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Need to know: 51st Walker Cup at Lahinch, the ‘St. Andrews of Ireland’

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September 1, 2026

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Need to know: 51st Walker Cup at Lahinch, the ‘St. Andrews of Ireland’

There’s a reason why Lahinch Golf Club is often referred to as the St. Andrews of Ireland.

For one, it shares a name: The Old Course.

Before Dr. Alister Mackenzie created masterpieces such as Augusta National, Pasatiempo, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne, he redesigned Old Tom Morris’ original take on Lahinch, carving out a new 18 holes amidst the massive dunes in Ireland’s unofficial surfing capital.

When Mackenzie finished his work, in 1927, he declared, “Lahinch will make the finest and most popular course that I, or I believe anyone else, has ever constructed.”

The par-3 fifth, called Dell, is the most iconic on property. Listed at 154 yards, Dell features a massive dune that doesn’t just guard the front of the green, it blocks the view of all but the right edge of the putting surface. To help players, a white stone is placed atop the dune to mark the hole location for the day.

Only five original greens remain – Morris’ fourth and fifth holes, and Mackenzie’s ninth, 14th and 18th. In 2003, Martin Hawtree completed what is dubbed Lahinch’s “restored Mackenzie course,” though it’s accurately more of a redesign, with Hawtree rebuilding tees on all but two holes, extensively rerouting four holes and creating a pair of brand-new par-3s.

And yet, for over a century, Lahinch has remained a world-class venue, worthy of hosting the best amateur golfers in the world for the 51st playing of the Walker Cup.

Tickets are sold out for this year’s match, with over 8,000 fans per day expected to attend. While GB&I figure to enjoy a massive home-course advantage, the weather, so far, is forecasted to be kind to the Americans – high temps in the mid-60s, 10 to 15 mph wind and a little rain on Saturday.

Here is everything you need to know about this weekend’s match between the U.S. and Great Britain and Ireland:

COURSE INFO, SCORECARD

Lahinch Golf Club

Lahinch, Ireland
Par 72, 7,066 yards
Designed by Old Tom Morris (1892); redesigned by Alister Mackenzie (1927) and Martin Hawtree (2003)

1 – Par 4, 381 yards
2 – Par 5, 534 yards
3 – Par 4, 446 yards
4 – Par 5, 475 yards
5 – Par 3, 154 yards
6 – Par 4, 424 yards
7 – Par 4, 411 yards
8 – Par 3, 166 yards
9 – Par 4, 400 yards
OUT – Par 36, 3,391 yards

10 – Par 4, 441 yards
11 – Par 3, 170 yards
12 – Par 5, 577 yards
13 – Par 4, 334 yards
14 – Par 4, 461 yards
15 – Par 4, 466 yards
16 – Par 3, 195 yards
17 – Par 4, 467 yards
18 – Par 5, 564 yards
IN – Par 36, 3,675 yards

SCHEDULE

Friday, Sept. 4 – Opening ceremony, Noon ET
Saturday, Sept. 5 – Foursomes (4), 3:30-4 a.m. ET; Singles (8), 9-10:10 a.m. ET
Sunday, Sept. 6 – Foursomes (4) 3-3:30 a.m. ET; Singles (10), 8:30-10 a.m. ET; Closing ceremony, 2 p.m. ET

TV SCHEDULE

Broadcast

Saturday – 3:30-8 a.m. ET (foursomes) and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (singles) (Golf Channel)
Sunday – 3-7:30 a.m. ET (foursomes) and 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. ET (singles) (Golf Channel)

Studio shows

Thursday – 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Friday – 12:30-2 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Saturday – 8-9 a.m. ET and 2-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
Sunday – 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET and 2-3 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

The Walker Cup - Previews — LAHINCH, IRELAND – AUGUST 31: Team GB&I during a hurling clinic hosted by players from the Clare hurling team prior to the Walker Cup at Lahinch Golf Club on August 31, 2026 in Lahinch, County Clare. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

TEAMS

(Players listed in order of World Amateur Golf Ranking on Aug. 26.)

U.S.

Preston Stout, Oklahoma State (1)
Tyler Watts, Tennessee (3)
Miles Russell, Florida State commit (4)
William Jennings, Alabama (5)
Josiah Gilbert, Auburn (6)
Ryder Cowan, Oklahoma (7)
Ethan Fang, Oklahoma State (9)
Kihei Akina, BYU (11)
Jay Leng, Stanford (12)
Stewart Hagestad, mid-amateur, USC (25)

GB&I

Tyler Weaver, England, Florida State (2)
Luke Poulter, England, Florida (8)
Eliot Baker, England (13)
Niall Sheils Donegan, Scotland, North Carolina (18)
Connor Graham, Scotland, Texas Tech (26)
Stuart Grehan, Ireland, mid-amateur (28)
Jack Whaley, England, Florida State (45)
Sam Easterbrook, England, Purdue (77)
Ben Bolton, England (91)
Josh Hill, England, Tennessee (93)

The USA Team poses with the trophy during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, Calif. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (Chris Keane/USGA)

WALKER CUP 101

What is the Walker Cup?

The Walker Cup is a biennial match-play competition, established in 1922, that is contested over two days between amateurs representing the U.S., and Great Britain and Ireland.

Match origins

The Walker Cup was named after George Herbert Walker, a past USGA president and the grandfather of 41st U.S. President George H.W. Bush. Walker was attending a meeting between the USGA and R&A in December 1920 when he suggested the concept for an international amateur competition between the U.S. and Great Britain. The next May, an informal, one-day match was played ahead of the British Amateur, and the U.S., led by Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet, won, 9-3. The first official Walker Cup was contested the following year at Royal Liverpool.

Format and scoring

There are four sessions that span two days – the first and third sessions, played on the mornings of Saturday and Sunday, each consist of four foursomes matches; the third and fourth sessions are singles matches contested in the afternoon, with eight singles matches on Saturday and 10 on Sunday.

In all, there are 26 points available, with one point awarded to the winning side of each match and a half-point given to both sides when a match is tied. Matches do not extend past 18 holes. To retain the cup, 13 points are needed, while 13½ are required to win outright.

Walker Cup 1991 — Irish golfer Paul McGinley takes part in the Walker Cup at Portmarnock Golf Club, 1991. (Photo by David Cannon/Allsport/Getty Images)

Photo: Paul McGinley during the 1991 Walker Cup

History, recent results

The U.S. leads the all-time series, 40-9-1, and has won five straight editions.

Ireland has hosted two previous Walker Cups, in 2007 at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, and 1991 at Portmarnock in Dublin. The U.S. won both of those matches.

In 2007, it was the American dream team of eight future PGA Tour players, including Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Rickie Fowler and Billy Horschel, beating Rory McIlroy and Co. by a single point in McIlroy’s home country. Now-Oklahoma head men’s golf coach Jonathan Moore delivered the crucial singles point by sticking a 4-iron to 3 feet at the 18th hole.

In 1991, Phil Mickelson went 3-1 as he, David Duval, Jay Sigel and others beat a GB&I squad that included Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington. The Americans swept the opening foursomes that year, while Mickelson also stirred up some controversy, making what he called a “bad joke” after being asked by a TV reporter about a wayward drive he hit into the gallery during competition. “That’s not a place I want to be,” Mickelson quipped. “The Irish women are not that attractive.”

Mickelson later apologized, “I knew I was in for it the moment I said it. It was a bad joke, and I feel just terrible about it.” Sports Illustrated documented Mickelson’s contrition: “The Irish love a rascal. And somebody should have told Phil Mickelson that last Friday night in Dublin. He was prowling the public rooms of the Berkeley Court Hotel after last week’s Walker Cup competition, offering red-faced apologies for his youthful indiscretions.”

This year’s match at Lahinch marks the first time the Walker Cup has been contested in back-to-back years since the first three editions were played in 1922-24. The move to even years was made to avoid conflict with the World Amateur Team Championships.

Here is a look at the past 10 Walker Cups: