1st Walker Cup Match
DatesAugust 28–29, 1922
VenueNational Golf Links of America
LocationSouthampton, New York
Captains
United States 8 4 United Kingdom
United States wins the Walker Cup

The 1922 Walker Cup, the first Walker Cup Match, was a team golf match played on August 28 and 29, 1922 at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York. The United States won 8 to 4.[1] There had been heavy rain for several days before the event and course was very wet.

Format

In February 1922 the USGA sent an invitation to the R&A to send a team representing the British Isles to America to play a match against a team representing the USGA. It was suggested that 10 players-a-side would be a suitable number. The date suggested was just prior to the United States Amateur Championship in early September. The letter also invited the R&A to send a team of four to the "Walker Cup" to take place at the National Golf Links of America after the Amateur Championship.[2] The Invitation to play the International Match was accepted.[3] The R&A appealed to clubs to subscribe to a fund to finance the expenses, estimated at £2,000 to £3,000.[4] Expenses to and from the United States were paid together with costs in the United States up until the day of the event, but not thereafter, should the players choose to play in the Amateur Championship.[5] In April there was still a report of two amateur team events; an 8 or 10 men team match at Brookline and a 4 men team event for the Walker Cup at the National.[6] The "Walker Cup" mentioned was presumably intended to an multinational team event, similar to that planned for September 1921 but, as in 1921, it seems that no countries accepted the invitation. The 1922 match between America and British Isles became the first Walker Cup.[7]

There were eight players in each team. Four 36-hole matches of foursomes were played on Monday August 28 and eight singles matches on Tuesday August 29. Each of the 12 matches was worth one point in the larger team competition. Matches level after 36 holes were played to a finish.

The total expense of the trip by the British team was £1,588. £787 was subscribed to the fund financing the tour leaving a deficit of £801. Without the hospitality of the Americans the expenses would have been considerably higher.[8]

Teams

Team United States

United States
Playing captain: William C. Fownes Jr.

Team Great Britain

United Kingdom
Playing captain: Scotland Robert Harris

The Amateur Champion Ernest Holderness was unavailable for work reasons. Angus Hambro was to have been captain and reserve but private affairs prevented him from travelling.[9][10]

The British team left Liverpool on August 3 on the Carmania[10] and returned to Southampton on September 19 on the Aquitania.[11]

Darwin, the golf correspondent of The Times, travelled with the team and became the official reserve.[10] He was added to the team when Harris could not play, having been bitten "by a giant sandfly".[12] He became "captain in the field" and played the American captain, Fownes, in the final singles match.[13] Fownes had intended to stand down and reserve Jimmy Johnston was due to play Darwin but Harris persuaded Fownes to play.[14]

Monday's foursomes

United Kingdom Results United States
Tolley/Darwin United States 8 & 7 Guilford/Ouimet
Wethered/Aylmer United Kingdom 5 & 4 Evans/Gardner
Torrance/Hooman United States 3 & 2 Jones/Sweetser
Caven/Mackenzie United States 2 & 1 Marston/Fownes
1 Session 3
1 Overall 3

Tuesday's singles

United Kingdom Results United States
Cyril Tolley United States 2 & 1 Jesse Guilford
Roger Wethered United States 3 & 2 Bobby Jones
John Caven United States 5 & 4 Chick Evans
Colin Aylmer United States 8 & 7 Francis Ouimet
William Breck Torrance United States 7 & 5 Robert Gardner
Chubby Hooman United Kingdom 37 holes Jess Sweetser
Willis Mackenzie United Kingdom 6 & 5 Max Marston
Bernard Darwin United Kingdom 3 & 1 William C. Fownes Jr.
3 Session 5
4 Overall 8

References

  1. ↑ "1922 – National Golf Links". walkercup.co.uk. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  2. ↑ "International golf – An invitation from the United States". The Times. February 28, 1922. p. 5.
  3. ↑ "Golf – Meeting of the Championship committee". The Times. March 3, 1922. p. 8.
  4. ↑ "British golfers' American tour". The Times. March 31, 1922. p. 6.
  5. ↑ "Golf – The International Match". The Times. July 6, 1922. p. 19.
  6. ↑ "The American Golfer – Editorial". The American Golfer. April 22, 1922. p. 20 – via LA84 Foundation.
  7. ↑ "International Match". The Times. July 31, 1922. p. 22.
  8. ↑ "Deficit on American tour". The Times. December 4, 1922. p. 5.
  9. ↑ Darwin, Bernard (September 1922). "Our Chances – in which the Well-Known Golfer and Writer Discusses the British Amateur Team" (PDF). Golf Illustrated. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2014 – via LA84 Foundation.
  10. 1 2 3 "Golf – departure of British team". The Times. August 4, 1922. p. 4.
  11. ↑ "British golf team's return from U.S.A.". The Times. September 19, 1922. p. 7.
  12. ↑ "International golf – U.S. players leading". The Times. August 29, 1922. p. 8.
  13. ↑ "Golf – America's victory – Another lesson in putting". The Times. August 31, 1922. p. 10.
  14. ↑ Millard, Charles (2013). "Making History – The Inaugural Walker Cup Match". Walker Cup. p. 24.

40°54′34″N 72°27′03″W / 40.909444°N 72.450833°W / 40.909444; -72.450833

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