The Walker Cup is a prestigious golf trophy that is contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers from the United States and Great Britain and Ireland. The official name of the event is the Walker Cup Match, and it is organized by The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA). The competition is a biennial match play event, with each team consisting of 10 players.
The Walker Cup was first initiated in 1921, with an unofficial contest held at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The following year, the event became an official annual competition, running from 1922 through 1924. The cup is named after George Herbert Walker, who was the president of the USGA in 1920 when the match was established. Walker is also the grandfather and namesake of George H. W. Bush and the great-grandfather of George W. Bush, the 41st and 43rd Presidents of the United States, respectively.
Unlike the Ryder Cup, which also began as a competition between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, the Walker Cup is a match between the United States and Great Britain and Ireland, rather than the entire United Kingdom. The format of the Walker Cup is match play, and the event is typically held in May. The current champion is the United States, who won the 2021 Walker Cup.
