Harpenden's Jack Bigham has been selected to represent Great Britain & Ireland at this year's Walker Cup.

This year's event will be the 49th running and will take place at the famous Old Course at St Andrews.

And Bigham is part of a 10-man squad for what is the amateur equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

The team has not won since 2015 when it secured a seven-point victory at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The 19-year-old Bigham, a member of Harpenden Golf Club, said: "I was hoping I’d be in but to actually be told I was in the squad, I couldn’t really believe it, especially with it being at St Andrews.

"You never know if the opportunity might come about again so I was over the moon. It’s always been a goal of mine.

"In my first year of college, I didn’t start off great and then this spring, I played well.

"My team, Florida State, made it to the NCAA Finals so playing well out there gave me a lot of confidence for when I came back to the UK.

"I started off with a tied-12th at the St Andrews Links Trophy but my best result was at the European Amateur Championship where I was tied for fourth.

"That gave me a lot of confidence and boosted my chances of Walker Cup selection.

"The whole year has been really consistent for me which has been nice.

"I’d obviously like to say thanks to my parents who have always taken time out to take me to events growing up.

"Without them I wouldn’t have been able to get to where I am."

He acknowledges that the USA will provide a formidable challenge but it is one he believes the home nations can overcome.

Bigham said: "With the group of guys we have, we’re going to fight right till the end, so it’ll be good, and I think we can get it done."

Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team

James Ashfield, Wales, Delamere Forest, 22
Jack Bigham, England, Harpenden, 19
Barclay Brown, England, Hallamshire, 22
John Gough, England, The Berkshire, 24
Connor Graham, Scotland, Blairgowrie, 16
Alex Maguire, Ireland, Laytown & Bettystown, 22
Matthew McClean, Ireland, Malone, 30
Liam Nolan, Ireland, Galway, 23
Mark Power, Ireland, Kilkenny, 23
Calum Scott, Scotland, Nairn, 20
Reserves
Tyler Weaver, England, Bury St Edmunds, 18
Caolan Rafferty, Ireland, Dundalk, 30