Walker Cup
| File:2015 Walker Cup logo.jpg | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | 2015: Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England |
| Established | 1922 |
| Course(s) | 2015: Royal Lytham & St Annes |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 7,118 yd (6,509 m) |
| Format | Match play |
| Current champion | |
 United States | |
 2013 Walker Cup | |
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland. The event, officially called the Walker Cup Match (not "Matches", unlike the professional Ryder Cup Matches), is co-organised by The R&A and the United States Golf Association, and is named in honor of George Herbert Walker (grandfather and namesake of the George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States, and great-grandfather of George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States), who was president of the USGA in 1920 when the series was initiated. There was an unofficial event in 1921 at Royal Liverpool and annual events from 1922 to 1924. From that time on it became a biennial event, and after World War Two it switched to odd numbered years. It is played alternately on either side of the Atlantic.
Unlike the Ryder Cup, which also began as a competition between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, the Walker Cup has never been expanded to make all European amateur golfers eligible to compete. There is little present competitive reason to do so: although the United States leads the series 35 to 8, with one halved match, through 2013, the two teams have been far more evenly matched in recent decades. Starting with the 1989 Match in which Great Britain and Ireland ended USA's eight-match winning streak, the United States have won 7 to Great Britain and Ireland's 6. The 1989 Match and the three matches between 2003 and 2007 were all decided by one point.
Founding of the Cup
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]
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. 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.[2]
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
| Year | Venue | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Captains | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club | John "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 | 9½ | 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 Geoffrey Marks
| |||
| 1987 | Sunningdale Golf Club | United States
|
16½ | 7½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Fred Ridley Geoffrey Marks
| |||
| 1985 | Pine Valley Golf Club | United States
|
13 | 11 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Jay Sigel Charles Wilson Green
| |||
| 1983 | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | United States
|
13½ | 10½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Jay Sigel Charles Wilson Green
| |||
| 1981 | Cypress Point Club | United States
|
15 | 9 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Jim Gabrielsen Rodney Foster
| |||
| 1979 | Muirfield | United States
|
15½ | 8½ | 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 | 8½ | 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
|
John 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
|
8½ | 3½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Charles Coe Gerald Micklem
| |||
| 1955 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States
|
10 | 2 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
William C. Campbell G. Alec Hill
| |||
| 1953 | The Kittansett Club | United States
|
9 | 3 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Charles R. Yates Tony Duncan
| |||
| 1951 | Royal Birkdale Golf Club | United States
|
7½ | 4½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Willie Turnesa Raymond Oppenheimer
| |||
| 1949 | Winged Foot Golf Club | United States
|
10 | 2 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Francis Ouimet Percy Lucas
| |||
| 1947 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States
|
8 | 4 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Francis Ouimet John B. Beck
| |||
| 1940-46: 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 one month prior due to World War II | |||||||
| 1938 | Old Course at St Andrews | Great Britain & Ireland
|
7½ | 4½ | United States
|
Francis Ouimet John B. Beck
| |||
| 1936 | Pine Valley Golf Club | United States
|
10½ | 1½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Francis Ouimet William Tweddell
| |||
| 1934 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States
|
9½ | 2½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Francis Ouimet Michael Scott
| |||
| 1932 | The Country Club | United States
|
9½ | 2½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Francis Ouimet T.A. 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
|
6½ | 5½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Robert A. Gardner Robert Harris
| |||
| 1924 | Garden City Golf Club | United States
|
9 | 3 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Robert A. Gardner Cyril Tolley
| |||
| 1923 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States
|
6½ | 5½ | Great Britain & Ireland
|
Robert A. Gardner Robert Harris
| |||
| 1922 | National Golf Links of America | United States
|
8 | 4 | Great Britain & Ireland
|
William C. Fownes Jr. Robert Harris
| |||
USA have won 35 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 8 with 1 match tied.
Future sites
- 2015 – Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England)[6]
- 2017 – Los Angeles Country Club (Los Angeles, California, USA)[6]
- 2019 – Royal Liverpool Golf Club (Merseyside, England)[7]
- 2021 – Seminole Golf Club (Juno Beach, Florida)
See also
- List of American Walker Cup golfers
- List of Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup golfers
- List of sports competitions between teams representing continents
References
- ^ "The "Invasion" Begins – American Golfers at Liverpool". The Times. 1921 (May 10): 10.
- ^ "New Format Twist: Sunday Singles Matches Increase By Two - 2009 Walker Cup Match". USGA. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
- ^ "Walker Cup results". USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ^ "Walker Cup Match September 10-11, 2011" (PDF). USGA. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ^ "Walker Cup - History". R&A. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
- ^ a b "44th Walker Cup Match - Fact Sheet". Walker Cup. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- ^ "Royal Liverpool to host 2019 Walker Cup". R&A. Retrieved September 5, 2013.