Walker Cup: Everything you need to know about the Walker Cup at St Andrews

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Aug 27, 2023

The world’s best amateurs will do battle at St Andrews. Check out our guide to the Walker Cup…

The Walker Cup is the sport’s oldest international match, dating back more than a century.

It is the biggest amateur team competition, pitting 10 players from Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) against 10 players from the United States (US).

The event dates back to 1922, when the competition was held annually to start off with. Since 1926, the competition has been held bi-annually, with the exception of the break during World War II.

The US team has been dominant in the competition, winning 38 of the 48 matches that have been contested to date. However, in recent years, GB&I have had more success, with six wins in the last 30 years.

This year, the competition returns to the ‘Home of Golf’ for the first time in almost five decades. The Old Course at St Andrews last hosted the tournament back in 1975, but has of course hosted plenty of major tournaments since.

Everything you need to know about the 2023 Walker Cup

Check out our comprehensive coverage of this year’s Walker Cup – from frequently asked questions, to the competition’s unique heritage, and how the course is shaping up – by reading and clicking on some of the links below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the odds for the Walker Cup?

The odds for this year’s edition are not official as yet, but expect the United States to be the favourites as they have won the last three editions of the tournament.

When and where will the Walker Cup take place?

The 2023 Walker Cup will take place on 2-3 September. The match will be played on the Old Course at St Andrews.

How can I get tickets for the Walker Cup?

Tickets for the 2023 Walker Cup are on sale now via the R&A website. Tickets for both days can be bought individually, as well as the option of a weekend ticket.

Who won the last Walker Cup?

The current holders are the United States. They won on home soil at Seminole Golf Club, by a score of 14-12. The US team have won the last three editions of the competition.

How can I watch the Walker Cup?

The 2023 edition of the competition will be broadcast live around the world by various broadcast partners. Sky Sports will show live coverage of the competition in the United Kingdom.

How does the selection process for the Walker Cup work?

The two teams have different processes to get to their final team of 10 players.

Team GB&I start off with the Amateur Champion, if eligible. Then, the top two GB&I players on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) on Wednesday, August 16, will be selected. Should The Amateur Champion occupy one of the guaranteed WAGR positions or any of the leading two WAGR players are unavailable the place(s) will not transfer to the next ranked GB&I player. The rest of the GB&I team will then be selected by the Committee.

The top three Americans in the WAGR prior to the US Amateur Championship will be selected for Team US. The winner of the US Amateur and the Mark H. McCormack Medal winner (both if eligible) will also be guaranteed a place on the 10-man team. The remaining selections, which will include at least one mid-amateur (25 years and older) player, will be decided by the USGA’s International Team Selection Committee (ITSC).