Along the west coast of Ireland, one of golf’s premier amateur events is about to get underway at bucket-list gem Lahinch Golf Club. The 51st Walker Cup kicks off this weekend when the U.S. squares off against Great Britain & Ireland. Here’s what you need to know.
The first Walker Cup was played in 1922 at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y., a post-World War I competition between the USGA and the R&A created to strengthen relationships between golf’s governing bodies.
It consists of the top male amateurs from America vs. those from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, which makes up the Great Britain & Ireland team.
This year’s event is the 51st playing, with the U.S. leading the all-time series 40-9-1. The Americans have won the past five meetings, including last year’s competition at Cypress Point Club where the U.S. dominated en route to its biggest victory (17-9) during the span. The last time Great Britain & Ireland won was at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2015.
The Walker Cup is played every other year — alternating between the U.S. and Great Britain or Ireland — although after playing at Cypress last year, it’s running back again this year at Lahinch, a scheduling adjustment to have the match go back to even-numbered years. The next playing will be in 2028 at Bandon Dunes in Oregon.
Each roster consists of 10 players and a captain. Nathan Smith, 48, returns to captain the U.S. team after leading it to victory at Cypress last year, while Dean Robertson, 56, of Scotland, is also back for his second straight year.
Nine of the top 10 amateurs in the world are teeing it up at Lahinch this week, a lineup that includes standouts like top-ranked Preston Stout (2026 NCAA Division I individual champion), Ryder Cowan (2026 U.S. Open low-am), Jack Whaley (2026 U.S. Amateur champion), Jay Leng Jr. (2026 U.S. Amateur runner-up) and 17-year-old rising star Miles Russell.
U.S. Roster (Men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking)
Preston Stout (1)
Tyler Watts (2)
William Jennings (4)
Miles Russell (5)
Ryder Cowan (6)
Josiah Gilbert (7)
Ethan Fang (9)
Kihei Akina (11)
Jay Leng Jr. (12)
Stewart Hagestad (25)
GB&I Roster (Men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking)
Tyler Weaver (3)
Luke Poulter (8)
Eliot Baker (13)
Niall Sheils Donegan (18)
Connor Graham (26)
Stuart Grehan (28)
Jack Whaley (45)
Sam Easterbrook (76)
Ben Bolton (86)
Josh Hill (93)
The opening ceremony will start the festivities on Friday night, giving way to a busy weekend of golf. Four foursomes (alternate shot) matches take place Saturday and Sunday mornings, with singles play (eight matches on Saturday, 10 matches on Sunday) finishing the day.
A full point is earned for a win, with a half-point awarded to each team for a tie. The U.S. needs 13 points to retain the Cup, while Great Britain & Ireland needs 13.5 points to win.
Saturday: 3:30-8 a.m. (Foursomes) / 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (Singles)
Sunday: 3-7:30 a.m. (Foursomes) / 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (Singles)
The Walker Cup visits some of the best, most prestigious golf courses in the world — the past three were at Cypress Point, St. Andrews and Seminole, for example — and this year’s venue continues that trend.
Lahinch is widely regarded as the top course in Ireland and is ranked 34th on GOLF’s latest ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the World. Lahinch opened in 1892 and was reshaped by Old Tom Morris, the famed architect, in 1894. Morris said Lahinch was “the finest natural course he had ever seen.” (Read more about the course, which is public, here.)
Back in 2022, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns became a major draw among locals when they visited Lahinch prior to that year’s Open Championship at the Old Course.
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