Nine Best Walker Cup Teams From Last 49 Matches

As sports fans, we love to debate. Who’s the best player of all time? What are the best games? Who are the best teams?

Golf certainly isn’t immune from such heated arguments. Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time)? Best U.S. Open shot ever? Ben Hogan's 1-iron to the 72nd hole of Merion in 1950? Would it be Nicklaus’ 1-iron to the 71st hole of the 1972 championship at Pebble Beach? Or Tom Watson’s amazing chip-in at the same hole to beat Nicklaus in the 1982 U.S. Open? Payne Stewart’s 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole of Pinehurst No. 2 to claim the 1999 title over Phil Mickelson? Bryson DeChambeau’s 55-yard bunker shot on the same hole to claim the 2024 championship?

There is no right or wrong answer, which makes these exercises so fun and entertaining.

With the Walker Cup set to play its milestone 50th Match and showcase the best amateur golfers from the USA and Great Britain & Ireland this September at iconic Cypress Point Club, thoughts turned to the greatest teams in this biennial competition. The list was trimmed to nine, but arguments could be made for others.  

Here is the list (let the debates commence):

2017 USA (The Los Angeles Country Club)

Most golf aficionados, especially those who closely follow the amateur game, knew the USA Team had a stacked roster going into the Match. Looking back, we didn’t know just how loaded that side actually was. How about a combined 29 PGA Tour titles, including five major championships and the most dominant player currently in professional golf.

World No. 1 pro Scottie Scheffler was actually one of the last additions to the 10-man USA Team that would roll to a 19-7 victory at The Los Angeles Country Club. The Texan was coming off a disappointing U.S. Amateur, where he missed match play after a disastrous double-bogey 6 on the first playoff hole, the short par-4 10th at The Riviera Country Club. He only played in two of the four sessions, posting a 1-1 record. Today, Scheffler, the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, owns 18 PGA Tour titles, including a pair of Masters wins, a PGA Championship, an Open Championship and two Players Championships.

The stars of the American side were Collin Morikawa, Doug Ghim and Maverick McNealy, all of whom went 4-0. McNealy was the lone holdover from the 2015 Match at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, a Match the Americans lost, 16.5-7.5 with a team that included DeChambeau, a future two-time U.S. Open champion as well as future PGA Tour players Beau Hossler, Denny McCarthy and Robby Shelton.

Morikawa, an All-American at the University of California-Berkeley, showcased the skills that made the Southern California native a two-time major champion and six-time winner on the PGA Tour. McNealy owns one PGA Tour win, while Ghim has been a solid rank-and-file PGA Tour pro.  

That side also included Cameron Champ (3 PGA Tour wins), Will Zalatoris (1 PGA Tour win), and Korn Ferry Tour winners Norman Xiong and Braden Thornberry, along with that year’s U.S. Amateur champion, Doc Redman, who defeated Ghim in an epic final that went 37 holes. Not to mention Stewart Hagestad, who has been one of the world’s best mid-amateurs with three U.S. Mid-Amateur titles to his name. He'll play in his fifth consecutive Match this week.

Captain John “Spider” Miller has called the 2017 USA side the “best ever,” and there’s plenty of arguments to back up the bravado.

2007 USA (Royal County Down)

A decade earlier, Captain George “Buddy” Marucci brought a stellar group to Northern Ireland to face a strong GB&I side that included future five-time major champion and sure-fire World Golf Hall of Famer Rory McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam with his Masters triumph in April. But the Americans had their share of future stars, including Dustin Johnson, owner of 24 PGA Tour titles, including two majors (2016 U.S. Open, 2020 Masters). Webb Simpson, a former Wake Forest All-American, won the 2012 U.S. Open among his seven victories on tour.

In all, this group has gone on to compile 56 PGA Tour and five European Tour victories. Rickie Fowler, who has had close calls in majors, owns nine titles, Billy Horschel eight, Chris Kirk six and Kyle Stanley two. Colt Knost, who won the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links that year and is now an on-course reporter for CBS and Golf Channel, and Jamie Lovemark each posted multiple Korn Ferry Tour victories, and career amateur Trip Kuehne would win the U.S. Mid-Amateur a couple of weeks after the Match.

And the hero of the 12.5-11.5 American victory at Royal County Down – the first by the USA on foreign soil since 1991 at Portmarnock – was former Oklahoma State standout Jonathan Moore, whose pro career didn’t match his amateur exploits. Moore’s 252-yard, 4-iron second shot to the par-5 closing hole stopped 4 feet from the flagstick set up a Match-clinching eagle. Moore, now in his second season as the associate head coach and director of performance at the University of Oklahoma, was carried off the green by his nine teammates.

Besides McIlroy, who was competing just down the road from his hometown of Holywood, the GB&I side that year also featured future Masters champion Danny Willett. Yet the Americans prevailed despite the huge pro-GB&I support.

2001 Great Britain & Ireland (Ocean Forest Golf Club)

The 2001 GB&I side starts and ends with Luke Donald, one of the great team match-play golfers to come from England. That fortitude showed as a European Ryder Cup player and now victorious captain. The former Northwestern All-American won five times on the PGA Tour and collected seven more European Tour victories. He also owns eight top 10s in majors. Donald posted a 3-1 record that weekend, including a 3-and-2 Sunday singles win over future U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover in the 15-9 triumph.

Donald was joined by University of Alabama-Birmingham All-American and future U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland. Despite going 0-2 in singles, McDowell picked up a pair of points in the two foursomes sessions.

Teammates Marc Warren (four), Richard McEvoy (one), Nick Dougherty (three) and Michael Hoey (five) combined to win 13 European Tour titles. And two longtime amateurs provided steady leadership and experience. Gary Wolstenholme, of England, who went 2-1, is GB&I’s all-time points leader with 10 in six starts, while Nigel Edwards, of Wales, who competed in four Walker Cups, was 0-1. This was before the USGA and R&A made the decision in 2009 to have all 10 players compete in Sunday singles.

1999 Great Britain & Ireland (Nairn Golf Club)

Two years earlier, the competition was introduced to the match-play greatness of Luke Donald, who posted a 4-0 mark in the resounding 15-9 victory at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland. Donald was joined by Arizona State All-American Paul Casey, of England, who went on to compile 15 European and three PGA Tour titles. Like Donald, Casey went a perfect 4-0, including singles victories over 1996 U.S. Amateur runner-up Steve Scott and future USA captain and two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champ John “Spider” Miller.

Simon Dyson and Graeme Storm, who have posted six and two European Tour victories, respectively, provided more complementary pieces to the side. GB&I put away the match in the final singles session, winning seven of the eight matchups. Donald defeated future pro Bryce Molder, 3 and 2, and Phil Rowe upended future PGA Tour star and 1997 U.S. Amateur champion Matt Kuchar, 1 up. Two-time British Amateur champion Gary Wolstenholme, who four years earlier defeated Tiger Woods in a memorable Saturday singles match, defeated 1999 U.S. Amateur champion David Gossett, 1 up. The English veteran went 3-0.

1995 Great Britain & Ireland (Royal Porthcawl Golf Club)

Before he became a three-time major champion and World Golf Hall of Famer, Padraig Harrington, of the Republic of Ireland, was starring on three consecutive GB&I Walker Cup Teams. His finest hour came in 1995 at Royal Porthcawl, where after two previous defeats, Harrington and his mates posted a 14-10 victory. Harrington would post 41 professional wins (15 on the European Tour and six on the PGA Tour) and later a pair of U.S. Senior Open titles.

Harrington got strong support from David Howell, a two-time Ryder Cupper who claimed five European Tour wins, Stephen Gallacher (1 Ryder Cup, 4 Euro Tour wins), Mark Foster (1 Euro Tour win), Lee James (10 pro wins) and amateurs Barclay Howard (low am in 1997 British Open) and Gary Wolstenholme, who upended Tiger Woods in Saturday singles (Woods would avenge the defeat a day later). That USA side also included future PGA Tour winners Notah Begay III and Chris Riley, and career amateur Trip Kuehne.

1987 USA (Sunningdale Golf Club)

While these 10 players didn’t produce any professional major titles, it was collectively a strong group, led by five-time USGA champion Jay Sigel. Sigel, the 1982 and ’83 U.S. Amateur champion who died earlier this year, competed in a record nine Walker Cups for the USA, and he played a key role in the 16.5-7.5 win at Sunningdale Golf Club in England. 

Billy Mayfair, a two-time USGA champion, Billy Andrade and Len Mattiace would combine for 11 PGA Tour titles. Successful college golf coach Stewart “Buddy” Alexander was coming off his U.S. Amateur triumph in 1986. Bob Lewis, a future captain and 1980 U.S. Amateur runner-up, posted a perfect 4-0 mark.  

The GB&I side didn’t have a ton of future household names, with Colin Montgomerie, of Scotland, the lone exception. He posted a pair of singles victories, including a 4-and-2 triumph over Andrade. The USA essentially put away the Match on Day 1, taking nine of the 12 available points.

1975 USA (Old Course at St Andrews)

The 10 Americans who assembled in Scotland eventually combined for 57 PGA Tour wins (four major championships) and 11 Ryder Cup appearances. Wake Forest All-American and 17-time PGA Tour winner Curtis Strange headlines the list. The Virginian became the first player since Ben Hogan in 1950-51 to claim consecutive U.S. Opens (1988 and ’89). Craig Stadler, the 1973 U.S. Amateur champion, added the 1982 Masters among his 13 PGA Tour titles. Jerry Pate, a year removed from his U.S. Amateur victory and a year away from a memorable U.S. Open triumph, added eight PGA Tour titles. George Burns added four PGA Tour wins and Gary Koch, perhaps better known for his TV work on NBC and Golf Channel, collected six PGA Tour wins.

The career amateurs on this team were no slouches either. William C. Campbell won the 1964 U.S. Amateur and later a pair of U.S. Senior Amateur titles. The future USGA president also was the runner-up in the inaugural U.S. Senior Open. Vinny Giles, who won the 1972 U.S. Amateur and that year’s British Amateur, competed in four Walker Cups. Dick Siderowf, also a four-time Walker Cupper, would win the British Amateur in 1976. John Grace was the runner-up to Pate in the 1974 U.S. Amateur.

So, it’s of no surprise the Americans rolled to a 15.5-8.5 victory.

1961 USA (Seattle Golf Club)

Any team that features a future 18-time major champion and 73-time PGA Tour winner has to be included in discussions of the best ever. Jack Nicklaus, who had competed in the 1959 Match at Muirfield, led a strong group of 10 Americans to an 11-1 thrashing at Seattle (Wash.) Golf Club. The appropriately named Martin Christmas, of England, delivered the one gift to Great Britain & Ireland with a 3-and-2 win over Charlie Smith in the 36-hole Saturday singles session. Back then, the sides played 36-hole foursomes matches and then 36-hole singles matches the following day.

Nicklaus defeated GB&I stalwart Joe Carr, 6 and 4, in singles, and teamed the previous day with future PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman for a 6-and-5 triumph in foursomes. Beman would win a pair of U.S. Amateurs (1960, 1963) and the 1959 British Amateur before winning four times on the PGA Tour. The Americans also had Charles Coe, the low amateur in three Masters and a two-time U.S. Amateur champion, and William Hyndman (two U.S. Senior Amateur titles among other amateur achievements). Besides Carr, the other stalwart on the GB&I side was Michael Bonallack, a five-time British Amateur champion who later became the Secretary of The R&A.

1930 USA (Royal St. George’s)

Bob Jones’ fifth and final Walker Cup appearance would end with a resounding 10-2 victory at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England. Jones, considered one of the greatest amateurs of all-time, used the trip to England as a springboard to win all four majors in 1930, starting with his lone British Amateur victory at St Andrews. It would end at Merion Golf Club with his fifth U.S. Amateur title. He also won four U.S. Opens.

That 1930 American side also included Francis Ouimet, whose startling playoff win in the 1913 U.S. Open gave golf in this country the boost it needed to become successful. He also won a pair of U.S. Amateurs. George Von Elm, the 1926 U.S. Amateur champion from Utah, would finish as the runner-up in the U.S. Open in 1931 while winning five PGA Tour titles. Minnesota native Jimmy Johnston, who registered two professional wins, claimed the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach a year earlier.

One particular match summed up the entire fortunes of the two sides. American Don Moe found himself 7 down with 13 holes to play against GB&I’s James A. (Bill) Stout. Moe, however, rallied for a 1-up victory that included a birdie-3 on the closing hole, prompting Stout to remark, “That was not golf, that was a visitation from the Lord!”

Honorable Mentions

2023 USA: The jury is still out on just how good this particular American team was. But it did feature Nick Dunlap, the 2023 U.S. Amateur champion who has since won twice on the PGA Tour. Dunlap became the first amateur in 33 years to win a Tour event, the 2024 American Express. The side also included Caleb Surratt, who turned pro last year, and a group of stellar collegians (David Ford, Gordon Sargent, Preston Summerhays, Nick Gabrelcik, Austin Greaser, Dylan Menante and Ben James) who appear to have bright professional futures ahead of them.

2009 USA: Led by the veteran Rickie Fowler and future British Open champion Brian Harman, the USA handed GB&I a seven-point defeat. Other notables on the American side were Bud Cauley, Morgan Hoffmann, Peter Uihlein, Drew Weaver, Cameron Tringale and career amateur and three-time Walker Cupper Nathan Smith. The GB&I side had future professional stalwart Tommy Fleetwood and diminutive fan favorite Stiggy Hodgson.

2005 USA: In terms of drama, this was one of the great two-day affairs in the Match’s history, with the USA holding off a furious GB&I charge. The team included future major champion Brian Harman, and pros Anthony Kim, Matt Every, Michael Putnam, Jeff Overton, J.B. Holmes, Kyle Reifers and the Naval Academy’s Billy Hurley.

1977 USA: Besides future U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson, the side included a future USGA president and Chairman of Augusta National G.C., Fred Ridley (1975 U.S. Amateur champ), along with U.S. Amateur champions Jay Sigel and John Fought, who later became a well-known golf course architect.

1971 USA: Future World Golf Hall of Famers and major champions Tom Kite (1982 U.S. Open) and Lanny Wadkins (1977 PGA Championship) led a strong American contingent at the Old Course at St. Andrews. Steve Melnyk, the 1969 U.S. Amateur champion who became better known for his broadcasting prowess, also was on that team that posted a 13-11 win.

1959 USA: Jack Nicklaus’ first of two appearances helped the Americans to a 9-3 win at Muirfield. Tommy Aaron, Deane Beman, Billy Joe Patton and Harvie Ward Jr. were also on this talented squad.

1938 GB&I: While there aren’t any great stars from this particular side that competed on the Old Course at St Andrews, it was the first time GB&I posted a victory, ending a nine-Match drought.

David Shefter is a senior staff writer at the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.