The 47th Walker Cup between the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland is being played at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England this week.
You’d think the event was being played in Australia after watching the boomerang-esque wedge shot Texas sophomore Cole Hammer hit during practice on Friday afternoon.
The wind is blowing so hard the World No. 1 Amateur decided to have a little fun while showcasing the wild conditions both teams will face in the biennial two-day amateur event.
The Houston native is used to a little wind, which is why he’s dismissive about the so-called GB&I advantage of playing links golf.
“I’m from Texas. It blows down there hard, so I’ve seen this before,” explained Hammer. “We’re not worried about the weather. Honestly, the harder it is, the better it is for us.”
Despite his stellar ranking, U.S. captain Nathaniel Crosby left Hammer out of Team USA’s lineup in the opening foursomes session. That said, Hammer is set to lead the singles matches both days and will play in Sunday’s foursomes.
TV coverage
There is no live TV coverage of the 2019 Walker Cup, but there will be highlight shows at Golf Channel at 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
