The Walker Cup will be played this weekend at the famous Old Course in St. Andrews,  Scotland ,one of the most famous golf 

courses in the world. The amateur golf competition played between the top amateur golfers of the USA and Great Britain and Ireland

will be played  this Saturday and Sunday.

There will be extra interest from the golf clubs of Ashbourne and The Black Bush .

Ashbourne native Fintan Bonner has helped two Scottish brothers Gregor and Connor Graham hone their game. He joined St Andrews Links academy in 2014.

In his role as senior instructor he is also Director of Golf  for one of the UK’s leading schools, St Leonards where he teaches at grass roots to elite golfers.

Fintan grew up in the flourishing town of Ashbourne and was educated in the local schools before heading off to his third level

studies in business.

However, it was his ability to be a scratch golfer and instructor,  that brought his career to the fairways and greens of golf. He also gave lessons as assistant professional in the Black Bush with the club professional Shane O’Grady. He himself worked with the young and upcoming Maguire sisters.

Leona now one of the top lady golfers in the world and playing well today in Irish Ladies Open in Dromoland Castle, county Clare this weekend.

Fintan was head hunted by the St Andrews Golf Academy as a senior instructor.  Among others , he started coaching a youngster at the age of nine ,Connor Graham along with big brother Gregor.

The young Connor (16) will make history this weekend being the youngest ever player in the Walker Cup team.

The older lad, Gregor won the Tartan Pro Tour this Tuesday on his home patch also with Fintan’s coaching over the years.

Fintan can take great pride in seeing  Connor and Gregor  coming to the top of their games.

The early signs were encouraging when he saw the lads and the coaching has paid off. It will be a great privilege to witness the 49th edition

of the Walker Cup and having help coach and train the lad.

To quote from ‘The Scotsman’  Fintan is quoted as saying ‘he’d take the eye out of your head for a pound’ and he was aptly impressed with

the way he could hit a golf ball and the noise he makes when he hits a ball, he stood out he added

Move over Wallace , Connor Graham is here !

A proud occasion for the Scots and dare I say for Bonner, the Ashbourne  Irishman  too.

Above picture : Connor Graham with Fintan Bonner