U.S. rallies to beat Great Britain/Ireland in Walker Cup
Cole Hammer finally got a point with the shortest match. John Pak completed a perfect week.
John Augenstein delivered the clinching point.
And for the first time in 12 years, the Americans celebrated a Walker Cup victory away from home.
Facing a two-point deficit at the start of Sunday, the Americans picked up a point in morning foursomes and then overwhelmed Great Britain & Ireland by taking eight of 10 singles matches for a 151⁄2-101⁄2 victory at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England.
Team USA won the Walker Cup for the second straight time, and the first time overseas since winning at Royal County
Down in 2007.
“They’ve got a great memory now,” U.S. captain
Nathaniel Crosby said.
The Americans won two of three matches and tied the other in foursomes. GB&I quickly picked up a point in singles when Sandy Scott beat Brandon Wu, the Stanford grad’s first loss of the week.
The rest was all U.S. red. Hammer was 3 up through six holes on his way to a 6-and-5 victory over Conor Purcell. Pak made it 3-0 for the week with a 2-and-1 victory over
Euan Walker. Augenstein, the U.S. Amateur runnerup, began the Walker Cup with the opening tee shot Saturday and officially clinched it Sunday with his 4-and-3 win over Thomas Plumb.
The Americans also won eight of 10 points in Sunday singles two years ago when they won 19-7 at Los Angeles Country Club. Their victory at Royal Liverpool was their widest margin away from home since a nine-point victory at Sunningdale in 1987.
The U.S. team increased the series lead to 37-9-1. The Walker Cup will be held at Seminole Golf Club in Florida in 2021.
Elsewhere: Ryder Cup ● star Paul Casey carded a 6-under-par 66 to win the European Open by one shot for his first European Tour title in five years. Casey started the day a stroke behind overnight leaders Bernd Ritthammer and Robert MacIntyre and held his nerve with a bogey-free round to claim his 14th European Tour victory at 14-under 274 overall in Hamburg, Germany. It was Casey’s first European Tour title since he won the KLM Open in 2014.
ETC.
Soccer: Sergio Ramos ● equaled the record for the most appearances for Spain as his team continued its march toward qualifying for the 2020 European Championship by beating Faroe Islands 4-0. The 33-year-old Ramos matched goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ milestone with his 167th game for La Roja. The Real Madrid defender, who received a standing ovation at Gijon’s El Molinon stadium when substituted late in the game, will establish a new mark if he plays against Norway on Oct. 12. … Italy benefited from a generous hand ball decision and converted a late penalty for a 2-1 win at Finland to extend its perfect start to European Championship qualifying.
Sauli Vaisanen appeared to have his arm across his chest when he stopped a shot from Andrea Belotti but the referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot and Jorginho quickly converted the winner in the 79th.
Auto racing: Charles ●
Leclerc ended Ferrari’s nine-year wait for victory at its home circuit as he held off the Mercedes duo to win the Italian Grand Prix, securing his second successive Formula One victory in the process. The 21-year-old Leclerc, who started from pole position, was roared on by the passionate Ferrari tifosi as he crossed the line 0.8 seconds ahead of Valtteri Bottas and 35.1 ahead of championship leader Lewis Hamilton. Ferrari’s last win at Monza came in 2010 through Fernando Alonso
Cycling: American
● rider Sepp Kuss won the mountainous 15th stage of the Spanish Vuelta, while Jumbo-Visma teammate Primoz Roglic withstood a sustained attack by Alejandro Valverde to keep the overall race lead.