1959 Walker Cup
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- Gerald Micklem (GB&I)
- Charles Coe (USA)
| Dates | 15–16 May 1959 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Muirfield | ||||
| Location | Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland | ||||
| Captains |
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| United States wins the Walker Cup | |||||
The 1959 Walker Cup, the 17th Walker Cup Match, was played on 15 and 16 May 1959, at Muirfield, Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. The United States won by 9 matches to 3. The United States won all four of the foursomes matches on the first day. Although Great Britain and Ireland won three of the singles matches on the second day, it was a comfortable win for the United States.
Four 36-hole matches of foursomes were played on Friday and eight singles matches on Saturday. Each of the 12 matches was worth one point in the larger team competition. If a match was all square after the 36th hole extra holes were not played. The team with most points won the competition. If the two teams were tied, the previous winner would retain the trophy.
Teams
Great Britain & Ireland had a team of 10 plus a non-playing captain. Gerald Micklem was selected as the non-playing captain in November 1958 at which time an initial group of 14 possible players was also announced.[1] The team was announced on 15 April and included James Walker with Dickson Smith as the reserve.[2] Later in April Walker withdrew after being involved in a car accident which left him with a knee injury. He was replaced in the team by Smith.[3] A few days later Alan Thirlwell and Sandy Saddler were chosen as first and second reserves but were not required.[4]
  Great Britain and Ireland | |||||
| Name | Age | Previous Walker Cups |
Matches | W–L–H | Winning percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gerald Micklem |
47 | Non-playing captain | |||
| Michael Bonallack |
24 | 1 | 0 | 0–0–0 | – |
 Joe Carr |
37 | 6 | 12 | 3–8–1 | 29.17 |
 Reid Jack |
35 | 1 | 2 | 1–1–0 | 50.00 |
| Michael Lunt |
23 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| David Marsh |
25 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Arthur Perowne |
29 | 2 | 3 | 0–3–0 | 0.00 |
| Doug Sewell |
29 | 1 | 2 | 1–1–0 | 50.00 |
| Alec Shepperson |
23 | 1 | 1 | 0–0–1 | 50.00 |
| Dickson Smith |
41 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Guy Wolstenholme |
28 | 1 | 2 | 1–0–1 | 75.00 |
The United States only selected a team of 9, which included a playing captain.[5] The team was selected in early February.[6] The American team arrived in Scotland on 8 May.[7]
 USA | |||||
| Name | Age | Previous Walker Cups |
Matches | W–L–H | Winning percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Coe – captain | 35 | 3 | 5 | 1–3–1 | 30.00 |
| Tommy Aaron | 22 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Deane Beman | 21 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Bill Hyndman | 43 | 1 | 1 | 1–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 19 | 0 | Rookie | ||
| Billy Joe Patton | 37 | 2 | 4 | 4–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Bud Taylor | 42 | 1 | 2 | 2–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Harvie Ward | 33 | 2 | 4 | 4–0–0 | 100.00 |
| Ward Wettlaufer | 23 | 0 | Rookie | ||
