Big Moments in the Walker Cup Matches by JOHN P

USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: SEPTEMBER, 1953 13 Big Moments in the Walker Cup Matches By JOHN P. ENGLISH USGA ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Walker Cup competition was be quently in England and Scotland and gun in the wake of the first World War played many of the well-known links. with a view to stimulating golf interest Mr. Walker's Plan on both sides of the Atlantic. Among the participants was George It was born in an era of dawning in Herbert Walker, of the National Golf ternationalism and grew, at least in part, Links of America, Southampton, N. Y., out of two international matches between President of the USGA in 1920, who Canada and the United States. In 1919, passed away last June. Mr. Walker had the Royal Canadian Golf Association in been a low-handicap player in St. Louis vited the USGA to send an amateur team and was a keen advocate of the game. to Canada. The invitation was accepted, Upon the Executive Committee's re and William C. Fownes, Jr., was ap turn to the United States, the possibility pointed captain. His 10-man team con of international team matches was dis sisted of John G. Anderson, Eben M. By- cussed. The idea so appealed to Mr. Walk ers, Charles Evans, Jr., Robert A. Gard er that, at a meeting of the Committee ner, Robert T. Jones, Jr., Oswald Kirkby, at the Links Club, in Manhattan, on the Max Marston, Francis D. Ouimet, George afternoon of December 21, 1920, he pre Ormiston and Jerome D. Travers. Playing sented a plan for an international golf foursomes, in the morning and singles in championship and offered to donate an the afternoon, it defeated the Canadians, International Challenge Trophy. When 12 to 3, at the Hamilton (Ont.) Golf Club the newspapers printed the news, they an July 25, 1919. The USGA Team won called it, to Mr. Walker's chagrin, the a return match the following year, in Sep "Walker Cup", and the name has stuck. tember, at the Engineers Country Club, Early in 1921, the USGA invited aii in Roslyn, N. Y., 10 to 4. countries interested in golf to send teams Simultaneously, British and Americans to compete for the Trophy, but no coun were seriously seeking each other's cham try was able to accept that year. The pionships. In the spring of 1920, Bob American urge for international com Gardner had gone to the final of the Brit petition was rampant, however, and ish Amateur at Muirfield, losing to Cyril Fownes, who had twice assembled the Tolley on the 37th hole. The USGA Ama amateur teams which played against Can teur that fall also had an international ada, rounded up a third team in the aspect. In addition to members of the spring of 1921 and took it to Hoylake, Canadian team, Tolley, Roger Wethered, England, where in an informal match it Lord Charles Hope and Tommy Armour defeated a British team, 9 to 3, on the came from Great Britain. Most of these day before the British Amateur. failed to qualify, and the last foreign con If there had been any sentiment that tender, Armour, was beaten by Ouimet in the Americans could not provide adequate the third round. competition, this must have dispelled it. The Executive Committee of the USGA, The members of that informal United meanwhile, was invited abroad to confer States team were: Charles Evans, Jr., Wil with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club's liam C. Fownes, Jr., Jesse P. Guilford, Rules Committee regarding the advis Paul Hunter, Robert T. Jones, Jr., Fran ability of amending or modifying various cis D. Ouimet, J. Wood Piatt and Fred rules. The invitation was accepted and erick J. Wright, Jr. They won all four the USGA representatives sailed in the of the morning foursomes and five of the spring of 1920. The conferees met fre eight afternoon singles. 14 USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: SEPTEMBER, 1953 Although the Americans were not suc not been played out, and no points are cessful in the British Amateur, Wright awarded to either side. did go to the quarter-finals and Jock Although many of the matches in that Hutchison later that year won the Brit first meeting were close, the United States ish Open, after a play-off with Roger won three of the four foursomes and the Wethered. first five of the eight singles to score an The following spring, the Royal and 8 to 4 victory in the first official match Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scot for the Walker Cup. land, announced that it would send a The members of the British team went team to compete for the Walker Cup in from the National to Brookline, Mass., the United States that,year, 1922. for the USGA Amateur and only Tolley Howard F. Whitney, who had suc went as far as the quarter-finals in quest ceeded Mr. Walker as President of the of the title which Sweetser won so im USGA in 1921, made the arrangements pressively. for the match, selecting as the site Mr. An invitation to send a team to St. Walker's home club, the National Golf Andrews, Scotland, to defend the cup was Links of America. The dates were Mon quickly accepted the following winter, and day and Tuesday, August 28 and 29. the Americans nearly received their come The plan was for each side to select uppance in May, 1923. There had been eight players and to play foursomes the many changes in personnel. Robert A. first day and singles the second day. Gardner succeeded William C. Fownes, The team selected to represent the Jr., as captain, and ten players were se United States was again captained by lected so that alternates would be avail Fownes. The other members were Charles able on the scene. In addition to Gard Evans, Jr., Robert A. Gardner, Jesse P. ner, Francis Ouimet, Jess Sweetser and Guilford, Robert T. Jones, Jr., Max R. Max Marston continued as members. S. Marston, Francis D. Ouimet and Jess Davidson Herron, Harrison R. Johnston, W. Sweetser. Guilford held the Amateur J. F. Neville, George V. Rotan, Dr. 0. F. Championship. Willing and Frederick J. Wright, Jr., re Robert Harris was nominated to cap placed Evans, Fownes, Guilford and Jones, tain the British team. His side consisted who was studying at Harvard. of Cyril J. H. Tolley, Roger H. Wethered, In the British Amateur at Deal, which Colin C. Aylmer, C. V. L. Hooman, W. B. preceded the Match, Ouimet, who had Torrance, John Caven and W. Willis won the Gold Vase, went to the semi Mackenzie. A notable absentee was Er finals, along with Douglas Grant, a fel nest W. E. Holderness, the British Cham low-American who was living abroad. pion, who was unable to make the trip. Roger Wethered defeated Robert Harris, 7 and 6, in the final, and he remains the Bernard Darwin's Role only Briton who has won a British Ama Bernard Darwin, the golf writer of the teur in a year when a United States Walk TIMES of London, came with the team as er Cup Team was playing abroad. a correspondent. When Harris fell ill be On the first day of the Match at St. fore the match, Darwin was invited to Andrews, with Cyril Tolley and Roger compete in his stead and serve as play Wethered leading off, the British won ing captain. He defeated Fownes, 3 and three of the four foursomes, so that the 1, in an interesting singles match after Americans went into the eight singles losing the first three holes. needing five victories to tie and six to In the final singles match, Hooman de win. The prospect became even more feated Sweetser on the first extra hole. gloomy when most of the Americans were It was the only extra-hole match ever trailing in their singles matches at noon. played in Walker Cup competitions. Since At one point the Team, collectively, had that time, matches which finish even have been 24 holes down. USGA JOURNAL AND TURF MANAGEMENT: SEPTEMBER, 1953 15 Robert T. Jones, Jr., then 20, putting on the third green at the National Golf Links of America. Southampton, N. Y.. in the first Match for the Walker Cup. He defeated Roger H. Wethered, right, 3 and 2. Then their competitive fire was kindled. tember, 1924, at the Garden City Go'f Ouimet, 2 down with three to play, made Club. Captain Gardner's American team 3s on the 34th and 36th holes, the latter was particularly strong that year, every by holing an 18-foot putt around a par member having been a veteran Cup play tial stymie, to halve with Wethered and er. It won, 9 to 3, over Captain Cyril equal the course record of 70. Rotan, Tolley's side, although not one of the who had been 6 down after 14 holes, ral Americans clinched a victory earlier than lied to win 11 of the next 12 holes and the 33rd green. defeat Mackenzie, 6 and 4. Marston, who This Match was the last to be played had been 1 down at noon, came back to on an annual basis. It was felt that the beat W. L. Hope, 5 and 4. Wright, 2 financial strain of annual Matches was down with three to play, won the last too severe and that interest might drop three holes, the final one with a seven- if the Matches were played too fre foot putt for a birdie 3, to defeat Holder- quently.

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