U.S. the favorite but face tough challenge in away Walker Cup
Golf Channel's Steve Burkowski reports from Lahinch, site of the 51st Walker Cup. Miles Russell, Preston Stout and Stewart Hagestad discuss their chances to win this week on foreign soil.
Video Transcript
This is a stacked United States team for this year's Walker Cup once again as we welcome in Steve Burkowski now down on the grounds for us this week at Lahinch Golf Club.
Steve, it's looking like it's once again going to be another huge test for GB&I with this US team.
It certainly will.
History has indicated, as you guys just talked about, Haley, the Walker Cup has been kind to the American team since its very first playing back in 1922, and more recently over the last decade as the US has won the last five editions of the Walker Cup match.
But on paper, Jim alluded to it, and you can't argue it, it is another strong American team.
Their average world rank is just over eight compared to that from Great Britain/Ireland just under 40.
But despite those numbers, despite those trends, the Americans know they've got a big challenge coming their way in heading into this weekend.
I mean, their, their team's unbelievable when you look at it.
They have the reigning US AM and European AM champion.
I mean, they have a bunch of very good golf tournaments that they have won on their side of the, of the team.
So, I mean, and we're coming over to their side of the world, and they're a little more used to this golf maybe than we are, and there's gonna be fans, and we're gonna have to come out and play really good golf to, to have a chance.
But the main thing is just kinda doing our thing and kinda staying in our world.
It's been funny, you know, walking around town this week.
You know, everyone's telling us good luck, and we're like, "Yeah, they're saying good luck now, but come Saturday, they ain't gonna be telling us that."
but yeah, it's gonna be, it's gonna be loud, but I think we're all just super pumped.
You know, we don't always get to play in front of a ton of people, especially during our college season.
So, you know, even though they're not rooting against us, it'll be fun to try to put on a show for people.
But yeah, I think it'll be fun.
You know, they're very knowledgeable about their golf over here, so, yeah, I think it'll be awesome.
And, yeah, hopefully we'll be able to hush the crowd a few times this weekend.
Last I checked, you know, they have the reigning US Amateur champion.
They have the reigning Amateur champion.
They have the South of Ireland out here.
They had their practice session here.
To your point, like the community has totally bought in.
This town, I mean, there's flags everywhere.
I've never seen anything like this where everyone has fully kinda bought into, to this event.
I've seen a lot of the media, and a lot of the media, you know, has also kind of been like, "Hey," like, you know, "This year's Great Britain and Ireland team is really, really strong in comparison to, to other years."
So I almost kind of flip it in the sense of, you know, well, we need to do everything we can to try and prepare, you know, to, to beat them 'cause they're used to the elements, they're used to this golf course.
They've got a lot of momentum on their side, right?
Also, I, if I'm not mistaken, there's six guys on their team that are all coming back from last year's event.
We only have three.
So I think that there's a way that you can kinda create bulletin board material on both sides.
But at the same time, as soon as the first tee ball is teed up on Saturday morning, no one really cares what the rankings are.
They're really good, too.
They're trying to beat us.
It's an amazing week.
We're all lucky to be a part of it.
And, as I said, just excited for it to get started.
The American team clearly not overlooking Great Britain and Ireland.
And consider the fact the last four times the Walker Cup match has been played outside the US, GB&I has led on all four occasions after day one, but the last two, the Americans rallied to win.
That was in 2019, in 2023 as well.
So Haley, we'll see if one or all those trends continue-
