Walker & Cypress: Match made in heaven
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The iconic 16th hole at Cypress Point Club will be the scene this weekend (Michael Reaves/R&A via Getty Images)
The 50th anniversary of anything is special.
This week, the United States Golf Association is playing host to the 50th Walker Cup, this time at iconic Cypress Point.
While it won’t rival the first NFL weekend, the Walker Cup is the holy grail of amateur team golf — both in the United States and Great Britain and Ireland.
The list of past participants is a who’s who of golf, including Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, and Scottie Scheffler.
Started in 1922, Chick Evans and Jones led an American contingent to an 8-4 victory over GB&I at the National Golf Links of America.
That was the beginning of what is now a lopsided 39-9-1 record in favor of America, but each team is different. Both sides come to the opening Saturday morning foursomes with high hopes for 2025.
In the last Walker Cup at the Old Course in St. Andrews, GB&I held a one-point lead going into Sunday’s 10 singles matches but couldn’t keep the lead, losing 14½-11½.
With 2023 a disappointment for the GB&I team, they are looking for a bit of revenge, which could make the weekend on the Monterrey Peninsula an interesting one.
Team USA captain and three-time Walker Cupper Nathan Smith sees the matches as close and believes the GB&I team is a formidable test for his 10 Americans.
“We’re up against a great opponent, so we’ll have to play well this week, but I think our team is in a great place,” Smith said. “I think we feel good about our lineups, and we’re just going to have to go out and execute and play very well.”
The U.S. team boasts players ranked Nos. 1 through 6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, making the red, white and blue a formidable group. even before adding the home soil advantage,
“I think they’re great players, I think their learning curve is so quick,” Smith said of the U.S. team. “I think you just want to put them in situations to succeed, and I think you just kind of listen to them.”
So, short of a plea, turn your attention away from the hard-hitting of college or NFL football and catch some of the best amateur golf in the world on the weekend playing one of the greatest and most picturesque courses in the world.
At least it will get your blood boiling for the end of the month and the Ryder Cup.