GB&I 14 – 12 USA
September 10-11, 2011
Balgownie Links, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Aberdeen, Scotland
6,873 yards, Par 70
Captains: Nigel Edwards (GB&I) and Jim Holtgrieve (USA)
Day 1 Foursomes (GB&I players first)
Tom Lewis / Michael Stewart beat Peter Uihlein / Harris English 2&1
Jack Senior / Andy Sullivan beat Russell Henley / Kelly Kraft 2&1
Paul Cutler / Alan Dunbar beat Nathan Smith / Blayne Barber 5&4
Steven Brown / Stiggy Hodgson lost to Patrick Cantlay / Chris Williams 5&3
GB&I 3 – USA 1
Day 1 Singles
Tom Lewis lost to Peter Uihlein 2&1
Jack Senior lost to Jordan Spieth 3&2
Andy Sullivan lost to Harris English 2&1
Rhys Pugh beat Patrick Rodgers 2&1
Steven Brown beat Russell Henley 1Up
James Byrne beat Nathan Smith 2&1
Paul Cutler beat Kelly Kraft 2&1
Michael Stewart lost to Patrick Cantlay 2&1
GB&I 4 – USA 4
Day 1: GB&I 7 – USA 5
Day 2 Foursomes
Tom Lewis / Michael Stewart halved with Jordan Spieth / Patrick Rodgers
Jack Senior / Andy Sullivan beat Peter Uihlein / Harris English 3&2
Paul Cutler / Alan Dunbar beat Kelly Kraft / Blayne Barber 2&1
James Byrne / Rhys Pugh beat Patrick Cantlay / Chris Williams 5&3
GB&I 3.5 – USA 1.5
Day 2 Singles
Tom Lewis lost to Russell Henley 4&2
Andy Sullivan lost to Jordan Spieth 3&2
Jack Senior halved with Nathan Smith
Michael Stewart beat Patrick Rodgers 3&2
Stiggy Hodgson lost to Peter Uihlein 2&1
Steven Brown halved with Blayne Barber
Rhys Pugh beat Kelly Kraft 2&1
Alan Dunbar lost to Chris Williams 1Up
James Byrne lost to Harris English 2&1
Paul Cutler halved with Patrick Cantlay
GB&I 3.5 – USA 6.5
Match Result: GB&I 14 – USA 12
Series Results: USA 34 – GB&I 8 – Halved 1 (after Match 43)
Go.Golf TV 2011 Walker Cup Highlights Video
Match Notes
The decision to stage the 2011 Walker Cup on the Balgownie Links at Royal Aberdeen G.C. was announced in May 2006. The course staged the Senior British Open Championship in 2005.
Having played as recently as 2007 Nigel Edwards took over the GB&I captaincy duties just a few years later.
It is often said that GB&I have an advantage in Foursomes as it is played more frequently over here. Whilst this claim doesn’t always stand up to scrutiny it certainly did at Royal Aberdeen. GB&I’s victory was due to their dominance in this format. They won the two series of Foursomes 6.5 – 1.5 with USA only managing one win in the eight games contested.
This was GB&I’s fourth win out of the last five Walker Cup’s played at home confirming the growing competitiveness of the match. It also broke a run of three consecutive wins for USA.
GB&I were a little lucky to escape a rules infringement during the Day 1 Foursomes. Jack Senior’s use of his brother Joe, a professional golfer, was in breach of the competition rules. If it had been identified during the game Senior and his partner Andy Sullivan would have been penalised up to two holes. As the matter came to light after their 2&1 win and apparently discussed with The R&A beforehand and agreed the result was allowed to stand.
17 year old Welshman Rhys Pugh won all three of his games including two against World #1 Patrick Cantlay and another against the recent U.S. Amateur champion Kelly Kraft. Paul Cutler won three and halved one of his games to make an equally important contribution.
A 23-man GB&I squad was announced in November 2010 with a first training session held at Portmarnock G.C. in December. The squad included James Byrne, Laurie Canter, Paul Cutler, Alan Dunbar, Rhys Enoch, Oliver Farr, Tyrrell Hatton, Billy Hemstock, Stiggy Hodgson, Alastair Jones, Ross Kellett, Tom Lewis, Chris Lloyd, Kris Nicol, Matt Nixon, Eddie Pepperell, Kevin Phelan, Rhys Pugh, Jack Senior, Matthew Southgate, Michael Stewart, Andy Sullivan and Darren Wright.
2011 Walker Cup Ball Marker
Steven Brown played his way on to the team through his performances in 2011 most noticeably through his win at the English Amateur.
Unusually the USGA appointed their 2011 captain Jim Holtgrieve in December 2008, a full 2.5 years before the match and also prior to the 2009 contest.
The USGA drip fed their team announcement in August 2011. Patrick Cantlay, Harris English, Russell Henley and Peter Uihlein were introduced on 3rd August. Then on 7th August Patrick Rodgers, Nathan Smith and Chris Williams were added. Finally Blayne Barber, Kelly Kraft and Jordan Spieth were added on 29th August after the U.S. Amateur had finished. Andrew Yun was also announced as the first alternate.
John Peterson, who had won the 2011 Jones Cup and NCAA Division I individual competition, was a notable absentee from the final USGA selection.
Future U.S. President Donald Trump attended the opening ceremony of the match.
USA were strong favourites going into the match boasting five of the top 6 players in the WAGR in their line up. These were Patrick Cantley #1, Jordan Spieth #2, Patrick Rodgers #3, Peter Uihlein #4 and Harris English #6.
GB&I’s Andy Sullivan was #5 and Tom Lewis #7 in the same early September 2009 list.
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