St Andrews to stage 2023 Walker Cup

The 2023 Walker Cup is heading to the Old Course.

It will be the ninth time that the biennial match between Great Britain & Ireland and the USA will have been played in St Andrews – more than any other venue in its history.

It will also mark exactly 101 since the Walker Cup was first played at the National Golf Links of America.

The match last took place over the Old Course in 1975 when the US side – featuring future major winners Jerry Pate, Craig Stadler and Curtis Strange – defeated GB&I 15½-8½.

Duncan Weir, the Executive Director of Golf Development at the R&A, said: “The Walker Cup is the pinnacle of men’s amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland and the United States with many of the game’s greatest players including Bobby Jones and Sir Michael Bonallack having featured in memorable matches played over the Old Course at St Andrews.

“We are excited to be bringing the Walker Cup back to the ‘Home of Golf’ for the first time in nearly 50 years and look forward to watching some of the world’s most talented amateur golfers contest the match over the famous Old Course in 2023.”

Euan Loudon, the chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, added: “We are delighted to see the Walker Cup return to our calendar of prestigious events at the Old Course. After a near 50-year absence we hope it will produce a memorable contest and reinforce the stature of amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland.

“I am sure many talented golfers on both sides of the Atlantic, some of whom may just be at the beginning of their golfing journeys, will be inspired by the prospect of competing in amateur golf’s premier match at the Home of Golf.”

The match in 2023 will be the 49th playing of the Walker Cup and, of the 46 matches played to date, the United States has won 36 matches, GB&I nine matches, with one match tied.

Future Walker Cup host venues

2019   Royal Liverpool, England
2021   Seminole Golf Club, Florida, USA

2023   St Andrews (Old Course), Scotland
2025   Cypress Point, California, USA