Walker Cup

The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland. The official name is the Walker Cup Match (not "Matches" as in Ryder Cup Matches). It is organised by The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA). In 1921 the Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosted an unofficial contest which was followed by official annual contests from 1922 through 1924. From 1925 they became biennial, held on even-number years. After World War II they switched to odd-numbered years. They are held alternately in the U.S., and Ireland or Britain.

Walker Cup
Tournament information
Location2019: Hoylake, Merseyside, England
Established1922
Course(s)2019: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
Organized byThe R&A and United States Golf Association
FormatMatch play
Month playedSeptember
Current champion
United States
2019 Walker Cup

The cup is named after George Herbert Walker who was president of the USGA in 1920 when the match was initiated. Walker is the grandfather and namesake of George H. W. Bush and great-grandfather of George W. Bush, the 41st and 43rd Presidents of the United States, respectively.

Unlike the Ryder Cup, which similarly began as a competition between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, the Walker Cup has never been expanded to include all European amateur golfers.

As of 2019, the U.S. lead the Walker Cup series 37 to 9, with one match tied, but the two teams have been more evenly matched since 1989 when the Great Britain and Ireland team ended the U.S. team's eight-match winning run. The 1989 match and the three matches from 2003 to 2007 were all decided by a single point.

Founding of the Cup

Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) 1921

A team of American amateur golfers travelled in Britain in 1921, their objective being to win The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool (Hoylake). A match between American and British amateur golfers was played on May 21, immediately before The Amateur Championship. This match was announced in The Times on May 10. The Times reports that the match was arranged by Gershom Stewart M.P., Chairman of Royal Liverpool Golf Club.[1]

The British team was: Tommy Armour, Colin Aylmer, Ernest Holderness, James Jenkins, Reymond de Montmorency, Gordon Simpson, Cyril Tolley and Roger Wethered. The American team was Chick Evans, William C. Fownes Jr. (Captain), Jesse Guilford, Paul Hunter, Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet, J. Wood Platt, Fred Wright. The Americans won the match 9–3.[2]

Format

The Walker Cup employs a combination of foursomes (alternate-shot) and singles competition and was originally the format used for the professional equivalent Ryder Cup. Up to 1961, 36 holes matches were played: four foursomes on the first day and eight singles matches on the second day. From 1963, 18 hole matches were played, with four foursomes and eight singles matches on each day. In 2009, the number of singles matches on the second day was increased to 10, so that all members of the team play on this final afternoon.[3]

Results

Half points for halved matches were first awarded in 1971. Note that in the following table, half points for halved matches are included in the total scores prior to 1971 for consistency with later years. The following scores include halved matches: 1923: 1, 1926: 1, 1932: 3, 1934: 1, 1936: 3, 1938: 1, 1951: 3, 1957: 1, 1963: 4, 1965: 2, 1967: 4, 1969: 6

Source:[4][5][6]

YearVenueWinning teamScoreLosing teamCaptains
2019 Royal Liverpool Golf Club  United States 15½ 10½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Nathaniel Crosby
 Craig Watson
2017 Los Angeles Country Club  United States 19 7  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Spider Miller
 Andy Ingram
2015 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
16½  United States  Spider Miller
 Nigel Edwards
2013 National Golf Links of America  United States 17 9  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jim Holtgrieve
 Nigel Edwards
2011 Royal Aberdeen Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
14 12  United States  Jim Holtgrieve
 Nigel Edwards
2009 Merion Golf Club  United States 16½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Buddy Marucci
 Colin Dalgleish
2007 Royal County Down Golf Club  United States 12½ 11½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Buddy Marucci
 Colin Dalgleish
2005 Chicago Golf Club  United States 12½ 11½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Bob Lewis
 Garth McGimpsey
2003 Ganton Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
12½ 11½  United States  Bob Lewis
 Garth McGimpsey
2001 Ocean Forest Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
15 9  United States  Danny Yates
 Peter McEvoy
1999 Nairn Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
15 9  United States  Danny Yates
 Peter McEvoy
1997 Quaker Ridge Golf Club  United States 18 6  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Downing Gray
 Clive Brown
1995 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
14 10  United States  Downing Gray
 Clive Brown
1993 Interlachen Country Club  United States 19 5  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Vinny Giles
 George Macgregor
1991 Portmarnock Golf Club  United States 14 10  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jim Gabrielsen
 George Macgregor
1989 Peachtree Golf Club  Great Britain &
 Ireland
12½ 11½  United States  Fred Ridley
 Geoff Marks
1987 Sunningdale Golf Club  United States 16½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Fred Ridley
 Geoff Marks
1985 Pine Valley Golf Club  United States 13 11  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jay Sigel
 Charlie Green
1983 Royal Liverpool Golf Club  United States 13½ 10½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jay Sigel
 Charlie Green
1981 Cypress Point Club  United States 15 9  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jim Gabrielsen
 Rodney Foster
1979 Muirfield  United States 15½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Dick Siderowf
 Rodney Foster
1977 Shinnecock Hills Golf Club  United States 16 8  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Lewis Oehmig
 Sandy Saddler
1975 Old Course at St Andrews  United States 15½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Ed Updegraff
 David Marsh
1973 The Country Club  United States 14 10  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jess Sweetser
 David Marsh
1971 Old Course at St Andrews  Great Britain &
 Ireland
13 11  United States  John M. Winters
 Michael Bonallack
1969 Milwaukee Country Club  United States 13 11  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Billy Joe Patton
 Michael Bonallack
1967 Royal St George's Golf Club  United States 15 9  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jess Sweetser
 Joe Carr
1965 Baltimore Country Club  United States 12 12  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Johnny Fischer
 Joe Carr
1963 Turnberry  United States 14 10  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Richard Tufts
 Charles Lawrie
1961 Seattle Golf Club  United States 11 1  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jack Westland
 Charles Lawrie
1959 Muirfield  United States 9 3  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Charles Coe
 Gerald Micklem
1957 The Minikahda Club  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Charles Coe
 Gerald Micklem
1955 Old Course at St Andrews  United States 10 2  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 William C. Campbell
 Alec Hill
1953 The Kittansett Club  United States 9 3  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Charlie Yates
 Tony Duncan
1951 Royal Birkdale Golf Club  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Willie Turnesa
 Raymond Oppenheimer
1949 Winged Foot Golf Club  United States 10 2  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Francis Ouimet
 Laddie Lucas
1947 Old Course at St Andrews  United States 8 4  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Francis Ouimet
 John Beck
1940–1946: Not held due to World War II
1940 Town & Country Club 1940 event was awarded to The Town & Country Club of St. Paul, Minnesota
but the matches were canceled due to World War II
1938 Old Course at St Andrews  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 United States  Francis Ouimet
 John Beck
1936 Pine Valley Golf Club  United States 10½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Francis Ouimet
 William Tweddell
1934 Old Course at St Andrews  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Francis Ouimet
 Michael Scott
1932 The Country Club  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Francis Ouimet
 Tony Torrance
1930 Royal St George's Golf Club  United States 10 2  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Bobby Jones
 Roger Wethered
1928 Chicago Golf Club  United States 11 1  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Bobby Jones
 William Tweddell
1926 Old Course at St Andrews  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Robert Gardner
 Robert Harris
1924 Garden City Golf Club  United States 9 3  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Robert Gardner
 Cyril Tolley
1923 Old Course at St Andrews  United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Robert Gardner
 Robert Harris
1922 National Golf Links of America  United States 8 4  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 William C. Fownes Jr.
 Robert Harris

Of the 47 matches, USA has won 37 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 9 with 1 match tied.

Future sites

See also

References

  1. "The "Invasion" Begins – American Golfers at Liverpool". The Times. 10 May 1921. p. 10.
  2. "Golf at Hoylake". The Times. 23 May 1921. p. 4.
  3. "New Format Twist: Sunday Singles Matches Increase By Two - 2009 Walker Cup Match". USGA. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  4. "Walker Cup results". USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  5. "Walker Cup Match September 10-11, 2011" (PDF). USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  6. "Walker Cup - History". R&A. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  7. "Coast to Coast: Seminole, Cypress Point to Host Future Walker Cups". USGA. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
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