LAHINCH, Ireland — The last time the Americans went 4-0 in Sunday foursomes at the Walker Cup?
2007 at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.
On that team: Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk, Jamie Lovemark, Kyle Stanley, Colt Knost, Jonathan Moore and Trip Kuehne.
Kuehne, who is at Lahinch for this 51st edition of the Walker Cup, said this Sunday morning’s 4-0 performance by the Americans reminded him a lot of 2007’s Sunday foursomes “whitewashing” of GB&I – and he shared that then-captain Buddy Marucci, whom he’d been texting, agreed. Kuehne figures to have a great chance to be captain in the coming years, and he added how crucial it was for the U.S. to win match Nos. 2 and 3 on No. 18 on Saturday evening to remain within a point of the home team.
He also spoke to fellow Oklahoma State Cowboy Preston Stout, who lost to Stuart Grehan in what Kuehne called “the best Walker Cup match I’ve ever witnessed.” When Stout, who was 7 under through 15 holes of that singles match, said that was the best match he’d ever played, Kuehne knew the world No. 1 would be OK.
Unlike 2007, where Horschel and Fowler needed to rally from 4 down after five holes to Rory McIlroy and Jonathan Caldwell, this year’s American side never trailed in any of the four matches on Sunday morning. GB&I, which had outscored the Americans 13-6 on the par-3, were out-won 5-1 on those holes in Session 3.
In reality, it felt like the U.S. won every hole as both sides were tied for just nine total holes on a windy and rainy morning, though nothing near what is expected for this afternoon’s 10-match singles session.
Even better for the Americans is the fact that the U.S. has never lost a three-point lead entering the final session. It also has only surrendered two leads in the modern, four-session era.
But as Kuehne knows, this isn’t over. Though Moore’s 4-iron to 3 feet on No. 18 helped seal that 2007 win, it only came by one point. GB&I nearly erased a four-point lead after three sessions by winning 4.5 of the first five Sunday singles points.
NEWCASTLE, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 09: The victorious American team with the Walker Cup (L-R kneeling) Jonathan Moore, Billy Horschell, Rickie Fowler, Colt Knost, (L-R standing) Chris Kirk, Dustin Johnson, Kyle Stanley, Buddy Marucci (captain), Webb Simpson, Jamie Lovemark and Trip Kuehne at the end of the 2007 Walker Cup Matches held on the links of the Royal County Down Golf Club on September 9, 2007, in Newcastle, Co Down, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
David Cannon/Getty Images
GB&I captain Dean Robertson isn’t just hoping for a similar start in what should be the nastiest weather of the week (gusts north 30 mph, persistent rain); his side requires it. He front-loaded his lineup, moving up Luke Poulter and Niall Sheils Donegan into those first five matchups.
“The morale is still good,” Robertson said. “We’ve got to give credit where credit is due; the U.S. team were outstanding this morning and played world-class golf. The margins are fine. This afternoon will be really difficult, and opportunities are going to present themselves and we just have to take those moments and get some momentum on the board.”
Added U.S. captain Nathan Smith: “This is one of the greatest sporting events in the world, and we’re going to find out why this afternoon.”
