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.
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | 2019: Hoylake, Merseyside, England |
| Established | 1922 |
| Course(s) | 2019: Royal Liverpool Golf Club |
| Format | Match play |
| Month played | September |
| Current champion | |
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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
| Year | Venue | Winning team | Score | Losing team | Captains | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | |
15½ | 10½ |   |
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| 2017 | Los Angeles Country Club | |
19 | 7 | |
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| 2015 | Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club | |
16½ | 9½ | |
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| 2013 | National Golf Links of America | |
17 | 9 | |
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| 2011 | Royal Aberdeen Golf Club | |
14 | 12 | |
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| 2009 | Merion Golf Club | |
16½ | 9½ | |
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| 2007 | Royal County Down Golf Club | |
12½ | 11½ | |
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| 2005 | Chicago Golf Club | |
12½ | 11½ | |
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| 2003 | Ganton Golf Club | |
12½ | 11½ | |
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| 2001 | Ocean Forest Golf Club | |
15 | 9 | |
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| 1999 | Nairn Golf Club | |
15 | 9 | |
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| 1997 | Quaker Ridge Golf Club | |
18 | 6 | |
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| 1995 | Royal Porthcawl Golf Club | |
14 | 10 | |
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| 1993 | Interlachen Country Club | |
19 | 5 | |
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| 1991 | Portmarnock Golf Club | |
14 | 10 | |
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| 1989 | Peachtree Golf Club | |
12½ | 11½ | |
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| 1987 | Sunningdale Golf Club | |
16½ | 7½ | |
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| 1985 | Pine Valley Golf Club | |
13 | 11 | |
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| 1983 | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | |
13½ | 10½ | |
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| 1981 | Cypress Point Club | |
15 | 9 | |
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| 1979 | Muirfield | |
15½ | 8½ | |
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| 1977 | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | |
16 | 8 | |
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| 1975 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
15½ | 8½ | |
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| 1973 | The Country Club | |
14 | 10 | |
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| 1971 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
13 | 11 | |
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| 1969 | Milwaukee Country Club | |
13 | 11 | |
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| 1967 | Royal St George's Golf Club | |
15 | 9 | |
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| 1965 | Baltimore Country Club | |
12 | 12 | |
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| 1963 | Turnberry | |
14 | 10 | |
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| 1961 | Seattle Golf Club | |
11 | 1 | |
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| 1959 | Muirfield | |
9 | 3 | |
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| 1957 | The Minikahda Club | |
8½ | 3½ | |
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| 1955 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
10 | 2 | |
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| 1953 | The Kittansett Club | |
9 | 3 | |
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| 1951 | Royal Birkdale Golf Club | |
7½ | 4½ | |
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| 1949 | Winged Foot Golf Club | |
10 | 2 | |
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| 1947 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
8 | 4 | |
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| 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 | |
7½ | 4½ | |
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| 1936 | Pine Valley Golf Club | |
10½ | 1½ | |
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| 1934 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
9½ | 2½ | |
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| 1932 | The Country Club | |
9½ | 2½ | |
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| 1930 | Royal St George's Golf Club | |
10 | 2 | |
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| 1928 | Chicago Golf Club | |
11 | 1 | |
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| 1926 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
6½ | 5½ | |
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| 1924 | Garden City Golf Club | |
9 | 3 | |
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| 1923 | Old Course at St Andrews | |
6½ | 5½ | |
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| 1922 | National Golf Links of America | |
8 | 4 | |
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Of the 47 matches, USA has won 37 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 9 with 1 match tied.
Future sites
- 2021 – Seminole Golf Club (Juno Beach, Florida), May 8–9
- 2023 – Old Course at St Andrews (St Andrews, Fife, Scotland), September 2–3
- 2025 – Cypress Point Club (Pebble Beach, California),[7] September 6–7
References
- "The "Invasion" Begins – American Golfers at Liverpool". The Times. 10 May 1921. p. 10.
- "Golf at Hoylake". The Times. 23 May 1921. p. 4.
- "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.
- "Coast to Coast: Seminole, Cypress Point to Host Future Walker Cups". USGA. Retrieved December 16, 2016.