Nathaniel Crosby, the 1981 US Amateur Champion said that he was “extremely surprised and taken aback” when he received a phone call from USGA President Diana Murphy asking him to become the 2019 US Walker Cup Captain.

The matches will be played at Royal Liverpool Golf Club where in 1983 Crosby was also on a winning Walker a Cup side. Crosby had thought that he might not ever become captain because the post is often awarded to career amateurs. After playing his Walker Cup Crosby turned professional on the PGA Tour and later spent two years playing on the European Tour. Perhaps this is his appeal to the USGA that many young men now want to turn professional and he is more in touch with them. He said “I’m so grateful and appreciative of this incredible gesture of being named Walker Cup Captain”.

Nathaniel is the youngest son of Bing Crosby’s second marriage. Bing Crosby founded the Pebble Beach Pro Am tournament in 1937 and during his lifetime it was played under his name and known as the “clam bake”. Bing Crosby was recipient of the Bob Jones Award for sportsmanship, the USGA’s highest honour. Nathaniel appeared with his father in his final Christmas show which which was recorded in England in 1977 and in which Bing Crosby sang with David Bowie. A few weeks after recording this Bing Crosby collapsed at La Manga Golf Club in Spain after playing a round with Manuel Pinero and subsequently passed away from a heart attack,

The USGA say that Nathaniel Crosby has proven himself at the highest levels of amateur golf and this will inspire his leadership of the 2019 US Walker a Cup team.