Rotherham golfer BEN SCHMIDT will be the youngest golfer on show at the 2021 Walker Cup. Just a few days before flying out to Florida for the showpiece event, he spoke to MARK FLANAGAN about taking on the powerful-looking American side at Seminole GC.
When the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup squad board the plane for Florida on Friday, they will do so as underdogs.
In an event the Americans lead 37-9 overall, including six of the last eight, visiting captain Stuart Wilson leads a group recently shorn of its highest-ranked player – Scotland’s Sandy Scott (9) suffered a wrist injury – while the hosts are led by a double act who were inspired in leading the USA to victory two years ago at Royal Liverpool – Jon Pak and Cole Hammer, who has already played in 12 USGA Championships including two US Opens.
2021 Walker Cup format
Saturday, May 8: Four morning foursomes and eight afternoon singles.
Sunday, May 9: Four morning foursomes and ten afternoon singles.
Course: Seminole GC (Juno Beach, Florida). 7,256 yards.
The British bookies make the home side 1/3 favourites but golf is not played on paper and in the GB&I ranks is a teenager who has made a habit of surprising the golfing fraternity.
Barnsley’s Ben Schmidt maybe the youngest of the 20 players who will be on show at highly-exclusive Seminole Golf Club next month (May 8-9) but arguably his appearance will be most keenly anticipated.
There have been younger Walker Cup players – Conor Gough (16) Oliver Fisher (16) and Justin Rose (17) in recent times – and those with bigger reputations but Ben is showing all the signs of being the one to watch.
Like those South Yorkshiremen who have recently gone before him – Matt Fitzpatrick and Danny Willett – he has quickly developed a lovely habit of delivering when it really matters.
And the +5.7 handicapper (just imagine!) feels like his game is in a good place despite all the Covid-related issues which have dogged us all for the last 12 months.
“I’m ready to go,” says Ben with understated authority. “In the general the game is in a good spot.”
His game has been in good place for quite some time and his rise through the ranks has been remarkable. Turbo-charged by his extraordinary five-shot win in the 2019 Brabazon when he became the youngest ever winner of the English Strokeplay Championship, the Rotherham GC player has been ticking off big victories at a rapid rate.
However perhaps most significantly, considering what lies in wait at Seminole, was his superb effort in a losing cause at the 2019 Jacques Legalise Trophy, the annual junior clash between GB&I and The Rest Of Europe.
Then just turned 17, Ben won three of his four ties at Aldeburgh GC in Suffolk, as the visiting team came out on top 15.5-9.5. A few days later he won four, tied one and lost one as England won the Home Internationals at Lahinch GC in ireland. That included him holing the winning putt.
His prodigious exploits have already seen him test himself of some of the world’s best courses and he believes the Florida venue will suit the GB&I players. In February he and teammate Barclay Brown were among a small number of British players to go on a reconnaissance mission and were able to twice test themselves on the striking layout.
“It’s a lot like a links course,” said Ben. “When I played it it was already very firm and running a lot and pretty windy. There is a lot of room off the tee and the second shots in are going to be key. The greens are pretty small and there are a lot of run off areas but I enjoyed it and the greens were nice to putt on.”
The hard work for Ben and the other 11 visiting players – there will be two travelling reserves – begins on Saturday (May 1) and there will be six days of preparation (playing and practice). How often he will appear and with whom has not been relayed back to the team as yet although captain Wilson will have plenty of time to finalise his strategy once they arrive in southern Florida on Friday afternoon.
It is difficult to imagine how the GB&I captain has not pencilled in Ben for all four rounds, such is heady mix of reliability and growing reputation as the man for the big occasion.
Combining him with Hallamshire’s Brown seems a natural fit but time will tell and things can famously change depending on how things unfold.
The long-term weather forecast is for conditions to be calmer than normal but this is Florida and thunderstorms are always a threat.
Before he even has to worry about all that there are things to be organised and a very early start on Friday when he drives down with his parents to Heathrow for the 9am meet-up.
Covid means his parents Phil and Claire are not able to attend so it will be a very poignant goodbye in West London. Ben used the word ‘gutted’.
For amateur players it does not get any bigger than this and after the event there are big decisions to be made re his future. Last summer he was offered a college place at East Tennessee State University but turned it down.
Whatever he, his parents and advisors at White Rose Sports Management decide, the offers from golf manufacturers et al will certainly start flowing should he lead GB&I to victory in Florida.
And with his record you certainly wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how it all pans out.