Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they delve into the hottest topics in sports, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss the GB&I Walker Cup’s epic comeback and look ahead to next week’s Solheim Cup in Holland.
Great Britain and Ireland won Sunday 51st Walker Cup to Lahinch in Ireland, storming back to take seven of 10 points in Sunday singles to stun the Americans, win 13.5-12.5 and claim their first victory in the event for the first time in the last six meetings. How in the world did they pull this off?
Zephyr Melton, Associate Editor of Game Improvement (@zephyrmelton): Momentum is a hell of a thing. Winning the first four points of the singles session (in quite dominant fashion) was huge for his self-belief. From there, they rode the momentum and energy from the home crowd to a victory.
Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): Zeph nailed it. They took “Uncle Mo”, thanks to great victories of Stuart Grehan, Jack Whaley, Luke Poulter and Tyler Weaver, took the people home and made the press of the Americans. Everything had to go his way, and it did. Sports!
Jack Hirsh, associate crew editor (@JR_HIRSHey): They flipped the script. In recent history, the Americans have dominated in singles while the GB&I team has been very successful in foursomes, the only team format that the Walker Cup uses. This week, it was the opposite. On the strength of the foursomes sweep on Sunday morning, the American team won all eight foursomes matches for the week for the first time since 2019. But GB&I was able to halve the singles session on Saturday and then pull ahead with an impressive 7-3 run on Sunday afternoon.
GB&I held a 6.5-5.5 lead after Day 1, although the Americans won all four of Sunday’s foursome matches to take a 9.5-6.5 lead in singles. With the Americans winning the last five Walker Cups, did you think it was over heading into Sunday’s singles? What was the biggest turning point on Sunday?
Melton: It was hard not to think that the Americans were on their way to another victory. With a clean sweep in the morning, it looked like the Walker Cup was coming back to the United States. That is, everyone except those in the GB&I team room. What a return from the children.
Schrock: After the Sunday morning sweep, I thought it was over, especially with Preston Stout and Ethan Fang going out early. Even though they lost, Miles Russell, Tyler Watts and Ryder Cowan looked like an unbreakable firewall at the back. That was wrong.
Hirsh: Because of past dominance in singles, it’s usually a safe bet
And your 2026 Walker Cup MVP is it…
Melton: Give me Stuart Grehan. She was matched against top seed Preston Stout in all four sessions, and came away with 2.5 points – including wins in both singles matches. It’s heady stuff.
Schrock: It’s Grehan by a mile.
Hirsh: I can’t even argue with that, Grehan. Only mid morning. Only Irish. It goes toe-to-toe with amateurs No. 1. This is the dream of amateur players.
The Walker Cup visited places like Cypress Point, St. Andrews and Seminole before this year’s meeting in Lahinch, and in two years. heading to Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Does the Walker Cup have the best collection of courses among all of golf’s major events? And what could a certain organization beginning to hammer out the details for a new postseason game reinvented in 2028 learn from the Walker Cup?
Melton: Posts matter! I was at the 2021 Walker Cup in Seminole and it was one of my favorite events I’ve ever covered. When the fans have a look at some of the most sacred grounds of golf, it only raises the interest in the event. In terms of the best collection of courses, the only event that can compete is the Curtis Cup, whose future stadiums include Royal Dornoch(!), NGLA(!!), Pine Valley(!!!), Cypress Point(!!!!) and Seminole(!!!!!). There are no events that can stack up with a list like that.
Schrock: Yes, and the secret sauce of the Walker Cup is not worrying about infrastructure or big crowds and going to small historical places that we will never see and not hosting big events or big PGA Tour. The best event in golf.
Hirsh: Agree with my colleagues here. It’s amazing how no one seems to care what par is at a match event. No one cared that the last two hosts were under 7,000 yards from the tee when he teed off, despite the fact that the players on the teams are some of the longest in golf. Just take it to a great golf course and let the golf take care of itself. Nothing else. And as Zephyr brings Royal Dornoch – a noticeably shorter course of 6800 yards – which hosts the Curtis Cup, I’d like to see it added to the Walker Cup rotation, with the R&A having only chosen one future venue.
The 20th Solheim Cup begins later this week in the Netherlands, as the United States tries to win for the second consecutive meeting after Europe held the Cup for the previous three. The Americans’ best player, Nelly Korda, had a strong start to the season but failed to finish in the top 20 in her only two starts in August, and the United States also used the captain’s choice on a pair of players who were crucial to their victory in 2024 but who have struggled of late. Who has the upper hand this week, and what is the biggest Solheim Cup story you expect to see unfold?
Melton: Outside of Nelly leading Team USA, the American roster is a bit disappointing. This fact, coupled with the road-team disadvantage, should give Team Europe the advantage. As for the plots, I’m excited to watch Julia Lopez Ramirez hit the tee in foursomes. His driving range should be a huge asset for Team Europe all week.
Schrock: The biggest story for me is: Who provides support for Korda? I liked the choice of Rose Zhang who plays better, but I would have liked to see the Americans take Kiara Romero instead of Megan Khang. As Zeph said, the list of Americans outside of Nelly is disappointing, especially with Angel Yin coming back from an illness. I’m excited to see how Angela Stanford brings her team together and if she can find a way to make her team greater than the sum of its parts.
Hirsh: Can Korda put the team on his back and lead the US bid to victory? That would be one hell of a finish to a season in which he won two majors.
And finally, who wins? And who will be the MVP of the event?
Melton: Europe is Carlota Ciganda. He is an absolute threat in this event. I hope it continues this week.
Schrock: Europe and Esther Henseleit. She showed a ton of moxy at the AIG Women’s Open and it feels like she’s destined to be a problem for the Americans. If the US wins, it will be because Zhang and Yealimi Noh are playing to their roof.
Hirsh: Europe is Carlota Ciganda. It’s like Ian Poulter’s version of the Solheim Cup.
