It marked the United States’ fifth straight Walker Cup victory. They scored this hard-fought victory on the heels of a thrilling contest at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, California. That Saturday–Sunday of September 23-24, 2025 might see the fourth consecutive dominating performance by the Americans against their rivals from across the pond in Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I). This triumphant win added to their dominance in the historic amateur golf tournament.
A special shout out to Captain Nathan Smith for leading the U.S. team to victory! That’s quite a feat, having an overall record of 40 wins, nine losses and one tie since the series started back in 1922. The Americans are yet to lose on home soil since the competition began in 1922, underlining their dominance of the Walker Cup. This year, they set the bar even higher with a combined 8-1-1 showing in Sunday singles matches. That’s their worst showing in this category since 2009!
The U.S. team came into this competition with great precociousness. Along with that, they had all four players in the world amateur rankings. Mason Howell, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, was huge, winning a critical halve vs. GB&I’s Connor Graham. In fact, Howell was the model of summer consistency. His outstanding performance at the Walker Cup cemented his status as one of the game’s best amateurs.
Veteran Stewart Hagestad added even more firepower to the young American team with a resounding 4-and-3 win of his own. In the process, Preston Stout helped fuel the Americans’ success by upsetting Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cupper Ian Poulter. He won the match 2 and 1. The U.S. team’s depth and talent were the stars of the show during the week, as the U.S. squad dominated their GB&I opponents time and time again.
On the GB&I side, captain Dean Robertson took his troops to war against an astonishingly prepared U.S. cavalry. Performers such as Tommy Morrison and Niall Shiels Donegan really went the extra mile. As elite as these players were, the GB&I team was never able to match their American counterparts. Even for Koivun, the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer, the first stage was daunting. After losing his opening foursomes match on Friday morning, he responded immediately and won his next three matches!
The mood at Cypress Point was electric as fans got to see an incredible show of skill, effort, and sportsmanship from both teams. Performances So what carried the day for the U.S. team? Perhaps as important were their collaborative cohesion and smart strategy during the competition itself.
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