Nairn, Scotland (September 12) — England natives Luke Donald and Paul Casey each won two matches again Sunday to rally the Great Britain and Ireland amateur team to 10 of 12 points on the day for a come-from-behind 15-9 win over the United States team in the 37th Walker Cup Match held at Nairn Golf Club.
It was most points GB&I has ever scored in the competition, beating the 14-10 win it had in 1995 at Royal Portcawl Golf Club in Wales. GB&I claimed the Cup when reigning British Amateur champion Graeme Storm beat Jonathan Byrd, 1-up, while three singles matches were still on the course. A team was awarded one point for each match won, and a half point for each tied match.
“This is the proudest moment of my golfing life,” said GB&I captain Peter McEvoy, a two-time British Amateur champion and five-time Walker Cup player. “I said all along we had a great team and I think they proved that today. I’ve never known a day like today.”
Donald and Casey, collegiate players at Northwestern University and Arizona State University respectively, each won a singles match in the afternoon after pairing to win a foursomes (alternate shot) match in the morning.
Together, they beat reigning U.S. Amateur champion David Gosset and Tim Jackson, 1-up. Donald then came back in the afternoon to beat Bryce Molder, 3 and 2. Casey beat John “Spider” Miller, 3 and 2. Each finished 4-0 or the competition. Teammate Gary Wolstenholme, playing in his third Walker Cup, and Philip Rowe, were 3-0.
Other singles winners for GB&I were Paddy Gribben, Graham Rankin, Rowe and Wolstenholme. The only American singles winner was Ed Loar, who defeated Simon Dyson, 5 and 4. The U.S. had led 7-5 after Saturday’s matches, but slipped into an 8-8 tie after losing three of the four foursomes matches Sunday morning. The lone winning pair for the Americans was Hunter Haas and John “Spider” Miller, who took the final hole with a par 5 for a 1-up decision over Dyson and Gribben.
Other GB&I winners in foursomes were Graham Rankin and Graeme Storm, who defeated Loar and Tom McKnight, 4 and 3; and Rowe and Wolstenholme, who defeated Molder and Matt Kuchar, 4 and 3.
Begun in 1922, the Walker Cup Match is played every other year, alternately in Great Britain and the United States. The next Match is set for Aug. 11-12, 2001, at Ocean Forest Golf Club on Sea Island, Ga. The series record is 31-5-1 in favor of the United States teams.
Nairn, Scotland — Results of Sunday’s foursomes and singles matches of the 37th Walker Cup Match at the 6,602-yard, par 35-36–71 Nairn Golf Club:
Foursomes
Graeme Storm and Graham Rankin (GB&I) def. Ed Loar and Tom McKnight (USA), 4 and 3.
Hunter Haas and John “Spider” Miller (USA) def. Simon Dyson and Paddy Gribben (GB&I), 1 up.
Paul Casey and Luke Donald (GB&I) def. David Gossett and Tim Jackson (USA), 1 up.
Philip Rowe and Gary Wolstenholme (GB&I) def. Matt Kuchar and Bryce Molder (USA), 4 and 3.
Singles
Graham Rankin (GB&I) def. Steve Scott (USA), 1 up.
Ed Loar (USA) def. Simon Dyson (GB&I), 5 and 4.
Paul Casey (GB&I) def. John “Spider” Miller (USA), 3 and 2.
Graeme Storm (GB&I) def. Jonathan Byrd (USA), 1-up.
Luke Donald (GB&I) def. Bryce Molder (USA), 3 and 2.
Philip Rowe (GB&I) def. Matt Kuchar (USA), 1-up.
Paddy Gribben (GB&I) def. Hunter Haas (USA), 3 and 2.
Gary Wolstenhome (GB&I) def. David Gossett (USA), 1-up.
Individual Results for two-day Walker Cup Match
USA Team Foursomes Singles Jonathan Byrd 0-1 1-1 David Gossett 1-1 0-1-1 Hunter Haas 2-0 1-1 Tim Jackson 1-1 1-0 Edward Loar 0-1 2-0 Matt Kuchar 0-2 0-1 Tom McKnight 0-1 0-1 John "Spider" Miller 2-0 0-1 Bryce Molder 0-2 0-1-1 Steve Scott 0-1 0-2 GB&I Team Foursomes Singles Paul Casey 2-0 2-0 Luke Donald 2-0 2-0 Simon Dyson 0-1 0-1-1 Paddy Gribben 0-2 1-0-1 Lorne Kelly 0-1 0-1 David Patrick 0-0 0-1 Graham Rankin 1-1 1-1 Philip Rowe 2-0 1-0 Graeme Storm 1-1 1-1 Gary Wolstenholme 2-0 1-0
1999 U.S. WALKER CUP SQUAD Name Age Hometown College Jonathan Byrd 21 Columbia, S.C. Clemson University senior David Gossett 20 Germantown, Tenn. University of Texas sophomore Hunter Haas 22 Norman, Okla. University of Oklahoma senior Tim Jackson 40 Germantown, Tenn. University of Tennessee 1984 Edward Loar 21 Rockwall, Texas Oklahoma State University senior Matt Kuchar 22 Lake Mary, Fla. Georgia Tech University senior Tom McKnight 45 Galax, Va. University of Virginia 1976 John "Spider" Miller 49 Bloomington, Ind. Indiana University 1973 Bryce Molder 20 Conway, Ark. Georgia Tech University junior Steve Scott 22 Coral Springs, Fla. University of Florida 1999 Captain: Danny Yates 49 Atlanta, Ga.
Note: Tim Jackson was a team member in 1995; Steve Scott was a team member in 1997.
1999 GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND WALKER CUP SQUAD Name Age Hometown Paul Casey 22 Burhill, England Luke Donald 21 Beaconsfield, England Simon Dyson 21 Sand Moor, England Paddy Gribben 30 Warrenpoint, Ireland Lorne Kelly 25 Cowal, Ireland David Patrick 24 Mortonhall, Ireland Graham Rankin 33 Drumpellier, Scotland Philip Rowe 20 West Cornwall, England Graeme Storm 21 Wynyard, England Gary Wolstenholme 38 Kilworth Springs, England Captain: Peter McEvoy 46 Copt Heath, England
Note: Graham Rankin and Gary Wolstenholme were team members in 1995 and 1997.
