The Walker Cup will make a triumphant return to Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach on Sept. 5-7.
What exactly is the Walker Cup?
The Walker Cup is a biennial 10-man competition between the top amateurs from the United States and Great Britain & Ireland, contested over two days with 18 singles and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. The USA leads the overall series that began in 1922, 39-9-1, but it has been tremendously competitive over the last three decades, with the USA holding just an 11-7 advantage since 1989.
The last time the event was held at Cypress Point was in 1981, when the Americans won the title, 15-9. Among the event's highlights was Jim Holtgrieve's play on the world-famous par-3 16th hole. Holtgrieve hit a 2 iron off the tee (240+ yards) to 2 feet, making birdie on the hole for the winning point.
It's the first time the event returns to Cypress Point since 1981.
What exactly happened to bring it back? Chairperson Peter Barker has the story:
In other Walker Cup news, the USGA recently announced its first three selections for the 2025 USA Walker Cup Team based on WAGR standings as of June 18:
- Jackson Koivun – The world’s No. 1 amateur, a former Junior Tour of Northern California standout and star at Auburn, Koivun swept major college honors including the Haskins and Mickelson Awards, and led Auburn to an NCAA team title. Look for a feature on Koivun in the Fall issue of NCGA Golf Magazine.
- Ben James – A three-time first-team All-American at Virginia, James was part of the 2023 Walker Cup-winning squad at St. Andrews and remains one of the most polished ball-strikers in the amateur game.
- Michael La Sasso – The NCAA individual champion from Ole Miss, La Sasso has shown fearless scoring ability and the ability to close. He posted a sub-70 scoring average and thrived in big events throughout the 2024–25 season.
