1926 Walker Cup Winner and Match Scores

The 1926 Walker Cup was the fourth time this competition was played. Following Team USA's win, the all-time standings were four wins for the United States, zero wins for Team GB&I.

Final Score: United States 6, Great Britain & Ireland 5

Dates Played: June 2-3, 1926

Location: The Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland

Team Captains: Robert Gardner for the United States and Robert Harris for Great Britain & Ireland

Team Rosters:

  • USA — Jesse Guilford, Watts Gunn, Bobby Jones, Roland MacKenzie, Francis Ouimet, Jess Sweetser, George Von Elm, Robert Gardner (playing captain)
  • GB&I: William Brownlow, Charles Hezlet, Ernest Holderness, Andrew Jamieson Jr., William Murray, A.F. Simpson, Eustace Storey, Cyril Tolley, Roger Wethered, Robert Harris (playing captain)
Notes: Team USA won three of the four Day 1 foursomes, then the first two singles matches on Day 2. Team GB&I then turned it around, winning four of the final six singles to produce the close final score. Watts Gunn's singles win and George Von Elm's halve against Charles Hezlet kept the Cup in American hands.

Bobby Jones, who later in the year won the 1926 British Open, set a record for largest margin of victory in a Walker Cup match when he beat Cyril Tolley 12-and-11 (all matches were 36 holes at this time). But that record only stood until the next tournament, when Jones beat another British golfer by an even bigger score in the 1928 Walker Cup.

The American side was stacked, led by Jones, of course. Only two of the team members (Watts Gunn and Roland Mackenzie) failed to win the U.S. Amateur. Jones and Jess Sweetser also won the British Amateur (Sweetser in the event immediately prior to the 1926 Walker Cup), and Jones and Ouimet also won the U.S. Open (and George Von Elm lost a 72-hole playoff in a U.S. Open).

1926 Walker Cup Results

(Note: At this time in Walker Cup history, a halved match awarded zero points, rather than the half-point to each side as is in the case today.)

Day 1 Foursomes

  • Roger Wethered/Ernest Holderness, GB&I, def. Francis Ouimet/Jesse Guilford, USA, 5 and 4
  • Bobby Jones/Watts Gunn, USA, def. Cyril Tolley/Andrew Jamieson, GB&I, 4 and 3
  • George Von Elm/Jess Sweetser, USA, def. Robert Harris/Charles Hezlet, GB&I, 8 and 7
  • Robert Gardner/Roland MacKenzie, USA, def. Eustace Storey/William Brownlow, 1-up
Score after first session: USA 3, GB&I 1

Day 2 Singles

  • Bobby Jones, USA, def. Cyril Tolley, GB&I, 12 and 11
  • Jess Sweetser, USA, def. Ernest Holderness, GB&I, 4 and 3
  • Roger Wethered, GB&I, def. Francis Ouimet, USA, 5 and 4
  • Charles Hezlet, GB&I, halved with George Von Elm, USA
  • Robert Harris, GB&I, def. Jesse Guilford, USA, 2 and 1
  • Watts Gunn, USA, def. William Brownlow, GB&I, 9 and 8
  • Eustace Storey, GB&I, def. Roland MacKenzie, USA, 2 and 1
  • Andrew Jamieson, GB&I, def. Robert Gardner, USA, 5 and 4
Score of second session: GB&I 4, USA 3
Overall and final score: USA 6, GB&I 5

Previous and next:
1924 Walker Cup | 1928 Walker Cup

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