Three-time Walker Cup captain Nigel Edwards will lead Team GB's golf team at Tokyo 2020
Team GB 2020 Olympic Golf Team Leader Unveiled
Nigel Edwards has been unveiled as Team GB's Olympic golf team leader for the games in Toyko next year.
The British Olympic Association announced each sport's team leaders with just over 500 days until the event.
Edwards has been appointed to the voluntary role by the British Golf Association and will lead the British professionals in Tokyo, aiming to repeat the gold medal triumph of Justin Rose in Rio 2016.
He is renowned in golfing circles, as a player who reached the number two spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, as an outstanding Walker Cup team member and captain, and as a developer of talent.
“I am absolutely over the moon and very honoured to be appointed as team leader,” said Edwards.
“The Olympics offer a great opportunity to golf and Justin Rose has been a fantastic champion. I’m very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Edwards joined England Golf as Performance Director in 2012, overseeing coaching and development programmes which in recent years have produced tour players and champions, including the 2018 Women’s British Open Champion, Georgia Hall.
Meanwhile, England amateurs have won three European team championships and a World championship silver medal during his tenure. The individual tally includes eight Amateur Champions – three men, one woman, two boys and two girls – plus four European championship titles.
Nick Pink, England Golf Chief Executive, said: “Congratulations to Nigel and our very best wishes for Tokyo 2020. Nigel brings tremendous knowledge, experience and leadership skills to this role and I am sure he will be a huge asset to Team GB and to the golf team.”
The Welshman, a long-time member of Whitchurch (Cardiff) Golf Club, played in four successive Walker Cup matches between 2001 and 2007. He was twice on the winning side, at Ocean Forest in the USA in 2001, and at Ganton in 2003, where he holed the winning putt, was undefeated and the leading points scorer.
He is the only person in the modern era to captain three Walker Cup teams, leading winning sides in 2011 and 2015.
Edwards also played in three victorious GB&I teams in the St Andrews Trophy match against Continental Europe and captained the team on three separate occasions. He was part of two winning European teams in the Bonallack Trophy match against Asia-Pacific.
His individual successes include winning both the South African Amateur and the European Nations Cup (formerly the Sherry Cup) in 2006.
At this week’s BOA workshops the team leaders were given the latest information on areas including accreditation, Preparation Camp, Olympic Village, security and media services that will be provided in the Games environment.
The 2022 Olympic Games golf tournaments take place at Kasumigaseki Country Club where Justin Rose and Inbee Park will be seeking to defend their Gold Medals.
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