the trophy against the United States at Ganton, in September 2003 and will also captain the Britain and Ireland team against the continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy next August.

McGimpsey (46) is Ireland's most-capped amateur international and a current Irish selector.

He succeeds Peter McEvoy, who completed his two-term stint when captaining the team to a successful defence in Georgia last August.

Although the Walker Cup dates back to 1922, the only previous Irish captain was Joe Carr (in 1965 and 1967).

McGimpsey's elevation to the captaincy is yet another milestone in a prestigious amateur career that has seen the Bangor golfer - who still plays off a plus-one handicap - play on three Walker Cup teams, including the 1989 match when Britain and Ireland recorded a first win on American soil, as well as a win in the British amateur championship at Royal Dornoch in 1985.

"Garth comes with a wealth of competitive golf experience at the highest level," said Peter Benka, chairman of the R&A selection committee in announcing the appointment yesterday. "We are delighted he has agreed to take on the role of captain."

McGimpsey, who played representative golf for Ireland from 1978 until 1999, runs a sports goods distribution business in Bangor. The R&A intend to announce a squad next month from which the St Andrews Trophy and Walker Cup teams is likely to be selected.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) have announced their intention to place restrictions for the first time on the length of all clubs - apart from putters - and on clubhead size. The vast majority of clubs currently in use will not be affected, however.

The proposal is to limit the length to a maximum of 47 inches. Most players use drivers of between 43 and 45ins.

If the rule is adopted, it will be added to the Rules of Golf in 2004.

The proposed clubhead size limit is 385 cubic centimetres. The current norm is less than 350cc.