The selection of an Irish golf course as a venue was long overdue


two resulted in GB&I winning 3 of the foursomes and heading into the final singles were just 2 points adrift of the US. However the US, magnificently led by Phil Mickelson, won 5 of the singles. The overall Match result was US 14, GB&I 10. Phil Mickelson’s swing was described by one Irish scribe as making “the Blue Danube look frantic.” Only an Irishman could have penned this!


Match 34: 1993, INTERLACHEN, MINNESOTA, USA. Interlachen, venue for Bobby Jones clinching the ‘Impregnable Quadrilateral’ in 1930, was awarded the 1993 Walker Cup when Chicago Golf Club withdrew its offer to host the match due to its minority policy at that time. The US team was a combination of experience and youth. Jay Sigel was playing in his ninth and final Match, and other US players in their 40s were Alan Doyle, John Harris and Danny Yates. Justin Leonard and Tim Herron were part of the younger contingent. The GB&I team included Padraig Harrington and a youthful Raymond Burns. Unfortunately for all concerned the foursomes on the first morning were cancelled due to a severe thunder and lightning storm and flooding of the course. The course was playable on the first afternoon and the following day. The USGA and The R&A agreed, on the suggestion of GB&I team captain George Macgregor, to maintain the 24 point Match total. This was achieved by playing 10 singles games on each day and 4 foursomes on the second morning. The US won 6½ of the first day’s singles and went on to win all the foursomes on the second day. The rout was completed when they won 8½ of the second day’s singles. The overall Match result was US 19, GB&I 5.


Match 35: 1995, ROYAL PORTHCAWL, WALES. The Walker Cup was played in Wales for the first and only time in 1995. The team’s


Left: Tiger Woods congratulating Gary Wolstenholme on his victory


non


playing


captain was Welshman


Clive Brown. The US team was headed by Tiger Woods and two players who looked as if they would defeat Tiger in the US Amateur championship of 1994 and 1995, namely Trip Kuehne and Buddy Marucci. Tiger’s ability not to accept defeat and turn the most difficult of situations to his advantage resulted in his second and third successive US Amateur championship wins. Also, on the team was veteran John Harris. The GB&I team included the larger than life Gordon Sherry, who won the Amateur championship at Hoylake in 1995. Barclay Howard and two Irishmen, Padraig Harrington and Jody Fanagan were also on the team. The weather for the Match was inclement. The first day’s foursomes gave the US a 1 point lead. The afternoon singles were won 5½ to 2½ by GB&I. Gary Wolstenholme’s 1 hole victory over Tiger Woods was one of the Match highlights. Leading by seven points to 5 going into the second day, GB&I conjured up two wins in the foursomes, the most notable being the defeat of the US stars, Tiger Woods and John Harris, by Padraig Harrington and Jody Fanagan. An interesting aside with regard to Jody Fanagan were his views expressed on his way to the semi-final of the Amateur championship at Hoylake that year: “I am a rugby player really. I should not be playing this stupid game -


it’s putting years on me.” Entering the final series of singles GB&I were leading 9 to 7. Gordon Sherry, David


Howell, Stephen


Gallagher


(whose famous uncle, Bernard, played a large part in the team’s preparation for the match), and Jody Fanagan all won their games. Halves from Barclay Howard and Mark Foster guaranteed victory. The overall Match result was GB&I 14, US 10. Padraig Harrington ended his amateur career in style winning 3 out of 4 points and turned professional soon after the Match. He went on to win successive Open championships and the PGA championship as a professional. Clive Brown, post-match, summed up his feelings when he said, “It was a dream to be here in the first place but to win the Walker Cup here in Wales is something I never thought would happen to me, or in my lifetime.”


The increased availability of golf


scholarships coupled with a willingness to travel and the lure of future riches have helped considerably to make the GB&I players more competitive and less intimidated by their US counterparts. The future of the Walker Cup looks brighter than at any time since the conceptual match of 1921 at Hoylake, whereto the Match returns next year. n


ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB 2018–2019 MAGAZINE 31


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