1922 Walker Cup

In February 1922 the USGA sent an invitation to the R&A to send a team representing the British Isles to America to play a match against a team representing the USGA. It was suggested that 10 players-a-side would be a suitable number. The date suggested was just prior to the U.S. Amateur in early September. The letter also invited the R&A to send a team of four to the "Walker Cup" to take place at the National Golf Links of America after the Amateur Championship.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=February 28, 1922 |page=5 |title=International golf – An invitation from the United States}} The Invitation to play the International Match was accepted.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=March 3, 1922 |page=8 |title=Golf – Meeting of the Championship committee}} The R&A appealed to clubs to subscribe to a fund to finance the expenses, estimated at £2,000 to £3,000.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=March 31, 1922 |page=6 |title=British golfers' American tour}} Expenses to and from the United States were paid together with costs in the United States up until the day of the event, but not thereafter, should the players choose to play in the Amateur Championship.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=July 6, 1922 |page=19 |title=Golf – The International Match}} In April there was still a report of two amateur team events; an 8 or 10 men team match at Brookline and a 4 men team event for the Walker Cup at the National.{{Cite magazine |title=The American Golfer – Editorial |magazine=The American Golfer |date=April 22, 1922 |page=20 |via=LA84 Foundation |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll2/id/2939/rec/6}} The "Walker Cup" mentioned was presumably intended to a multinational team event, similar to that planned for September 1921 but, as in 1921, it seems that no countries accepted the invitation. The 1922 match between America and British Isles became the first Walker Cup.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=July 31, 1922 |page=22 |title= International Match}}

There were eight players in each team. Four 36-hole matches of foursomes were played on Monday August 28 and eight singles matches on Tuesday August 29. Each of the 12 matches was worth one point in the larger team competition. Matches level after 36 holes were played to a finish.

The total expense of the trip by the British team was £1,588. £787 was subscribed to the fund financing the tour leaving a deficit of £801. Without the hospitality of the Americans the expenses would have been considerably higher.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=December 4, 1922 |page=5 |title=Deficit on American tour}}

{{flagicon|USA|1912|size=70px}}

Playing captain: William C. Fownes Jr.

• Chick Evans
• Robert Gardner
• Jesse Guilford
• Bobby Jones
• Max Marston
• Francis Ouimet
• Jess Sweetser

{{flagicon|GBR|size=70px}}

Playing captain: {{flagicon|SCO}} Robert Harris

• {{flagicon|ENG}} Colin Aylmer
• {{flagicon|SCO}} John Caven
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Chubby Hooman
• {{flagicon|SCO}} Willis Mackenzie
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Cyril Tolley
• {{flagicon|SCO}} William Breck Torrance
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Roger Wethered
• {{flagicon|ENG}} Bernard Darwin (reserve)

The Amateur Champion Ernest Holderness was unavailable for work reasons. Angus Hambro was to have been captain and reserve but private affairs prevented him from travelling.{{Cite magazine |last=Darwin |first=Bernard |authorlink=Bernard Darwin |title=Our Chances – in which the Well-Known Golfer and Writer Discusses the British Amateur Team |magazine=Golf Illustrated |date=September 1922 |page=13 |via=LA84 Foundation |url=http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/GolfIllustrated/1922/gi176h.pdf |format=PDF |access-date=2014-12-13 |archive-date=2016-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912010102/http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/GolfIllustrated/1922/gi176h.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=August 4, 1922 |page=4 |title=Golf – departure of British team}}

The British team left Liverpool on August 3 on the Carmania and returned to Southampton on September 19 on the Aquitania.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=September 19, 1922 |page=7 |title=British golf team's return from U.S.A.}}

Darwin, the golf correspondent of The Times, travelled with the team and became the official reserve. He was added to the team when Harris could not play, having been bitten "by a giant sandfly".{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=August 29, 1922 |page=8 |title=International golf – U.S. players leading}} He became "captain in the field" and played the American captain, Fownes, in the final singles match.{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=August 31, 1922 |page=10 |title=Golf – America's victory – Another lesson in putting}} Fownes had intended to stand down and reserve Jimmy Johnston was due to play Darwin but Harris persuaded Fownes to play.{{Cite web |last=Millard |first=Charles |title=Making History – The Inaugural Walker Cup Match |year=2013 |page=24 | publisher=Walker Cup |url=http://issuu.com/lhasak/docs/wc13_program18/26}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Walker Cup}}

{{coord|40.909444|-72.450833|type:event|display=title}}

Category:Walker Cup

Category:Golf tournaments in New York (state)

Category:Sports in Long Island

Walker Cup

Walker Cup

Walker Cup

Walker Cup