Held biennially in odd numbered years, The Walker Cup features teams of the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland.
The event is named in honor of George Herbert Walker, who served as president of the USGA in 1920 when the tournament began. Walker donated the trophy to the initial competition, and newspapermen dubbed it in his name. (George Herbert Walker was the grandfather and namesake of President George H. W. Bush and great-grandfather of President George W. Bush)
The series was intended to stimulate interest in golf during the “Golden Age” of sports. It grew out of discussions that began when the USGA Executive Committee, led by Walker, made a trip to Great Britain to discuss rules with the R&A.
The initial invitation included all golfing nations, but only the United States and Great Britain responded. In 1921, William Fownes, the 1910 US Amateur Champion (and of Oakmont fame), assembled a team for travel to England to play an informal match the day before the British Amateur.
Officially, the first Walker Cup event occurred in 1922, when the R&A sent a team to the United States for a formal competition. It was played at Walker’s home course: The National Golf Links of America. That first American team consisted of Captain Fownes, Charles (Chick) Evans, Robert Gardner, Jesse Guilford, Bobby Jones, Rudolph Knepper, Max Marston, Francis Ouimet and Jess Sweetser. On the UK side were Captain Robert Harris, Cyril Tolley, Roger Wethered, Colin Aylmer, C.V.L. Hooman, W.B. Torrance, John Caven and W. Willis Mackenzie.
When Harris fell ill, Bernard Darwin, the great golf writer and grandson of Charles Darwin, took his place. He defeated Fownes 3 and 1.
The American team won that first match 8-4. Seriously: Jones. Ouimet. Evans. That’s an all-history team right there.
Unlike the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup continues with its roots in having the United States play Great Britain and Ireland. The Ryder Cup expanded to allow all Europeans to compete in 1979. That was done primarily for competitive and commercial reasons. The Walker Cup has continued to be competitive, however, without expanding the Great Britain and Ireland team.
The Walker Cup is played with a combination of foursomes (alternate-shot) and singles matches. Until 1961, 36 hole matches were played, comprised of four foursomes on the first day and eight singles matches on the second day. From 1963 to 2007, 18 hole matches were played: four foursomes and eight singles matches on each day. Then, beginning 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.
A list of Walker Cup Winners follows
| Year | Venue | Winning Team | Score | Score | Losing Team | Captains |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Royal Liverpool | United States | 15½ | 10½ | Great Britain and Ireland | |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Country Club | United States | 19 | 7 | Great Britain and Ireland | |
| 2015 | Royal Lytham & St. Annes | Great Britain & Ireland | 16½ | 9½ | United States | |
| 2013 | National Golf Links of America | United States | 17 | 9 | Great Britain and Ireland | US: Jim Holtgrieve; GB&I: Nigel Edwards |
| 2011 | Royal Aberdeen Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 14 | 12 | United States | US: Jim Holtgrieve; GB&I Nigel Edwards |
| 2009 | Merion Golf Club | United States | 16½ | 9½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Buddy Marucci; GB&I: Colin Dalgleish |
| 2007 | Royal County Down Golf Club | United States | 12½ | 11½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Buddy Marucci; GB&I: Colin Dalgleish |
| 2005 | Chicago Golf Club | United States | 12½ | 11½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Bob Lewis; GB&I: Garth McGimpsey |
| 2003 | Ganton Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 12½ | 11½ | United States | US Bob Lewis; GB&I Garth McGimpsey |
| 2001 | Ocean Forest Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 15 | 9 | United States | US: Danny Yates; GB&I Peter McEvoy |
| 1999 | Nairn Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 15 | 9 | United States | US: Danny Yates; GB&I Peter McEvoy |
| 1997 | Quaker Ridge Golf Club | United States | 18 | 6 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Downing Gray; GB&I: Clive Brown |
| 1995 | Royal Porthcawl Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 14 | 10 | United States | US: Downing Gray; GB&I: Clive Brown |
| 1993 | Interlachen Country Club | United States | 19 | 5 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Vinny Giles; GB&I: George MacGregor |
| 1991 | Portmarnock Golf Club | United States | 14 | 10 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jim Gabrielsen; GB&I: George MacGregor |
| 1989 | Peachtree Golf Club | Great Britain & Ireland | 12½ | 11½ | United States | US: Fred Ridley; GB&I: Geoffrey Marks |
| 1987 | Sunningdale Golf Club | United States | 16½ | 7½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Fred Ridley; GB&I: Geoffrey Marks |
| 1985 | Pine Valley Golf Club | United States | 13 | 11 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jay Sigel; GB&I: Charles Wilson Green |
| 1983 | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | United States | 13½ | 10½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jay Sigel; GB&I: Charles Wilson Green |
| 1981 | Cypress Point Club | United States | 15 | 9 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jim Gabrielsen; GB&I: Rodney Foster |
| 1979 | Muirfield | United States | 15½ | 8½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Dick Siderowf; GB&I Rodney Foster |
| 1977 | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club | United States | 16 | 8 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Lewis Oehmig; GB&I Sandy Saddler |
| 1975 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 15½ | 8½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Edgar Updegraff; GB&I David Marsh |
| 1973 | The Country Club | United States | 14 | 10 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jess Sweetser; GB&I: David Marsh |
| 1971 | Old Course at St Andrews | Great Britain & Ireland | 13 | 11 | United States | US: John M. Winters; GB&I Michael Bonallack |
| 1969 | MilwaGB&Iee Country Club | United States | 13 | 11 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Billy Joe Patton; GB&I Michael Bonallack |
| 1967 | Royal St George’s Golf Club | United States | 15 | 9 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Jess Sweetser: GB&I: Joe Carr |
| 1965 | Baltimore Country Club | United States | 12 | 12 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: John Fischer; GB&I Joe Carr |
| 1963 | Turnberry | United States | 14 | 10 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Richard Tufts; GB&I: Charles Lawrie |
| 1961 | Seattle Golf Club | United States | 11 | 1 | Great Britain & Ireland | US:s Jack Westland; GB&I: Charles Lawrie |
| 1959 | Muirfield | United States | 9 | 3 | Great Britain & Ireland | United States: Charles Coe; GB&I: Gerald Micklem |
| 1957 | The Minikahda Club | United States | 8½ | 3½ | Great Britain & Ireland | United States: Charles Coe; GB&I: Gerald Micklem |
| 1955 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 10 | 2 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: William C. Campbell; GB&I: G. Alec Hill |
| 1953 | The Kittansett Club | United States | 9 | 3 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Charles R. Yates; GB&I: A.A. Duncan |
| 1951 | Royal Birkdale Golf Club | United States | 7½ | 4½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Willie Turnesa; GB&I: Raymond Oppenheimer |
| 1949 | Winged Foot Golf Club | United States | 10 | 2 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: Percy Lucas |
| 1947 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 8 | 4 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: John B. Beck |
| 1940-46: | Not held due to World War II | |||||
| 1938 | Old Course at St Andrews | Great Britain & Ireland | 7½ | 4½ | United States | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: John B. Beck |
| 1936 | Pine Valley Golf Club | United States | 10½ | 1½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: William Tweddell |
| 1934 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 9½ | 2½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: Michael Scott |
| 1932 | The Country Club | United States | 9½ | 2½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Francis Ouimet; GB&I: T.A. Torrance |
| 1930 | Royal St George’s Golf Club | United States | 10 | 2 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Bobby Jones; GB&I: Roger Wethered |
| 1928 | Chicago Golf Club | United States | 11 | 1 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Bobby Jones; GB&I William Tweddell |
| 1926 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 6½ | 5½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Robert A. Gardner; GB&I Robert Harris |
| 1924 | Garden City Golf Club | United States | 9 | 3 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Robert A. Gardner; GB&I Cyril Tolley |
| 1923 | Old Course at St Andrews | United States | 6½ | 5½ | Great Britain & Ireland | US: Robert A. Gardner; GB&I Robert Harris |
| 1922 | National Golf Links of America | United States | 8 | 4 | Great Britain & Ireland | US: William C. Fownes; GB&I Robert Harris |
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