Stuart Grehan is hoping that some inclement weather on the west coast can give Great Britain and Ireland the edge in this weekend’s Walker Cup.

A sold out crowd of 16,000 fans will to descend on Lahinch Golf Club for the 51st staging of the Walker Cup as teams from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States go head-to-head.

Great Britain and Ireland are seeking to win their first Walker Cup since 2015, when Nigel Edwards’ side triumphed in Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, with Paul Dunne, Gavin Moynihan, Gary Hurley and Jack Hume all featuring.

The Clare links is the first Irish course to host the event since Royal County Down in 2007 and Grehan, who plays in his second successive Walker Cup, believes that both the course and the west of Ireland weather can give his team an edge.

“It’s probably the pinnacle of amateur golf,” he said when speaking to RTÉ Sport. “You have the 10 best players from GB&I versus 10 best in the USA.

“I think we have a lot more experience than them on links golf. I would like a little bit of wind, I think we all would.

“We’re right on the Irish coast, the west coast here, so we’re hoping there’ll be a nice bit of breeze and maybe a bit of rain as well, just to kind of make it a bit advantageous for us.

“We grew up playing links golf and we’re very well used to it. It takes a little bit of time to learn and we play a lot of our tournaments over here on links golf, I think it does make a difference.”

The captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team Dean Roberston echoed Grehan thoughts on Lahinch giving his side an advantage.

Roberston believes that the nature of links golf means that it could be a similar tournament to 2015’s running where Great Britain and Ireland won 16 1/2 to 9 1/2.

“Royal Liverpool and St Anne’s asked similar questions to Lahinch, however, the finishing holes here are special, and it’s a wonderful match play golf course.

“It’s going to be really exciting, and I know there’s going to be a massive support here, and they’re most definitely going to be our 11th man this week.8,000 each day of sell-out, that’s good to hear.

“I think there could be more than that. I think there could be a few extras coming in off the beach and over the walls maybe, but it’s going to be fabulous.”

Last year USA won the 50th staging at Cypress Point, with a 17-9 triumph. The US lead the series 40-9.