Team USA thrilling win at Walker Cup fueled by controversial concession
The American Staff entered the ultimate day of play within the Walker Cup in want of robust performances. They trailed the Nice Britain and Eire facet by three factors on the historic St. Andrews Golf Membership.
The U.S. Staff minimize the deficit to a single level within the morning, going 3-1 in four-ball matches. That left it as much as the ten singles matches within the afternoon. After successful the primary couple of matches, the Individuals held a slim 11-9 lead.
Gordon Sargent, the No. 1-ranker participant within the World Newbie Golf Rating, was locked in a good battle with England’s John Gaugh.
Each gamers discovered themselves on the sixteenth inexperienced tied. The European facet was in charge of a the vast majority of the opposite matches on the time. If Gaugh may win his match, they may have been in a position to steal the cup again.
However that’s when issues acquired bizarre.
Gaugh missed a prolonged birdie putt to win the outlet. His ball missed low and rolled previous about 4 toes, nestling proper subsequent to Sargent’s.
Each gamers had been seen approaching their ball, with each most likely making an attempt to determine who was away. After a second, they each picked up their marks and headed to the Street Gap at St. Andrews.
Right here’s the wild “good-good” concession by John Gough and WGAR No. 1 Gordon Sargent of their Walker Cup singles match.
Gough knocked it OB on the street gap minutes later and Sargent simply birdied 18 to win the match.
US now 1 level from retaining the cup pic.twitter.com/WcszXgUWwi
— Jack Hirsh (@JR_HIRSHey) September 3, 2023
The announcers had been shocked by the event.
“I’m amazed at that,” mentioned one announcer. “If you want the factors, simply say no.”
NBC Analyst Brad Faxon later revealed a textual content from former Ryder Cup caddie John Wooden. “These children don’t know methods to play match play,” Wooden mentioned in his textual content.
Simply minutes after the stunning growth, Gaugh hit his tee shot on 17 out of bounds, basically ending his probabilities of incomes his group some extent. Sargent, a junior at Vanderbilt College, would go on to win the match going bogey-birdie the ultimate two holes.
That momentum helped push the American facet to yet one more Walker Cup victory. They went on to retain the cup, 14.5-11.5. In doing so, Staff USA improved to 39-9-1 all-time within the Walker Cup.
