The 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point gave golf fans a look at one of the most prestigious courses in the world. While the famed course along the Monterey Peninsula was the lead character at this week’s showdown between America and Great Britain & Ireland, the golf eventually outshined the host.
GB&I jumped out to an early 3-1 lead after Saturday’s opening foursomes session. But the Americans responded in Saturday singles, with Bryson DeChambeau cheering them on, winning 5.5-2.5 to take a one-point lead into Sunday.
“I think just him showing up in general means so much to us,” American captain Nathan Smith said of DeChambeau. “He gave them a pump-up speech last night, which they loved and got them going. You know, 36 [holes] is a long day, so they were ready to play today.
The two sides split the Sunday morning foursomes sessions, with Howell providing the moment of the day when he holed his approach shot on the 17th to win the match and put a point on the board.
The 2-2 split in the Sunday morning session meant the U.S. entered the Sunday singles portion with an 8.5-7.5 lead, needing 4.5 points to retain the cup and five to win it.
Koivun got things going for the Americans on Sunday evening. The World No. 1 amateur went out in the first match and defeated Luke Weaver 3 and 2 to inch the American closer to the cup.
Morrison followed with a 3 and 2 win over Niall Shiels Donegan to bring the U.S. within 2.5 points of cup retention.
As the fog rolled in and made visibility hard for the players, the American team kept its foot on the gas with its goal in sight. Ethan Fang rolled over Stuart Grehan 5 and 4, and Howell halved his match with Connor Graham to stretch the lead to 12-8. Graham’s putt to win the match was tracking, but hit the lip of the cup and rimmed out.
With the Americans one point away from retention, Stewart Hagestad, playing in his fifth Walker Cup, rolled in a long birdie putt through the Cypress Point fog to dispatch Eliot Baker 4 and 3 and give the Americans the cup.
“Credit to everyone else for doing their job,” Hagestad, who is now 7-1 in Walker Cup singles matches, told NBC’s Kira K. Dixon after the match. “The timing of it couldn’t have worked out [better]. I’m just so happy that went in. I hit that one a little hard but every putt is a straight putt if you hit it hard enough.”
Not a minute after Hagestad’s bomb, Preston Stout left no doubt by knifing his approach shot on the 17th through the thickening fog and sticking it to a foot to win his match over Luke Poulter and ensure the Americans did more than just retain the cup.
“I’m just blown away,” American captain Nathan Smith said after his team’s win. “They showed up all weekend. I mean, both singles matches in the afternoon and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a Walker Cup team bring it like they did in singles this afternoon.”
When the dust settled on Sunday evening, with the fog thicker than ever, the Americans had won 17-9. They went 8.5-1.5 in Sunday singles in an unstoppable showing of talent and force that surely impressed the two-time U.S. Open champion, and Ryder Cup “weapon,” who was in attendance.
