WALKER CUP:THE UNITED States have claimed the Walker Cup for a third consecutive time with an emphatic 16.5-9.5 victory over Great Britain and Ireland at the Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
The bi-annual amateur contest was sealed after just three of this afternoon’s 10 singles matches when Peter Uihlein defeated 20-year-old Stiggy Hodgson 3&1.
That gave the hosts an unassailable 13-6 advantage and ensured their non-playing captain Buddy Marucci would lift the trophy for a second consecutive occasion after he masterminded the USA’s narrow success at Royal County Down Golf Club two years ago.
USA had opened up an 8-4 lead after the opening day’s play yesterday and immediately set about building on that advantage by winning three of this morning’s four Foursome contests.
That left the hosts needing just two points from Sunday afternoon’s singles matches to clinch the trophy and while Scotland’s Gavin Dear beat Brian Harman 3&2 in the lead-off match, favourable scores elsewhere meant the Americans were never in danger.
In fact they had it sewn up from the next two matches with Rickie Fowler beating Matt Haines 2&1 before 20-year-old Floridian Uihlein put a seal on the result.
That left the rest of the players on course to go through the motions, although Morgan Hoffman ensured the USA’s lead grew further as he beat Wallace Booth one-up in the fourth-completed singles match.
Cameron Tringale thrashed Luke Goddard 8&6 to inflict further misery on the visitors, although they clawed back some respect as Sam Hutsby and Tommy Fleetwood both won one-up against Adam Mitchell and Drew Weaver respectively.
Niall Kearney was also a winner as he beat Nathan Smith 3&2 while Chris Paisley earned half a point from his match with Bud Cauley.
But fittingly it was the USA who got the final point of the weekend’s action when Brendan Gielow defeated Dale Whitnell 4&3.
SATURDAY
USA 8 Great Britain Ireland 4
Fourballs: Brian Harman Morgan Hoffmann (USA) bt Wallace Booth Sam Hutsby (Brit/Ire) 2 1. Peter Uihlein Nathan Smith (USA) bt Gavin Dear Matt Haines (Brit/Ire) 1up. Rickie Fowler Bud Cauley (USA) bt Luke Goddard Dale Whitnell (Brit/Ire) 6 5, Cameron Tringale Adam Mitchell (USA) lost to Stiggy Hodgson Niall Kearney (Brit/Ire) 1 3.
Singles: Brian Harman (USA) halved with Gavin Dear (Brit/Ire). Rickie Fowler (USA) bt Sam Hutsby (Brit/Ire) 7 6. Cameron Tringale (USA) halved with Wallace Booth (Brit/Ire). Morgan Hoffmann (USA) halved with Matt Haines (Brit/Ire), Peter Uihlein (USA) bt Tommy Fleetwood (Brit/Ire) 2 1, Drew Weaver (USA) halved with Chris Paisley (Brit/Ire), Bud Cauley (USA) bt Niall Kearney (Brit/Ire) 2 1, Brendan Gielow (USA) lost to Stiggy Hodgson (Brit/Ire) 1 2.
SUNDAY
Foursomes: Ricky Fowler Bud Cowley (USA) bt Stiggy Hodgson and Niall Kearney (Brit/Ire) 1 up. Peter Uihlein Nathan Smith (USA) bt Chris Paisley Dale Whitnell (Brit/Ire) 54. Brian Harman Adam Mitchell (USA) bt Gavin Deer Matt Haines (Brit/Ire) 32. Drew Weaver Brendan Gielow lost to Wallace Booth Sam Hutsby (Brit/Ire).
