Connor Graham

Connor Graham was part of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland team at the 51st Walker Cup at Lahinch.

In a dramatic Sunday on the Atlantic coast, he rescued a half point late on in his contest with American Miles Russell. It would prove to be a key moment as GB&I won the match for the first time since 2015.

The teenager from Blairgowrie became the youngest player ever to appear in the Walker Cup when he first represented the home side at St Andrews in 2023.

Graham qualified for his Open debut in 2025 via a play-off at Final Qualifying. He sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat fellow Scot Paul O’Hara and take the last of the five Open spots at Dundonald Links.

“It was a long day but I’m delighted,” he said of Final Qualifying heroics.

“It’s a pretty special feeling to be able to come here and qualify. Playing in The Open has been a dream of mine for a long time and being able to go there and play this year will be pretty cool.”

Son of a former professional, he has twice topped the stroke play rounds of The Amateur Championship. He also won the R&A Junior Open at Monifieth in 2022, was a member of Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup side in Italy and was still only 16 when he claimed the Scottish open stroke play crown against a field which included his older brother Gregor.