The 1989 Walker Cup, the 32nd Walker Cup Match, was played on August 16 and 17, 1989, at Peachtree Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia. The event was won by the Great Britain and Ireland team, 12½ to 11½. It was the Great Britain and Ireland team's third win in the Walker Cup and their first in the United States. Of the previous 31 matches, the United States had won 28, lost 2 and had tied once, at Baltimore Country Club in 1965.
| Dates | August 16–17, 1989 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Peachtree Golf Club | ||||
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia | ||||
| Captains |
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| Great Britain & Ireland wins the Walker Cup | |||||
Great Britain and Ireland had taken an 11–5 lead after the second-day foursomes, needing just 1½ points from the 8 afternoon singles matches. However, the United States staged a recovery and won 5 and halved 2 of the first 7 matches. That meant that if Jay Sigel beat Jim Milligan in the final match, the result would be a tie and the United States would retain the Cup as defending holders. Sigel was 3-up after 11 holes and still 2-up after 15. Milligan won the 16th hole after pitching close and then won the 17th after chipping in, leveling the match. Both players took bogey 5s at the final hole to leave the match halved and to give Great Britain and Ireland a 12½–11½ victory.[1][2]
Format edit
The format for play on Wednesday and Thursday was the same. There were four matches of foursomes in the morning and eight singles matches in the afternoon. In all, 24 matches were played.
Each of the 24 matches was worth one point in the larger team competition. If a match was all square after the 18th hole extra holes were not played. Rather, each side earned ½ a point toward their team total. The team that accumulated at least 12½ points won the competition. If the two teams were tied, the previous winner would retain the trophy.
Teams edit
Ten players for the United States and Great Britain & Ireland participated in the event plus one non-playing captain for each team.[3]
United States edit
Captain: Fred Ridley
- David Eger
- Robert Gamez
- Ralph Howe
- Kevin Johnson
- Greg Lesher
- Doug Martin
- Eric Meeks
- Phil Mickelson
- Jay Sigel
- Danny Yates
Allen Doyle was selected for the team but withdrew because of injury and was replaced by Greg Lesher.[4]
Great Britain & Ireland edit
& 
Captain: 
Geoff Marks
Wednesday's matches edit
Morning foursomes edit
 & 
|
Results | 
|
|---|---|---|
| Claydon/Prosser |  3 & 2
|
Gamez/Martin |
| McEvoy/O’Connell |   6 & 5
|
Lesher/Sigel |
| Dodd/McGimpsey | halved | Yates/Mickelson |
| Milligan/Hare | 2 & 1
|
Eger/Johnson |
| 2½ | Foursomes | 1½ |
| 2½ | Overall | 1½ |
Afternoon singles edit
| &
|
Results |
|
|---|---|---|
| Jim Milligan | 7 & 6
|
Robert Gamez |
| Russell Claydon | 5 & 4
|
Doug Martin |
| Eoghan O’Connell | 5 & 4
|
Ralph Howe |
| Stephen Dodd | halved | Eric Meeks |
| Garth McGimpsey | 4 & 2
|
Phil Mickelson |
| Peter McEvoy | 2 & 1
|
Danny Yates |
| Craig Cassells | 1 up
|
Greg Lesher |
| Neil Roderick | halved | Jay Sigel |
| 5 | Singles | 3 |
| 7½ | Overall | 4½ |
Thursday's matches edit
Morning foursomes edit
| &
|
Results |
|
|---|---|---|
| McEvoy/O’Connell | halved | Gamez/Martin |
| Claydon/Cassells | 3 & 2
|
Sigel/Lesher |
| Milligan/Hare | 2 & 1
|
Eger/Johnson |
| McGimpsey/Dodd | 2 & 1
|
Mickelson/Yates |
| 3½ | Foursomes | ½ |
| 11 | Overall | 5 |
Afternoon singles edit
| &
|
Results |
|
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Dodd | 1 up
|
Robert Gamez |
| Andrew Hare | halved | Doug Martin |
| Russell Claydon | 3 & 2
|
Greg Lesher |
| Peter McEvoy | 4 & 3
|
Danny Yates |
| Eoghan O’Connell | halved | Phil Mickelson |
| Neil Roderick | 4 & 2
|
David Eger |
| Craig Cassells | 4 & 2
|
Kevin Johnson |
| Jim Milligan | halved | Jay Sigel |
| 1½ | Singles | 6½ |
| 12½ | Overall | 11½ |
References edit
- ^ Jacobs, Raymond (August 18, 1989). "Milligan Chip in to win Cup". Glasgow Herald.
- ^ Sigel, Jay. "A Close Match at the 1989 Walker Cup". Links Magazine. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ "1989 – Peachtree GC". walkercup.co.uk. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
- ^ "Names in the News". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1989.