Walker Cup: The United States stormed to an 8-4 lead over Great Britain and Ireland on the opening day of the Walker Cup at Merion Golf Club yesterday. Royal Dublin's Niall Kearney provided one of the challengers rare full points in the foursomes but the home side hold a massive advantage.
The USA were already leading 3-1 going into the afternoon singles matches and things went from bad to worse for the visitors when Rickie Fowler trounced Sam Hutsby 7&6 and Peter Uihlein defeated Tommy Fleetwood 2&1, while Bud Cauley also beat Kearney by the same result.
Stiggy Hodgson, who also won his foursomes match alongside Kearney, salvaged some pride by beating Brendan Gielow in Great Britain and Ireland’s only singles victory.
Gavin Dear, Wallace Booth, Matt Haines and Chris Paisley halved their matches against Brian Harman, Cameron Tringale, Morgan Hoffmann and Drew Weaver respectively.
Earlier in the day, Uihlein and Nathan Smith’s dramatic victory over Dear and Haines helped the USA to a 3-1 lead.
The visitors had led for most of the match but Uihlein sank an 18-footer for par on the final hole to secure a 1up victory.
That was immediately followed by a 6&5 win for Fowler and Cauley over Luke Goddard and Dale Whitnell, which made it three out of three for the USA after Harman and Hoffmann defeated Booth and Hutsby 2&1 in the opener.
Hodgson and Kearney managed a 3&1 win over Tringale and Adam Mitchell in the final foursomes match to give Great Britain and Ireland a glimmer of hope.
Hodgson and Kearney will team up again in today’s foursomes with the visitors needing to turn the tables if they are to wrest the title away from the Americans.
United States of America 8 Great Britain & Ireland 4
Foursomes: Brian Harman & Morgan Hoffmann (USA) bt Wallace Booth & Sam Hutsby (Gbr & Irl) 2 & 1, Peter Uihlein & Nathan Smith (USA) bt Gavin Dear & Matt Haines (Gbr & Irl) 1up, Rickie Fowler & Bud Cauley (USA) bt Luke Goddard & Dale Whitnell (Gbr & Irl) 6 & 5, Cameron Tringale & Adam Mitchell (USA) lost to Stiggy Hodgson & Niall Kearney (Gbr & Irl) 1 & 3
Singles: Brian Harman (USA) halved with Gavin Dear (Gbr & Irl), Rickie Fowler (USA) bt Sam Hutsby (Gbr & Irl) 7 & 6, Cameron Tringale (USA) halved with Wallace Booth (Gbr & Irl), Morgan Hoffmann (USA) halved with Matt Haines (Gbr & Irl), Peter Uihlein (USA) bt Tommy Fleetwood (Gbr & Irl) 2 & 1, Drew Weaver (USA) halved with Chris Paisley (Gbr & Irl), Bud Cauley (USA) bt Niall Kearney (Gbr & Irl) 2 & 1, Brendan Gielow (USA) lost to Stiggy Hodgson (Gbr & Irl) 1 & 2
