Largest Margins of Victory in Walker Cup Foursomes Matches

What are the biggest blowouts in the history of foursomes matches in the Walker Cup? One 18-hole foursomes match ended in an 8-and-7 win, and two 36-hole matches ended with 9-and-8 scores.

Foursomes is the format that is also known as alternate shot. The Walker Cup is played every two years between two teams of amateur male golfers, one representing Great Britain & Ireland, one representing the United States. The competition dates to 1922. Prior to 1963, all matches were scheduled for 36 holes, but from 1963 to present all matches are 18 holes.

Biggest Winning Margins, 18-Hole Foursomes

• 8 and 7 — Collin Morikawa and Norman Xiong (USA) def. Harry Ellis and Alfie Plant (GB&I), 2017 Walker Cup, Los Angeles Country Club (North Course) in Los Angeles, California
• 7 and 6 — Bob Lewis Jr. and Jim Holtgrieve (USA) def. Malcolm Lewis and Martin Thompson (GB&I), 1983 Walker Cup, Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England
• 7 and 6 — Bryce Molder and David Eger (USA) def. Steven O'Hara and Marc Warren (GB&I), 2001 Walker Cup, Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia
• 7 and 5 — Vinny Giles and Gary Koch (USA) def. Rodney Foster and Trevor Homer (GB&I), 1973 Walker Cup, The Country Club (Championship Course) in Brookline, Massachusetts

Just as with the list of largest Walker Cup singles margins of victory, all of the matches listed here — whether 18 holes or 36 holes — were won by the Team USA side, lost by the Team GB&I side.

For Collin Morikawa and Norman Xiong in 2017, their 8-and-7 victory means they took an 8-up lead with just seven holes left, ensuring victory and ending the match after just the 11th hole. Team USA won that Walker Cup by a 19-7 score.

Biggest Winning Margins, 36-Hole Foursomes

• 9 and 8 — Harvie Ward and Jack Westland (USA) def. John Langley and Arthur Perowne (GB&I), 1953 Walker Cup, Kittansett Club in Marion, Massachusetts
• 9 and 8 — Billy Joe Patton and Charles Coe (USA) def. Michael Bonallack and Arthur Perowne (GB&I), 1959 Walker Cup, Muirfield, Scotland

Poor Arthure Perowne was on the losing side of the only two foursomes matches in Walker Cup history to end in a 9-and-8 victory for the winning side. Perowne was a three-time Walker Cup player, also appearing in 1949. And in that 1949 Walker Cup, Perowne was on the losing side of an 8-and-7 foursomes match!

Perowne's best showing in the British Amateur Championship was reaching the semifinals in 1953, where he lost to Harvie Ward — one of the Team USA partners who beat Perowne's Team GB&I side 9 and 8 in that same year's Walker Cup. Ward was one of the giants of his era in amateur golf, winning one British Amateur and two U.S. Amateurs. Ward's partner in the 1953 victory, Jack Westland, didn't have quite the list of achievements that Ward did (few did), but he did go on to serve six terms as a United States Congressman.

Related articles:

• Scores of every Walker Cup match ever played
• Youngest and oldest Walker Cup golfers
• Golfers who won the most points in the Walker Cup

Sources:
United States Golf Association. Walker Cup, All-Time Records, Match Play, https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/media/online-media-center/usga-records/walker-cup-records.html.