GB&I Beats USA 13.5-12.5 to Win 2026 Walker Cup at Lahinch

Great Britain & Ireland rallied from a Sunday-morning deficit to beat the United States 13½-12½ and reclaim the Walker Cup at Lahinch Golf Club on Ireland's west coast, its first win in the biennial amateur team event since 2015.

How did GB&I complete the comeback?

GB&I held a one-point lead entering the final day, but the U.S. swept the Sunday foursomes 4-0 to take control, needing just three and a half points from the 10 singles matches to retain the Cup. GB&I answered by winning the singles session 7-3.

Stuart Grehan, the reigning Amateur champion, set the tone by beating world No. 1 Preston Stout 2&1. Jack Whaley, the U.S. Amateur champion, routed William Jennings 8&7 in 11 holes. Luke Poulter and Tyler Weaver added wins, and Niall Sheils Donegan halved his match to keep the momentum with the hosts.

Who clinched the Cup for GB&I?

Connor Graham, a 19-year-old playing his third Walker Cup, birdied the 17th and 18th holes to come back from two down and halve his match with Miles Russell. Eliot Baker then birdied the last to beat Stewart Hagestad, pulling GB&I within a point of the trophy.

That set up Josh Hill's match against world No. 2 Tyler Watts as the decider. Hill got up-and-down from a greenside bunker on the 18th to win the hole and the match, sealing the 13½-12½ victory.

"We were all pumped," Luke Poulter said.

What did it mean for the GB&I captain?

Dean Robertson took over as GB&I captain last year and lost his first match on U.S. soil. At Lahinch, he guided a team built partly around players who returned from that defeat. Robertson's father died earlier this year, and he said he thought of him during Sunday's rally.

The 2026 edition was the 51st playing of the Walker Cup, which pits amateur golfers from the U.S. against a combined Great Britain & Ireland squad every two years.