2005 – Chicago GC

USA 12.5 – 11.5 GB&I

August 13-14, 2005
Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Chicago, Illinois
6,782 yards, Par 70

Captains: Bob Lewis (USA) and Garth McGimpsey (GB&I)

Day 1 Foursomes (USA players first)
Brian Harman / Anthony Kim halved with Rhys Davies / Nigel Edwards
Lee Williams / Matthew Every beat Robert Dinwiddie / Gary Lockerbie 1 hole
Jeff Overton / Michael Putnam beat Matt Richardson / Oliver Fisher 2&1
Billy Hurley / Kyle Riefers lost to Lloyd Saltman / Richie Ramsay 4&3
USA 2.5 – GB&I 1.5

Day 1 Singles
Matthew Every lost to Rhys Davies 4&3
Anthony Kim beat Gary Lockerbie 6&5
Jeff Overton beat Nigel Edwards 5&4
Michael Putnam lost to Oliver Fisher 2 holes
Nicholas Thompson lost to Matt Richardson 5&4
Billy Hurley lost to Lloyd Saltman 1 hole
John Holmes beat Gary Wolstenholme 1 hole
Lee Williams beat Brian McElhinney 2&1
USA 4 – GB&I 4

Day 1: USA 6.5 – GB&I 5.5

Day 2 Foursomes
Anthony Kim / Brian Harman beat Richie Ramsay / Lloyd Saltman 4&2
Lee Williams / Matthew Every lost to Nigel Edwards / Rhys Davies 2&1
John Holmes / Nicholas Thompson beat Matt Richardson / Oliver Fisher 2&1
Michael Putnam / Jeff Overton lost to Gary Lockerbie / Richard Dinwiddie 5&3
USA 2 – GB&I 2

Day 2 Singles
Anthony Kim lost to Gary Wolstenholme 1 hole
Brian Harman beat Rhys Davies 6&5
Michael Putnam halved with Oliver Fisher
Matthew Every halved with Robert Dinwiddie
John Holmes lost to Matt Richardson 5&4
Kyle Riefers lost to Lloyd Saltman 1 hole
Jeff Overton beat Nigel Edwards 1 hole
Lee Williams beat Gary Lockerbie 4&3
USA 4 – GB&I 4

Match Result: USA 12.5 – GB&I 11.5

Series Results: USA 32 – GB&I 7 – Halved 1 (after Match 40)

Signed Official 2005 Walker Cup Flag (© The Golf Auction)

Match Notes

Unusually three of the four sessions were tied with USA holding on to their one point lead from the opening Foursomes throughout the remainder of the competition.

USA captain Bob Lewis believed the 2005 match to be “the greatest Walker Cup ever played” after his team held off GB&I 12½-11½ to reclaim the Cup after three straight defeats.

Gary Wolstenholme took his total game wins to ten at Chicago G.C., a record for a GB&I player.

At the time England’s Oliver Fisher became the youngest player on either side, aged 16 years, 11 months and 0 days. He won one and halved his other Singles in an impressive showing. Connor Graham broke his record in 2023 at St. Andrews.

Chicago 2005 Commemorative Plate

Brian McElhinney, who had won the Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale in the preceding June was restricted to one start – a loss in the Day 1 Singles.

Richie Ramsay, who couldn’t make the GB&I Singles line up on either day, went on to win the U.S. Amateur Championship at Hazeltine National G.C. in 2006.

The match came down to the last shot of the contest with Nigel Edwards having a long putt on the 18th to secure a half in his game which would have also secured a tie for GB&I. As the 2003 winners GB&I would have retained the cup if it had gone in. He just missed.

Matt Every, Brian Harman, J.B. Holmes, Billy Hurley, Anthony Kim and jeff Overton were included in a strong USA team. Unusually all of the U.S. players were collegians or recent college players, the oldest player being Lee Williams who was 24.

Richie Ramsay’s 2005 Walker Cup Golf Bag (© Richie Ramsay)

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