WITH thousands of people watching him make his first tentative steps in Walker Cup golf, Middlebrough's Michael Skelton can be forgiven for feeling just a little nervous.

The 19-year-old from Marske admits he is so anxious about his first shot at Ganton on Saturday, he is worried that that his hands will be too sweaty to grip his club.

It is a rare admission for a player who this year has taken the leap up from boys' to men's amateur golf with consummate ease.

This season, after a slow start, has seen Skelton impress on his first appearance in a professional event at the Forest of Arden in the British Masters, and also follow up his victory in the prestigious Welsh Open with a runners-up spot in the English Amateur at Alwoodley to Gary Lockerbie.

But the Marske teenager is desperate to perform well on the big stage in front of the BBC cameras and become part of history by being in the first Great Britain and Ireland team to record a third successive victory over their American counterparts on September 6-7.

"Team spirit at the moment is really good; everyone is really excited about playing in the Walker Cup," said Skelton, who is the first Walker Cup player from Middlesbrough Brass Castle since Martin Thompson in 1983.

"I am so proud to be in the team. It's a chance to make history and we are not going to let that chance slip. It is also very special for me personally as it is less than an hour from my house.

"There is going to be a few busloads coming down from Marske to watch me play and I have already had loads of people asking me for tickets."

He added: "This is the most nervous I have ever been about an event - certainly more so than at the British Masters - because it is a team event.

"I'll probably not be able to grip the club properly and my knees will be shaking, but playing in something like the Walker Cup is the challenge I relish. It's a chance to write your name in history.

"My glove will probably slip off my hand with all the sweat."

But the affable 19-year-old is confident once he has conquered his first-day nerves he will more than justify his call-up. And he readily admits the choice of Ganton adds even more sheen to his sensational selection.

"Ganton is my favourite course in the world," he said.

"In my mind there is no better place to make your Walker Cup debut. It is such a great course; I've played there so many times. Just standing on the first tee gives me Goosebumps."

He added: "I wasn't surprised by my selection. If you had asked me a couple of months ago I would have said it probably wouldn't happen. But it is what I have done for the last couple of months that has counted and the selectors are picking players in-form."

Determined to continue such impressive form right up until the last minute, Skelton has put himself on a rigid diet of "practice, practice, and more practice" under the watchful eye of coach Steve Robinson.

Skelton even pulled out of the recent European Amateur in Nairn to keep himself fresh for Ganton.

"They have not asked me to do anything different," he said. "They just want us to prepare how we would normally prepare." After the season Skelton is having, why would they?

l Both days feature four foursomes matches (18 holes) each morning, eight singles (18 holes) each afternoon. Starting time Saturday: 7:30 am foursomes, 12.30pm singles. Sunday: 8am foursomes, 1pm singles. Tickets for both days available on gate, £20.

Rest of GB Team

Gary Wolstenholme (42, Kilworth Springs): Wolstenholme already holds the unique GB&I record of having played on three Cup winning teams (1995, 1999 & 2001), and now has the opportunity to put that record beyond reach in leading home based players to a further success. Already this season he has added to his golfing career with a second win in the Amateur Championship at Royal Troon and followed that by lifting the Scottish Stroke Play title at Turnberry. He is now England's most capped player, earlier this year surpassing the target previously set by Peter McEvoy, and will be a hard man to beat at Ganton where he won his first Amateur Championship in 1991.

Noel Fox (29, Portmarnock): An excellent matchplay golfer, who recently topped the Irish Order of Merit. Like Skelton due to make his Walker Cup debut.

Oliver Wilson (22, Coxmoor): England's best player in the recent European Team Championships.

David Inglis (21, Glencorse): Another Scot, who played in the Palmer Cup this year when Europe beat the American students in Georgia.

Stuart Manley (24, Mountain Ash): The current Welsh Amateur Matchplay champion after beating Rhys Davies 8&7 he also won the Duncan Putter early in the year

Nigel Edwards (34, Whitchurch): Selected for Walker Cup in 2001 and one of two Welshmen in the team. Had top-four finishes in the Duncan Putter, Lytham Trophy and Brabazon this year.

Colm Moriarty (24, Athlone): Runner-up in last year's Brabazon at Royal Cinque Ports.

Stuart Wilson (26, Forfar): Has enjoyed a successful season despite losing out to Graham Gordon in the Scottish Amateur final. Lytham Trophy title-holder.

Graham Gordon (23, Newmarchar): Regular Scottish international and current holder of the Scottish Amateur title.

Reserves: J Doherty (22, Vale of Glamorgan); R Walker (32, Frodsham). Non-playing captain: G McGimpsey (48, Bangor).

US team: Bill Hass; Matt Hendrix; Trip Keuhne; Brock Mackenzie; Ryan Moore; Chris Nallen; Adam Robinson; Casey Wittenberg; Lee Williams; George Zahringer.

Captain (non-playing): Bob Lewis