ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – AUGUST 30: A general view of The Walker Cup on The Swilcan Bridge prior to the Walker Cup at St Andrews Old Course on August 30, 2023 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
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This September, one of the very best golf courses in the world will play host to some of the most elite golfers in the world. But it’s not the Ryder Cup. It’s the Walker Cup at Cypress Point Golf Club, where the best amateur golfers from the United States match up over two days against the best amateur golfers from Great Britain & Ireland.
For a decade, the U.S. team has reigned supreme, winning the Walker Cup in each of the last four meetings, most recently at The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. Back on home soil in California, the U.S. team looks to extend their streak, led by captain Nathan Smith.
ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 03: The USA Team pose with the Walker Cup on the Swilcan Bridge after their victory in The Walker Cup at St Andrews Old Course on September 03, 2023 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
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Mason Howell, fresh off his U.S. Amateur victory, joins the U.S. team also boasting the world’s top five amateurs: Jackson Koivun, Ethan Fang, Preston Stout, Jase Summy, and Tommy Morrison. In addition, Stewart Hagestad returns for his fifth Walker Cup, having been victorious in his last four appearances. Bringing with him seasoned experience, veteran Hagestad will anchor some of the emerging young amateurs on the U.S. side and looks to keep his perfect record alive.
Across the pond, team GB&I looks to end their Walker Cup drought which stretches back to 2015 where they last won at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in England. Captained by Dean Robertson, team GB&I includes the likes of Tyler Weaver, Cameron Adam, Dominic Clemons, Connor Graham, Luke Poulter, and Nial Shiels Donegan, who recently made the semifinals at the U.S. Amateur. Luke Poulter, making his debut with the same unmistakable last name of his father, Ian Poulter, is looking to carve his own path in golf with a Walker Cup win.
While both teams boast impressive lineups, the tournament host site will also be one of the stars of the weekend. Famously private and rarely seen, Cypress Point Golf Club in Pebble Beach, California stands to be a tough test for the players while giving spectators a rare glimpse into the very exclusive property that few get to experience in person. Consistently ranked as one of the very best golf courses in the world, Cypress Point provides breathtaking beauty but significant penalty. Many of the holes wind along the coastline, contrasting lush green fairways with the dark gray rocks and churning waters of the Pacific Ocean.
PEBBLE BEACH, CA – JULY 1997: An aerial view of the 16th hole at the Cypress Point Club golf course during July 1997 in Pebble Beach, California. The 16th green is located on the small peninsula. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
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Matches culminate towards the famed par three 16th. The tee shot requires a 200-plus yard carry over the Pacific Ocean to a peninsula green guarded by bunkers and rocks. A headwind only makes this shot more difficult. The 16th should provide some interesting scoring variability and may play a big role in the outcome of various matches.
UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 04: Golf: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Scenic view of No, 16 during tournament at Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, CA 2/4/1988 (Photo by Jacqueline Duvoisin/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X36120)
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The current tournament format unfolds over two days. Day one includes alternate-shot foursomes matches that are played in the morning followed by singles matches in the afternoon, and day two is filled with pure singles matches. 26 matches in total, each worth one point. For team GB&I, 13.5 points will be the required total to secure the match win outright, whereas for the U.S., 13 points will be enough to retain the Walker Cup for a fifth straight win.
Watch all the drama of the Walker Cup unfold September 6-7:
Saturday, September 6: Peacock (12:30-3:30 p.m. ET); Golf Channel (7:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
Sunday, September 7: Peacock (12:30-3:30 p.m. ET), Golf Channel (7:00-10:00 p.m. ET)
