The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in even-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. They are held alternately in the U.S., and Ireland or Britain.
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.
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 2026, the U.S. lead the Walker Cup series 40 to 10, 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, the three matches from 2003 to 2007 and the 2026 match 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 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.
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.
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.
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
Source: Year Venue Winning team Score Losing team Captains2026Lahinch Golf Club &1312 Nathan Smith Dean Robertson2025Cypress Point Club179 & Nathan Smith Dean Robertson2023Old Course at St Andrews1411 & Mike McCoy Stuart Wilson2021Seminole Golf Club1412 & Nathaniel Crosby Stuart Wilson2019Royal Liverpool Golf Club1510 & Nathaniel Crosby Craig Watson2017Los Angeles Country Club197 & Spider Miller Andy Ingram2015Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club &169 Spider Miller Nigel Edwards2013National Golf Links of America179 & Jim Holtgrieve Nigel Edwards2011Royal Aberdeen Golf Club &1412 Jim Holtgrieve Nigel Edwards2009Merion Golf Club169 & Buddy Marucci Colin Dalgleish2007Royal County Down Golf Club1211 & Buddy Marucci Colin Dalgleish2005Chicago Golf Club1211 & Bob Lewis Garth McGimpsey2003Ganton Golf Club &1211 Bob Lewis Garth McGimpsey2001Ocean Forest Golf Club &159 Danny Yates Peter McEvoy1999Nairn Golf Club &159 Danny Yates Peter McEvoy1997Quaker Ridge Golf Club186 & Downing Gray Clive Brown1995Royal Porthcawl Golf Club &1410 Downing Gray Clive Brown1993Interlachen Country Club195 & Vinny Giles George Macgregor1991Portmarnock Golf Club1410 & Jim Gabrielsen George Macgregor1989Peachtree Golf Club &1211 Fred Ridley Geoff Marks1987Sunningdale Golf Club167 & Fred Ridley Geoff Marks1985Pine Valley Golf Club1311 & Jay Sigel Charlie Green1983Royal Liverpool Golf Club1310 & Jay Sigel Charlie Green1981Cypress Point Club159 & Jim Gabrielsen Rodney Foster1979Muirfield158 & Dick Siderowf Rodney Foster1977Shinnecock Hills Golf Club168 & Lewis Oehmig Sandy Saddler1975Old Course at St Andrews158 & Ed Updegraff David Marsh1973The Country Club1410 & Jess Sweetser David Marsh1971Old Course at St Andrews &1311 John M. Winters Michael Bonallack1969Milwaukee Country Club1311 & Billy Joe Patton Michael Bonallack1967Royal St George's Golf Club159 & Jess Sweetser Joe Carr1965Baltimore Country Club1212 & Johnny Fischer Joe Carr1963Turnberry1410 & Richard Tufts Charles Lawrie1961Seattle Golf Club111 & Jack Westland Charles Lawrie1959Muirfield93 & Charles Coe Gerald Micklem1957The Minikahda Club83 & Charles Coe Gerald Micklem1955Old Course at St Andrews102 & William C. Campbell Alec Hill1953The Kittansett Club93 & Charlie Yates Tony Duncan1951Royal Birkdale Golf Club74 & Willie Turnesa Raymond Oppenheimer1949Winged Foot Golf Club102 & Francis Ouimet Laddie Lucas1947Old Course at St Andrews84 & Francis Ouimet John Beck1940–1946: Not held due to World War II1940Town & Country Club1940 event was awarded to The Town & Country Club of St. Paul, Minnesotabut the matches were canceled due to World War II1938Old Course at St Andrews &74 Francis Ouimet John Beck1936Pine Valley Golf Club101 & Francis Ouimet William Tweddell1934Old Course at St Andrews92 & Francis Ouimet Michael Scott1932The Country Club92 & Francis Ouimet Tony Torrance1930Royal St George's Golf Club102 & Bobby Jones Roger Wethered1928Chicago Golf Club111 & Bobby Jones William Tweddell1926Old Course at St Andrews65 & Robert Gardner Robert Harris1924Garden City Golf Club93 & Robert Gardner Cyril Tolley1923Old Course at St Andrews65 & Robert Gardner Robert Harris1922National Golf Links of America84 & William C. Fownes Jr. Robert Harris
Of the 51 matches, USA has won 40 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 10 with 1 match tied.
Future sites 2028 – Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon, Oregon) 2030 – Prince's Golf Club (Sandwich, England) 2032 – Oakmont Country Club (Oakmont, Pennsylvania) 2036 – Chicago Golf Club (Wheaton, Illinois) 2040 – National Golf Links of America (Southampton, New York) 2044 – Pine Valley Golf Club (Pine Valley, New Jersey) 2048 – Cypress Point Club (Pebble Beach, California) 2052 – Seminole Golf Club (Juno Beach, Florida)
From 2026, matches will be held in even-numbered years.
See also List of American Walker Cup golfers List of Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup golfers Curtis Cup
References
External links Official site