GB&I 15 – 9 USA
September 11-12, 1999
The Nairn Golf Club, Nairn, Inverness-shire, Scotland
6,602 yards, Par 71
Captains: Peter McEvoy (GB&I) and Danny Yates (USA)
Day 1 Foursomes (GB&I players first)
Graham Rankin / Graeme Storm lost to Hunter Haas / “Spider” Miller 1 hole
Paul Casey / Luke Donald beat Jonathan Byrd / Steve Scott 5&3
Paddy Gribben / Lorne Kelly lost to David Gossett / Tim Jackson 3&1
Philip Rowe / Gary Wolstenholme beat Matt Kuchar / Bryce Molder 1 hole
GB&I 2 – USA 2
Day 1 Singles
Graham Rankin lost to Edward Loar 4&3
Luke Donald beat T. McKnight 4&3
Graeme Storm lost to Hunter Haas 4&3
Paul Casey beat Steve Scott 4&3
David Patrick lost to Jonathan Byrd 6&5
Simon Dyson halved with David Gossett
Paddy Gribben halved with Bryce Molder
Lorne Kelly lost to Tim Jackson 3/1
GB&I 3 – USA 5
Day 1: GB&I 5 – USA 7
Day 2 Foursomes
Graham Rankin / Graeme Storm beat Edward Loar / Tom McKnight 4/3
Simon Dyson / Paddy Gribben lost to Hunter Haas / “Spider” Miller 1 hole
Paul Casey / Luke Donald beat David Gossett / Tim Jackson 1 hole
Philip Rowe / Gary Wolstenholme beat M. Kuchar / B. Molder 4/3
GB&I 3 – USA 1
Day 2 Singles
Graham Rankin beat Steve Scott 1hole
Simon Dyson lost to Edward Loar 5&4
Paul Casey beat “Spider” Miller 3&2
Graeme Storm beat Jonathan Byrd 1 hole
Luke Donald beat Bryce Molder 3&2
Philip Rowe beat Matt Kuchar 1 hole
Paddy Gribben beat Hunter Haas 3&2
Gary Wolstenholme beat David Gossett 1 hole
GB&I 7 – USA 1
Match Result: GB&I 15 – USA 9
Series Results: USA 31 – GB&I 5 – Halved 1 (after Match 37)
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Match Notes
Luke Donald, individual winner of the 1999 NCAA Division I Championship and arguably the world’s best amateur at the time, made his Walker Cup debut at Nairn in front of large crowds approaching 10,000.
GB&I had won the Eisenhower Trophy in 1998 and all four members of the successful team were selected in 1999. Paddy Gribben, Lorne Kelly and Gary Wolstenholme joining Donald as the bedrock of the home team.
GB&I were also fortunate to be able to call upon Paul Casey who even back then was destined to become one of the world’s leading pro golfers.
Peter McEvoy had captained the winning GB&I Eisenhower Trophy team and made his Walker Cup debut in this match. His status in the amateur game and obvious confidence in his team’s ability rubbed off on all his players. McEvoy’s leadership and decision making – he dropped Lorne Kelly and David Patrick from his Day 2 line-up and stuck with Graham Rankin and Graeme Storm dispute a disappointing opening day – should also not be underestimated and no doubt helped to turn around the 5-7 Day 1 deficit his team faced into a comprehensive victory.
Matt Kucher, the 1997 US Amateur champion and low amateur at both The Masters and U.S. Open in 1998, featured for U.S.A.
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