USA Wins Walker Cup in Europe for First Time Since 2007

The Walker Cup’s named after George Herbert Walker who was president of the USGA in 1920. Mr. Walker is the grandfather of President George H. W. Bush and great-grandfather of President George W. Bush. The event is similar to the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, but for amateurs. And slightly different because the European team is only England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland — no Spain, Portugal, Italy or other European nations.

The USA Team rebounded from a 7-5 overnight deficit, winning 10 ½ out of a possible 14 points on Sunday to capture the 47th Walker Cup Match over Great Britain & Ireland at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. This is the first USA victory on Great Britain and Ireland soil since 2007 at Royal County Down.

Additionally, the final tally of 15 ½ – 10 ½ is the most decisive winning margin for a visiting USA team since a 16 ½ – 7 ½ victory in 1987 at Sunningdale.

Nearly 11,000 fans flocked to Hoylake over the two-day match, which was played under sunny, mild conditions with light winds. The USA retains the trophy after their 19-7 win at Los Angeles Country Club two years ago and now leads the overall series 37-9-1.

While the USA team performed well during the morning foursomes matches, securing 2 ½ points to trim the European lead to just one point, it was the afternoon singles that made the difference. The Americans won 8 out of 10 singles matches – equaling their Sunday singles performance from two years ago.

John Pak of the USA team was the only player on either side to not lose a match, going 3-0 in his one foursomes and two singles matches. The Florida State junior buoyed the USA side late on Saturday by coming back from a late deficit to James Sugrue, winning the last two holes to defeat the reigning Amateur champion, 1-up.

“Yesterday afternoon with John Pak, that was a really pivotal match,” said USA captain Nathaniel Crosby. “I think that really made a big difference in our psychology. We could have been two points or even worse down going into today. These guys are inseparable, they’ve got a great memory now.”

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