The Walker Cup is an amateur team event which takes place every two years and pits the 10-best American male players against their peers from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
It was created in 1920 and named after USGA President at the time, George Herbert Walker – the man who happened to be the great-grandfather of George W. Bush, the 41st and 43rd President of the United States of America.
The first contest was in 1922 and won by Team USA. Since then, 48 more editions of the match have taken place with each side taking turns to host and the US team winning the overwhelming majority.
You may like
USA are favorites once again in 2025 as a result of their stacked line-up and recent run of wins in the competition, with home advantage only adding to the factors falling in their favor.
Organized and run by the USGA and The R&A, the Walker Cup features a combination of formats across two days of competition, with the first team to reach 13.5 points guaranteed to lift the title.
Team USA won the Walker Cup at St Andrews in 2023
(Image credit: R&A)
When the Walker Cup takes place this September, Team USA only needs to score 13 points to retain the trophy following its 14.5 – 11.5 success last time out.
Ahead of the 2025 Walker Cup, here is everything you need to know about the 50th edition of the prestigious amateur event.
WALKER CUP TEAMS 2025
Team USA (World Amateur Golf Ranking)
Nathan Smith (captain)Jackson Koivun (1st)Ben James (2nd)Ethan Fang (3rd)Preston Stout (4th)Jase Summy (5th)Tommy Morrison (6th)Michael La Sasso (9th)Jacob Modleski (13th)Stewart Hagestad (42nd)Mason Howell (148th)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Team GB&I (World Amateur Golf Ranking)
Dean Robertson (captain)Tyler Weaver (10th)Cameron Adam (17th)Luke Poulter (27th)Dominic Clemons (34th)Connor Graham (45th)Charlie Forster (51st)Niall Shiels Donegan (64th)Eliot Baker (109th)Stuart Grehan (149th)Gavin Tiernan (470th)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHERE IS THE WALKER CUP BEING HELD?
The 2025 Walker Cup is taking place at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California. It will be the second time this famous layout has staged the event after the Walker Cup was first held here in 1981, with Team USA winning 15-9.
Established in 1928, Cypress Point was designed primarily by the man who would go on to draw up Augusta National Golf Club – Alister Mackenzie – although he was assisted by Robert Hunter on this occasion.
Cypress Point is among the best golf courses in the world and features incredible views of the Monterey Peninsula as well as an unforgettable combination of holes through the Del Monte forest and along the rocky coastline.
The former PGA Tour co-host has been set up as a 6,620-yard par 70 for this week, with the course record believed to be 63 and achieved by several golfers – including the legendary, Ben Hogan.
An aerial view of Cypress Point
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WALKER CUP FORMAT 2025
The Walker Cup takes place over two days and will feature a foursomes session on both mornings before a singles session occurs in the two afternoon windows.
On the first day, eight of the 10 players from each team will compete in four matches. Then, in the afternoon session of day one, eight singles matches will take place.
The foursomes routine is repeated on the second day, potentially with different players, before all 10 amateurs compete in singles match play to close out the competition.
One full point is awarded for each outright victory while half a point is presented if a match is halved through 18 holes. There are no extra holes in the Walker Cup.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Session
Format
Players Per Team
Day One (Morning)
Foursomes
Eight
Day One (Afternoon)
Singles
Eight
Day Two (Morning)
Foursomes
Eight
Day Two (Afternoon)
Singles
10
WALKER CUP ALL-TIME RECORD
The USA won each of the first nine Walker Cups before GB&I finally registered a victory at St Andrews’ Old Course in 1938, triumphing 7.5 – 4.5 under the guise of Englishman, John Beck.
That would be the only outright British success before 1970, however, with the USA winning 11 of the next 12 once the competition resumed after World War Two. The caveat to America’s steamrolling of GB&I arrived in 1965 when the one and only tie to date (12-12) was played out at Baltimore Country Club.
Although Team GB&I finally wrestled the Cup out of American hands in 1971, again at St Andrews, the USA picked up where they left off and won eight in a row before the perennial underdogs claimed their first away win (and third ever) in 1989.
US captain, Johnny Fisher (left) holds the Walker Cup with his British counterpart, Joe Carr in 1965
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A 12.5 – 11.5 triumph for GB&I occurred at Peachtree Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time, a rare win made the overall score 28-3-1 in favor of the USA.
It was around the turn of the millennium that GB&I enjoyed its Walker Cup heyday with four wins out of five between 1995 and 2003. Interestingly, the 1995 success was off the back of the biggest margin of victory for either side at a Walker Cup, in 1993, when Team USA obliterated their rivals by 19-5.
Since 2005, though, it has returned to one-way traffic as the American side has triumphed eight out of 10 times and are heavy favorites to do so once more in 2025.
All-Time Score
USA: 39
GB&I: 9
Tied: 1
WALKER CUP TV SCHEDULE
USA (ET)
Saturday, September 6 – Day One: 12:30pm – 3:30pm (Peacock), 7:00pm – 10:00pm (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)Sunday, September 7 – Day Two: 12:30pm – 3:30pm (Peacock), 7:00pm – 10:00pm (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
UK (BST)
Saturday, September 6 – Day One: 5:30pm – 8:30pm (Sky Sports Golf), 12:00am – 3:00am (Sky Sports Golf)Sunday, September 7 – Day Two: 5:30pm – 8:30pm (Sky Sports Golf), 12:00am – 3:00am (Sky Sports Golf)WALKER CUP FUTURE SITESSwipe to scroll horizontally
Year
Course
Dates
2026
Lahinch Golf Club, Ireland
September 5-6
2028
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon
TBD
2030
Prince’s Golf Club, England
TBD
2032
Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania
TBD
2036
Chicago Golf Club, Illinois
TBD
2044
Pine Valley Golf Club, New Jersey
TBD
