Irish pair repel USA's finest

The blanket of heat acts a thermos, leaving shirts dripping with sweat and lungs aching for air. All in all, this part of coastal Georgia may as well be a million miles from Porthcawl in Wales and, yet, the similarities in the way that a worthy Walker Cup foursomes partnership involving Irish players evolved has been striking.

Back in 1995, on the inclement Welsh coast, Pβdraig Harrington and Jody Fanagan had a 100 per cent record in teaming up to win their two foursomes matches; here, at Ocean Forest, with its heat index over 100, Michael Hoey and Graeme McDowell - thrown together in a last- minute decision by captain Peter McEvoy - emerged with a similar unblemished result from their alternate shot endeavours, the only foursomes pairing from either team to do so.

Not only that, the partnership took out pairings perceived by the Americans as being virtually unbeatable.

Nothing is certain in golf, especially the matchplay variety. On Saturday, playing in the bottom foursomes, the Irish duo landed a 3 and 1 win over US amateur champion Jeff Quinney and the man he defeated in that final, James Driscoll. Raised eyebrows all round from our hosts.

Yesterday's win, if anything, was even more impressive. In the Golfweek amateur rankings, something of a bible in US golf statistics, Nick Cassini is ranked equal first (with Bryce Molder) and Lucas Glover is ranked fourth. On the first day, Cassini and Glover paired up to hand out a 4 and 3 hammering to the bright-eyed boys of the Britain and Ireland team, Luke Donald and Nick Dougherty; and US captain Danny Yates was looking for a repeat job against the two Ulstermen. It wasn't to be.

"We got off to a fast start, hit some really good shots and holed the putts," remarked McDowell, while Hoey added: "We knew we could take them on. We've gelled really well together and all our thoughts going into the match were positive."

Yet, up to the eve of the match, McDowell thought he was going to be playing with English veteran Gary Wolstenholme. The change reaped significant dividends as the all-Irish pairing delivered maximum points from their two foursomes matches.

Their intent was obvious from the very first hole. McDowell's approach shot to 15 feet was rolled into the hole by Hoey and, although Glover sank a 10-footer for birdie at the next to square things up, the Americans were left playing catch-up from the third where they suffered a bogey six.

On the fifth, Hoey's six-iron tee-shot to 20 feet was rolled into the hole for a birdie and a Cassini approach over the back of the green on the fifth, leading to another bogey, left the Irishmen three up.

Although the US pair managed to reduce the deficit to one by the 12th, where McDowell's drive found the right rough, a two-hole lead was renewed on the 13th where McDowell's wedge approach to 18 feet was rolled into for yet another birdie by Hoey.

And a poor chip from Cassini on the 15th, leading to a bogey, put the visitors dormie three. The match was closed out on the 17th for a most satisfying 2 and 1 win to Hoey and McDowell.