The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland featuring players from the United Kingdom 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. From 2026 it will be held in even-numbered years following the switch of the Eisenhower Trophy to odd-numbered years to avoid that event clashing with the Olympic Games.[1] They are held alternately in the U.S., and Ireland or Britain.

Walker Cup
Tournament information
Location2023: St Andrews, Scotland
Established1922
Course(s)2023: Old Course at St Andrews
Organized byThe R&A and United States Golf Association
FormatMatch play
Month playedSeptember
Current champion
United States United States
2023 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 2023, the U.S. lead the Walker Cup series 39 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

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Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) 1921

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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 male 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.[2]

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 M. Hunter, Bobby Jones, Francis Ouimet, J. Wood Platt, Fred Wright. The Americans won the match 9–3.[3]

Format

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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.[4]

Results

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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:[5][6][7]

Year Venue Winning team Score Losing team Captains
2023 Old Course at St Andrews   United States 1412 1112   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Mike McCoy
  Stuart Wilson
2021 Seminole Golf Club   United States 14 12   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Nathaniel Crosby
  Stuart Wilson
2019 Royal Liverpool Golf Club   United States 1512 1012   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
1612 912   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 1612 912   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Buddy Marucci
  Colin Dalgleish
2007 Royal County Down Golf Club   United States 1212 1112   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Buddy Marucci
  Colin Dalgleish
2005 Chicago Golf Club   United States 1212 1112   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Bob Lewis
  Garth McGimpsey
2003 Ganton Golf Club   Great Britain &
  Ireland
1212 1112   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
1212 1112   United States   Fred Ridley
  Geoff Marks
1987 Sunningdale Golf Club   United States 1612 712   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 1312 1012   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 1512 812   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 1512 812   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 812 312   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 712 412   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
712 412   United States   Francis Ouimet
  John Beck
1936 Pine Valley Golf Club   United States 1012 112   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Francis Ouimet
  William Tweddell
1934 Old Course at St Andrews   United States 912 212   Great Britain &
  Ireland
  Francis Ouimet
  Michael Scott
1932 The Country Club   United States 912 212   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 612 512   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 612 512   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 49 matches, USA has won 39 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 9 with 1 match tied.

Future sites

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From 2026, matches will be held in even-numbered years. Venue for the 2030 event has not yet been announced.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Walker Cup to be contested in even years from 2026". R&A. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "The "Invasion" Begins – American Golfers at Liverpool". The Times. May 10, 1921. p. 10.
  3. ^ "Golf at Hoylake". The Times. May 23, 1921. p. 4.
  4. ^ "New Format Twist: Sunday Singles Matches Increase By Two - 2009 Walker Cup Match". USGA. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  5. ^ "Walker Cup results". USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  6. ^ "Walker Cup Match September 10-11, 2011" (PDF). USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "Walker Cup - History". R&A. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  8. ^ "Coast to Coast: Seminole, Cypress Point to Host Future Walker Cups". USGA. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  9. ^ "The 51st Walker Cup to be played at Lahinch in 2026". R&A. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  10. ^ Beall, Joel (July 20, 2021). "Bandon Dunes to host 13 USGA championships". Golf Digest. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  11. ^ "Oakmont and Merion Selected for Multiple Future Championships". USGA. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "Chicago G.C. to Host 2033 Women's Open, 2036 Walker Cup". USGA. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  13. ^ "Walker Cup Moving to Even Years Starting in 2026". USGA. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
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