The 1959 Walker Cup, the 17th Walker Cup Match, was played on 15 and 16 May 1959, at Muirfield, Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. The United States won by 9 matches to 3. The United States won all four of the foursomes matches on the first day. Although Great Britain and Ireland won three of the singles matches on the second day, it was a comfortable win for the United States.
| Dates | 15–16 May 1959 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Muirfield | ||||
| Location | Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland | ||||
| Captains |
| ||||
| |||||
| United States wins the Walker Cup | |||||
Format edit
Four 36-hole matches of foursomes were played on Friday and eight singles matches on Saturday. Each of the 12 matches was worth one point in the larger team competition. If a match was all square after the 36th hole extra holes were not played. The team with most points won the competition. If the two teams were tied, the previous winner would retain the trophy.
Teams edit
Great Britain & Ireland had a team of 10 plus a non-playing captain. Gerald Micklem was selected as the non-playing captain in November 1958 at which time an initial group of 14 possible players was also announced.[1] The team was announced on 15 April and included James Walker with Dickson Smith as the reserve.[2] Later in April Walker withdrew after being involved in a car accident which left him with a knee injury. He was replaced in the team by Smith.[3] A few days later Alan Thirlwell and Sandy Saddler were chosen as first and second reserves but were not required.[4]
  Great Britain and Ireland
| |||||
| Name | Age | Previous Walker Cups |
Matches | W–L–H | Winning percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gerald Micklem
|
47 | Non-playing captain | |||
| Michael Bonallack
|
24 | 1 | 0 | 0–0–0 | – |
 Joe Carr
|
37 | 6 | 12 | 3–8–1 | 29.17 |
 Reid Jack
|
35 | 1 | 2 | 1–1–0 | 50.00 |
| Michael Lunt
|
23 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| David Marsh
|
25 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Arthur Perowne
|
29 | 2 | 3 | 0–3–0 | 0.00 |
| Doug Sewell
|
29 | 1 | 2 | 1–1–0 | 50.00 |
| Alec Shepperson
|
23 | 1 | 1 | 0–0–1 | 50.00 |
| Dickson Smith
|
41 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Guy Wolstenholme
|
28 | 1 | 2 | 1–0–1 | 75.00 |
The United States only selected a team of 9, which included a playing captain.[5] The team was selected in early February.[6] The American team arrived in Scotland on 8 May.[7]
 USA
| |||||
| Name | Age | Previous Walker Cups |
Matches | W–L–H | Winning percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Coe – captain | 35 | 3 | 5 | 1–3–1 | 30.00 |
| Tommy Aaron | 22 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Deane Beman | 21 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Bill Hyndman | 43 | 1 | 1 | 1–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 19 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Billy Joe Patton | 37 | 2 | 4 | 4–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Bud Taylor | 42 | 1 | 2 | 2–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Harvie Ward | 33 | 2 | 4 | 4–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Ward Wettlaufer | 23 | 0 | Rookie | ||
Friday's foursomes edit
Deane Beman was left out of the United States team, while David Marsh and Dickson Smith were left out of British and Irish team. After the morning round Patton and Coe were 9 holes up but the other three matches were close, with Hyndman and Aaron 2 holes up and Great Britain and Ireland leading by 1 hole in the other two matches, Conditions were more difficult in the afternoon, with a stronger breeze. Patton and Coe won their match easily but the other three matches remained close. In the end, however, the United States won the first two matches by one hole while Wettlaufer and Nicklaus won at the 35th hole.[8]
| &
|
Results | 
|
|---|---|---|
| Jack/Sewell |  1 up
|
Ward/Taylor |
| Carr/Wolstenholme | 1 up
|
Hyndman/Aaron |
| Bonallack/Perowne | 9 & 8
|
Patton/Coe |
| Lunt/Shepperson | 2 & 1
|
Wettlaufer/Nicklaus |
| 0 | Foursomes | 4 |
| 0 | Overall | 4 |
Saturday's singles edit
For the singles Dickson Smith replaced Arthur Perowne while Deane Beman replaced Bud Taylor. This meant that David Marsh was not selected for any matches.[9][10]
| &
|
Results |
|
|---|---|---|
| Joe Carr |  2 & 1
|
Charles Coe |
| Guy Wolstenholme | 9 & 8
|
Harvie Ward |
| Reid Jack | 5 & 3
|
Billy Joe Patton |
| Doug Sewell | 4 & 3
|
Bill Hyndman |
| Alec Shepperson | 2 & 1
|
Tommy Aaron |
| Michael Bonallack | 2 up
|
Deane Beman |
| Michael Lunt | 6 & 5
|
Ward Wettlaufer |
| Dickson Smith | 5 & 4
|
Jack Nicklaus |
| 3 | Singles | 5 |
| 3 | Overall | 9 |
References edit
- ^ "Walker Cup nominees". Glasgow Herald. 15 November 1958. p. 7.
- ^ "Britain's Walker Cup team for Muirfield". Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1959. p. 9.
- ^ "Smith in Walker Cup side". Glasgow Herald. 28 April 1959. p. 9.
- ^ "Saddler and Thirlwell Cup reserves". Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1959. p. 11.
- ^ "1959 – HCEG Muirfield". walkercup.co.uk. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ Horne, Cyril (2 February 1959). "Coe to lead U.S. Walker Cup team". Glasgow Herald. p. 4.
- ^ "Americans' arrival at Turnhouse". Glasgow Herald. 9 May 1959. p. 9.
- ^ Horne, Cyril (16 May 1959). "Britain loses Walker Cup foursomes". Glasgow Herald. p. 1.
- ^ Horne, Cyril (18 May 1959). "Americans again win Walker Cup". Glasgow Herald. p. 3.
- ^ Rey, Jr., Joseph C. (June 1959). "A bonus of value in the Walker Cup" (PDF). USGA Journal and Turf Management: 8.