It’s becoming a formality for the U.S. team.
Through the fog—and beauty—of Cypress Point Golf Club, Team USA emerged victorious in the 50th Walker Cup, claiming their fifth consecutive triumph over Great Britain and Ireland in the biennial matches by a score of 17-9.
“I’m just blown away,” U.S. captain Nathan Smith said after clinching the win. “They showed up all weekend, in both singles matches in the afternoon, and I don’t know if I've ever seen a Walker Cup team bring it like they did this afternoon in singles.”
In the two-day championship, the 10-man U.S. team that boasted the top six players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, entered the final day leading 6.5 to 5.5. Then, as Smith alluded to, they never took their foot off the gas pedal.
The two squads split Sunday morning’s foursome session, with the highlight being reigning U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell’s walk-off, eagle hole-out from the fairway for a walk-off 3-and-1 win. Not bad for a high school senior.
WALK! OFF! WINNER!!! 🇺🇸
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) September 7, 2025
Mason Howell finishes off a 3-and-1 victory with a dunked eagle hole out! pic.twitter.com/Kr0W05jhBQ
But the Sunday singles matches are where the U.S. really asserted its dominance.
Early on, the U.S. held the lead in eight of all 10 matches. Auburn University’s Jackson Koivun, the world’s top-ranked amateur who earned his PGA Tour card earlier this year, secured the U.S.’s first singles point, and they were four points away from the win.
Tommy Morrison added another point for the Americans, followed by Ethan Feng. Then, five-time Walker Cupper Stewart Hagestad retained the cup for the U.S. by drilling a long birdie putt to win his match and give his team 13.5 points to ensure at least a tie.
The winning moment? It came in grand style. Preston Stout, a part of Oklahoma State’s 2025 national championship team, knocked his approach from the fairway roughly a foot from the hole to seal the deal.
In the end, the U.S. earned 8.5 out of the possible 10 points in singles.
The shot that clinched the Walker Cup! 🇺🇸@OSUCowboyGolf's Preston Stout seals it for the United States! pic.twitter.com/2Z1iRFquaM
— The Walker Cup (@WalkerCup) September 8, 2025
“Even in the morning, so many matches flipped and everything, and Mason holing out, and then the afternoon, you just look up there and there’s just red all over the board,” said Smith, who was part of the 2009, 2011 and 2013 Walker Cup teams. “I couldn't believe it. I had to kind of do a double-check and just stay away from it. It was pretty special. They’re all special. I’m very fortunate.”
A two-time major champion and 2015 Walker Cupper was at Cypress with the U.S. team: Bryson DeChambeau
“I think [DeChambeau] showing up in general means so much to us,” Smith said, “the Walker Cup alumni and everything, and he gave him a pump-up speech last night, which they loved and got them going. Thirty-six [holes] is a long day, so they were ready to play today.”
Of course, there’s the flip side of the coin. GB&I hasn’t won since 2015 at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club and hasn’t been victorious on American soil since 2001. The U.S. now leads the all-time series, 40-9-1.
Luckily for GB&I, the match is shifting to even years. Therefore, they will only have to wait a year—instead of two—to avenge this loss, and it can be done on home turf at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland.
“We had a belief,” GB&I captain Dean Robertson said in defeat. “We had a goal, and the goal was 13-and-a-half points. Even at lunchtime today, we had to come out and we had to get momentum. But the red went on the board early, and the top U.S. players, hats off to them, they played fantastic.
“I’m really proud of my players. They’ll grow from this. I was in the same position 32 years ago as a Walker Cupper at Interlachen. As much as losing sucks, if it didn’t, then it wouldn't matter.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Wins Walker Cup With Dominant Final Day at Cypress Point.
