USA DOMINATES GB&I IN 2013 WALKER CUP

By mustang6560 on 9/9/13

The United States regained the Walker Cup trophy Sunday with a dominating performance over Great Britain and Ireland at National Golf Links of America.

The United States of America regained the Walker Cup on Sunday at famed National Golf Links of America, site of the inaugural Match 91 years ago, with a resounding 17-9 victory over Great Britain and Ireland.

It was the USA's largest margin of victory since the 18-6 decision at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y., in 1997. The USA leads the overall series 35-8-1, but is just 7-6 in the last 13 competitions.

The victory was also a measure of redemption for Captain Jim Holtgrieve, Patrick Rodgers and Nathan Smith – the holdovers from the 2011 team, which suffered a two-point defeat at Royal Aberdeen in Scotland. But Holtgrieve preached that the 2013 Match wasn't only about coming to the East End of Long Island to beat GB&I; he wanted the Walker Cup to be about the overall experience and bonding with teammates. To that end, he took his players to see the 9/11 Memorial in lower Manhattan when they first arrived last week.

The US entered Sunday with a 8-4 lead over GB&I.

The teams split the morning foursome matches 2-2, but the Americans ran away with the afternoon singles matches winning 7 out of 10. Nathan Smith, who was on the losing side of the 2011 Walker Cup, clinched the winning point for the Americans 4&3 over England's Nathan Kimsey.

Historically, the US has owned the Walker Cup with an overall record of 35-8-1. But, since the 2000s, GB&I have held its own winning four out of the last eight.


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