PHOTO GALLERY: When They Were Walker Cuppers

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September 7, 2017 1 min read

PHOTO GALLERY: When They Were Walker Cuppers

Many of the game's top pro golfers got their first gained notoriety by playing as amateurs in the Walker Cup<br><br> By Ryan Herrington

Many of the game’s top pro golfers got their first gained notoriety by playing as amateurs in the Walker Cup

By Ryan Herrington

Kite played on the U.S. team that lost to Great Britain & Ireland in 1971 at St. Andrews, one of only two times the GB&I side beat the Americans in the first 32 editions of the match.

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Wadkins was playing in his second Walker Cup at St. Andrews, and won both of his singles matches on the Old Course.

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The Wake Forest college teammates were naturally paired together in foursomes twice at St. Andrews, winning both times.

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Stadler was 3-0 for the U.S. at St. Andrews, with the American team easily avenging their 1971 loss at St. Andrews, beating the GB&I side 15.5-8.5.

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Pate turned pro shortly after playing for the U.S. team at St. Andrews. Less than a year later, he would go on to win the U.S. Open title at Atlanta Athletic Club.

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Love beat Peter McEvoy, 5 and 3, in the final singles session to help the U.S. team beat GB&I 13-11 at New Jersey’s Pine Valley G.C.

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Foreshadowing some of his Ryder Cup prowess, Monty was the lone bright spot for the GB&I side at Sunningdale G.C. While the U.S. team won convincingly, 16.5-7.5, Montgomerie was the only GB&I player to win both his singles matches.

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The fellow Irishman has a surprisingly rough time of it at Portmarnock. Teamed together in the first foursomes sessions, the pair lost, 2 and 1, to career amateurs Jay Sigel and Allen Doyle. Harrington lost in the only other match he played while McGinley did at least win one of his two other matches.

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In the lone Walker Cup appearance for each of these future major winners, Mickelson compiled a 3-1 record at Poirtmarnock, and Duval went 2-1.

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In his lone Walker Cup appearance, Woods was 2-2 at Royal Porthcawl as the American side lost for just the fourth time in the history of the event. Phil

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Nine months before Rose famously finish T-4 at the British Open as an amateur, the then 17-year-old was the only player on the GB&I team to have a winning record at Quaker Ridge G.C. (2-1).

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Donald will go down as one of GB&I’s all-time Walker Cup stalwarts after compiling a 4-0 record at Nairn G.C. en route to a 15-9 drubbing of the Americans. Two years later Donald would go 3-1 at Ocean Forest to help GB&I repeat in the match for the first time in history.

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Bill followed in the footsteps of his father Jay (1975) and uncle Jerry (1985) by playing in the competition, going 2-2 at Ganton G.C. as the Americans lost for a third straight time.

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Before the young guns started to go at it in the pro ranks, they clashed at Royal County Down. Fowler, alongside Billy Horschel, beat McIlroy (paired with Jonny Caldwell) in Sunday morning foursomes, as the Americans pulled out a 12.5-11.5 victory.

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Simpson struggled in his one Walker Cup appearance, going 0-2 at Royal County Down.

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Within four years of this foursome helping the U.S. win at Royal County Down, all four had earned PGA Tour cards.

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Before he’d become more well known as the 2016 Masters champion, Willett played for GB&I, posting an 0-2-2 mark at Royal County Down.

At 18, Fleetwood was the youngest member of the GB&I side at Merion, and did not have the long locks we’ve seen from him as a pro. He finished the week with a 1-1 record.

Spieth went 2-0-1 at Royal Aberdeen, halving his Sunday foursomes match when paired with Rodgers. The duo, however, were on the wrong end of the final tally, with the GB&I team winning 14-12.

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Thomas made the Walker Cup his amateur swansong, and did so in style, posting a 2-0-1 record include a 6-and-4 blowout win over Max Orrin in Sunday singles as the U.S. cruised to a 17-9 victory.

Fitzpatrick, low amateur at the British Open that summer before winning the U.S. Amateur title, continued his solid play by recording a 3-1 for GB&I in the team’s loss at National Golf Links of America.

Fresh off his U.S. Amateur win at Olympia Fields, DeChambeau was among the few bright spots for the American side that was drubbed by GB&I, 16.5-9.5. He was one just two U.S. players to win his Sunday singles match to go 2-0-1 for the week.

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Golf Digest Middle East

Launched in 2008, Golf Digest Middle East is the #1 golf magazine in the region, featuring local content and exclusive articles from the world's leading professionals

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