‘Holy Grail’ of men’s amateur golf touches down in west Clare for the first time

Lahinch Golf Club is synonymous with Irish amateur golf, and club captain John Gleeson had no hesitation in describing the staging of the 51st Walker Cup this weekend as the ‘Holy Grail’ for the west Clare club.

They join Portmarnock (1991) and Royal County Down (2007) as the third Irish club to stage a match first played in 1922, becoming the 36th club to receive the honour.

At a gala dinner of past hosts held in the club’s impressively refurbished clubhouse earlier this week, Mr Gleeson expressed his delight at the club’s arrival at the summit of the men’s amateur game.

“As I look around this room on a very special occasion, I normally don’t get nervous, but I’m slightly nervous and apprehensive,” he joked. “The reason is that it is such an important occasion for Lahnch Golf Club.

“We were founded in 1892. We have a long and rich history in the game, particularly in the amateur game. The South of Ireland Championship, first played in 1895, has been at the forefront of golf here ever since. The famous John Burke, our own member, won it 11 times. JB Carr won it three times. 

“But the essence of Lahinch has been, down the years, amateur golf, and so for us to be accorded the honour by the R&A, to have a Walker Cup, is very special indeed.”

Referring to Burke, Brud Slattery and Nancy Connole as some of the club’s most distinguished servants, he added that “for those people, but all of the others who have done so much for this club down the years, the Walker Cup is a validation of everything that Lahinch Golf Club stands for. 

“The Holy Grail has arrived for Lahinch.”

Kevin Hammer, the president of the United States Golf Association, eloquently described the importance of the Walker Cup to golf.

“This truly is an exhibition, a celebration,” he said. “It’s a reunion, and it’s a competition. The competition is just one piece of the pie. We respect so much the way players play this game, play it in the right way with the respect, the sense of civility and decorum that we’ve come to expect in this game that we celebrate, and it’s something that all of us in this room and all of our clubs that are involved with the Walker Cup need to protect and cherish because you see different forms of golf being played today, but this is pure. 

“This is not commercialised. This is walking the fairways, not many rope lines. You feel like you’re playing the golf course alongside tomorrow’s stars, and you get to watch them today up close and personal, and you get to feel like you’re playing the golf course alongside them. 

“So we welcome that spirit. We’re here to celebrate that with you all. We can’t wait.”

Saturday: Four foursomes matches in the morning and eight singles matches in the afternoon. On Sunday, there will be four foursomes matches in the morning and 10 singles matches in the afternoon. 

One full point is awarded for each victory, while a half-point is earned for matches that are all square after 18 holes. The USA needs 13 points to retain the Cup, while GB&I requires 13.5 points to reclaim it for the first time since 2015.

Unlike the 2019 Irish Open, when the par-five second and fourth holes were played as par-fives, the Old Course at Lahinch will be played as on the traditional card.

Lahinch will be set up at 6,914 yards and will play to a par of 36-36–72. The yardage for each session will vary due to course set-up and conditions.

Total 72, 6,914 yards

Fans can tune in to live coverage of The Walker Cup on Saturday and Sunday. The action will be broadcast on Sky Sports and R&A TV, with highlights on the BBC. 

Sunday’s action will also be available to watch live on The R&A YouTube channel. Viewers in the USA will be able to watch the match on Golf Channel.

Saturday: Morning foursomes 8.30am to 1pm. Afternoon singles 2pm to 7pm.

Sunday: Morning foursomes 8am to 12.30pm. Afternoon singles 1.30pm  to 7pm

2025 Walker Cup: Cypress Point, California, USA 17 GB&I 9 

2023 Walker Cup: St. Andrews (Old Course), Scotland, USA 14½ GB&I 11½

2021 Walker Cup: Seminole, Florida, USA 14 GB&I 12

2019 Walker Cup: Royal Liverpool, England USA 15½ GB&I 10½

2017 Walker Cup: The Los Angeles Country Club,  USA 19 GB&I 7

2015 Walker Cup: Royal Lytham & St Annes, England GB&I 16½ USA 9½

2013 Walker Cup: National Golf Links of America, NY USA 17 GB&I 9

2011 Walker Cup: Royal Aberdeen, Scotland GB&I 14 USA 12

2009 Walker Cup: Merion Golf Club, Pa. USA 16½ GB&I 9½

2007 Walker Cup: Royal County Down, Northern Ireland USA 12½ GB&I 11½

2005 Walker Cup: Chicago Golf Club. USA 12½ GB&I 11½

2003 Walker Cup: Ganton Golf Club, England GB&I 12½, USA 11½

2001 Walker Cup: Ocean Forest Golf Club, GB&I 15 USA 9

Future matches

2028: Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, in Bandon, Ore.

2030: Prince’s Golf Club, in Kent, England

2032: Oakmont Country Club, in Oakmont, Pa.

2034 TBA

2036: Chicago Golf Club, in Wheaton, Ill.

2038 TBA

2040: National Golf Links of America, in Southampton, N.Y.

USA: Nathan Smith (48)

The Pittsburgh native captained the victorious USA Team at Cypress Point Club in 2025 after competing in three Walker Cups as a player in 2009 (win), 2011 (loss) and 2013 (win), compiling a 3-4-1 overall record.  Smith has won five USGA championships, including a record four US Mid-Amateurs. In 2004, Smith competed in the first of his four Masters Tournaments, where he was paired with Arnold Palmer, who was playing in his final Masters.

GB&I: Dean Robertson (56)

The Scot captained the 2025 team at Cypress Point Club and represented Great Britain & Ireland in the 1993 Walker Cup Match at Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota. Although GB&I lost, Robertson did record a singles victory over USA legend Jay Sigel. He turned professional in 1993 and claimed two wins, including the 1999 Italian Open, finishing a career-best 25th on the Order of Merit that year. Currently serves as the high-performance golf coach at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

1 – Preston Stout (21) from Texas. Making his second Walker Cup appearance. Playing alongside Ethan Fang at Oklahoma State, the World No 1 claimed the NCAA Division I individual title in May. 

2 – Tyler Watts (18) from Huntsville, Alabama, is an incoming freshman at the University of Tennessee. Making his first Walker Cup appearance. 

4 – William Jennings (20) from Greenville, South Carolina, is a rising junior at the University of Alabama. Making his first Walker Cup appearance. Runner-up in the stroke-play portion of the 2026 NCAA Championship. 

5 – Miles Russell (17) from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, is making his first Walker Cup appearance. The left-hander made the cut and finished T-39 in his US Open debut at Shinnecock Hills, where he played alongside Pádraig Harrington in the first two rounds. Won the US Kids World Championship twice.

6 – Ryder Cowan (20) from Edmond, Oklahoma, is making his Walker Cup debut. Low-amateur at the 2026 US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, finishing T-23.

7 – Josiah Gilbert (20) from Millbrook, Alabama, is making his first Walker Cup appearance, having helped Auburn win the NCAA Division I Championship in 2024 and 2026.

9 – Ethan Fang (21) from Plano, Texas, is making his second consecutive Walker Cup appearance. Won the 2025 Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s, beating Co Louth’s Gavin Tiernan. 

11 – Kihei Akina (20) from Alpine, Utah, is making his Walker Cup debut. Earned the 2026 Phil Mickelson Award as the top US collegiate freshman. 

12 – Jay Leng Jr (20) from San Diego, California, is another debutant. Runner-up in the 2026 US Amateur at Merion, he also won this year’s Western Amateur. He was also a member of the 2023 USA Junior Ryder Cup Team.

25 – Stewart Hagestad (35) from Newport Beach, California, is competing in his sixth Walker Cup. His 7-1 record in Walker Cup singles play makes him a formidable presence. All five of his previous appearances were victories for the USA. A three-time US Mid-Amateur winner, he has qualified for five US Opens.

3 – Tyler Weaver (21), England, is making his second Walker Cup appearance. The highest-ranked player on his team at No 2 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking. Enjoyed a stellar junior season at Florida State. Back issues have limited the Englishman’s play this season. Went 1-3 at last year’s Walker Cup, falling to Jackson Koivun in both singles matches.

8 – Luke Poulter (22), England, is making his second Walker Cup appearance. The son of seven-time Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter, he went 2-2 at Cypress Point last year. Represented the International Team in their 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup win at Tralee.

8 – Niall Sheils Donegan (21), Scotland, is making his second consecutive Walker Cup appearance. Won two of his three matches last year. Grew up in California, transferred to the University of North Carolina for the 2025-26 season after two years at Northwestern. Made the semis of the 2025 US Amateur. Another member of the Arnold Palmer Cup-winning side at Tralee.

18 – Eliot Baker (23), England, is competing in his second Walker Cup. Runner-up at the 2026 England Men’s Open Stroke Play, he tied for ninth at this year’s European Amateur. The Devon native also made his DP World Tour debut in Scotland at the Nexo Championship, finishing in 15th place.

26 – Connor Graham (19), Scotland, is competing in his third Walker Cup. Became the youngest-ever member of the team at 16 years old in 2023. A rising junior at Texas Tech University. 

28 – Stuart Grehan (33), Ireland, is making his second Walker Cup appearance after going 1-2-1 at Cypress Point last year. Regained his amateur status in 2025 and captured The Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool in June. Won the 2025 Irish Amateur Open and Irish Men’s Amateur Close as well as the 2026 East of Ireland; also won the South of Ireland at Lahinch in 2015. The second-oldest player in this year’s competition behind the USA’s Stewart Hagestad.

45 – Jack Whaley (22) England, edged Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins out of the side when he won the 2026 US Amateur at Merion. The Florida State senior defeated Stanford’s Jay Leng Jnr 4&3.

76 – Sam Easterbrook (21), England, is making his first Walker Cup appearance. A rising senior at Purdue University, he reached the quarter-finals of the 2026 Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool.

86 – Ben Bolton (19), England, is making his Walker Cup debut. Tied for third at the 2026 Lytham Trophy and qualified for match play at The Amateur Championship in June at Royal Liverpool.

93 – Josh Hill (22), England, is making his first Walker Cup appearance. Grew up in Dubai and won the Al Ain Open on the MENA Tour at 15 in 2019, becoming the youngest player to win a professional tournament carrying Official World Golf Ranking points. Previously represented GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy.