A Real Gut Check! USA Holds Off GB&I For Dramatic 14-12 Win At Seminole
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2021 USA Walker Cup Team (USGA)
It was a slimming week on top of a victorious one for Team USA. Both teams put on an incredible performance given the amount of time spent in uncomfortable situations fending off a mysterious “virus” that has not been explained. Mercifully, everyone was able to play and perform admirably on magnificent if overcooked Seminole.
GolfDigest.com’s Ryan Herrington summed up the moment this way:
When you look at the pictures of the celebration five or 10 years from now, you’ll have no idea from their expressions just how difficult it was for this group to take possession of the Walker Cup, what the means to this end truly involved. That, instead, will be something they can tell their friends and family over beers.
Actually, I’d save the 2021 Walker Cup stories until after dessert is consumed. Anyway…
Despite the “bug”, it was an incredibly close match not decided until the final moments. As Julie Williams notes for Golfweek, the GB&I squad pretty much blew a hole in the world amateur rankings.
Asked if talk of rankings discrepancies lit a fire under his team, GB&I captain Stuart Wilson said he was unaware of it.
“There were a lot of comments about us hanging in well and fighting really hard,” he said. “I was more of the opinion we were letting the Americans away with it. My mindset on the whole thing, the guys played well and played really well. I think on another day, the match would have been a totally different result.”
Greg Midland and Joey Geske with the USGA game story and USA Captain Nathaniel Crosby’s reaction.
The 10 afternoon singles matches would therefore decide the first Walker Cup Match played in Florida, and the final result was in doubt nearly to the end. The USA eked out a 5½-4½ advantage in those matches to retain the cup.
“It was such an evenly matched contest and our guys were really fired up,” said USA captain Nathaniel Crosby. “I've been blessed to be part of their lives here for a few years and it's been so great.”
Mike Trostel with the three big takeaways from the final day.
Chris Keane and Scott Halleran’s incredible image gallery from the day.
The Sunday results:
JUNO BEACH, Fla. – Results from Sunday’s foursomes and singles matches at the 48th Walker Cup Match at the 7,256-yard, par-72 Seminole Golf Club:
United States def. Great Britain and Ireland, 14-12
Morning Foursomes
Mark Power and John Murphy, GB&I def. Pierceson Coody and John Pak, USA, 1 up
Ricky Castillo and William Mouw, USA def. Alex Fitzpatrick and Barclay Brown, GB&I, 1 up
Angus Flanagan and Ben Schmidt, GB&I and Davis Thompson and Cole Hammer, USA, tied
Matty Lamb and Jack Dyer, GB&I def. Stewart Hagestad and Tyler Strafaci, USA, 6 and 5
Afternoon Singles
Austin Eckroat, USA def. Mark Power, GB&I, 7 and 6
Pierceson Coody, USA def. Alex Fitzpatrick, GB&I, 3 and 1
Joe Long, GB&I def. John Pak, USA, 1 up
Matty Lamb, GB&I def. Davis Thompson, USA, 2 up
Quade Cummins, USA and Barclay Brown, GB&I, tied
Angus Flanagan, GB&I def. William Mouw, USA, 1 up
Ricky Castillo, USA def. John Murphy, GB&I, 2 and 1
Jack Dyer, GB&I vs. Tyler Strafaci, USA, 1 up
Cole Hammer, USA def. Ben Schmidt, GB&I, 4 and 3
Stewart Hagestad, USA def. Ben Jones, GB&I, 4 and 2
Stewart Hagestad secured the win with this putt (though Cole Hammer secured a tie and Cup retention a bit prior):
Ricky Castillo joins an elite group of 4-0 Walker Cuppers:
