The greatest afternoon Great Britain and Ireland have ever seen began with a duffed pitch and shanked bunker shot and ultimately ended in euphoric glory as the hosts staged a miraculous comeback to beat the USA and win their first Walker Cup in eleven years.
Josh Hill sank the winning putt for birdie on the 18th to complete the most unlikely of fightbacks for a 13.5-12.5 victory for the first GB&I win since 2015. Add this to the David v Goliath, Istanbul and of course, the Miracle at Medinah. This is the legend of Lahinch.
The 18th green was awash with joy, euphoria, disbelief and a chorus of ole, ole, ole, as the players, staff and fans swarmed towards Hill sparking scenes that only amateur golf can provide.
It is the first time since 2015 that GB&I have won a singles session with Hill’s superb bunker shot setting up a short birdie putt to beat the world number two Tyler Watts.
“I have lot of confidence in my bunker game anyway, but I don’t really know how I handled myself over that three-footer. I was shaking. I’m just glad it went in to be honest, because this is absolutely unbelievable,” said the Englishman who convinced captain Dean Robertson of a pick as a quarter finalist at the South of Ireland in July.
“I saw a lot of blue early, and then I kind of didn’t see a leaderboard for a little bit and I saw a leaderboard on 18 and then I heard Connor halved the match. I asked Dean before my bunker shot, do I need a win or a half. He said a win. I said, all right, let’s do it.”
After losing the foursomes session 4-0 to trail 9.5-6.5 going into the singles, GB&I needed seven points from ten singles matches to complete the most unlikely of comebacks. This was much more than a rally, the star-studded USA team were rattled by Robertson’s troops who won the first four matches, including Stuart Grehan beating world number one Preston Stout in the top match.
USA responded with wins in the bottom two matches through Ryder Cowan and Josiah Gilbert to seemingly slam the door in the face of their hosts. But there was to be another late spurt by Robertson’s heroes who ensured that this comeback would not be painfully unfulfilled.
Niall Sheils Donegan did brilliantly to half his match with Kihei Akina in a match he never led. But the late twist came from Eliot Baker who produced a brilliant 18th hole win against the veteran Stewart Hagestad to give the hosts one last glimmer of hope.
They claimed one and a half points from the two remaining matches on course from Connor Graham and Hill to seal the most amazing victory.
“I believed in the team the whole time. They worked so hard. They played so well. This morning the Americans were so good. I’m so proud of them. Just so special,” said Robertson who was tearful at the end.
It’s the day of Stuart Grehan’s career as he showed more mental fortitude to oust world number one Preston Stout for the second time in singles with a 2&1 win. He pinched two and a half points from the American across their four matches this weekend.
“I’m sure he’s sick of the sight of me!” laughed the County Louth star. Yeah, I got off to a really rough start, especially the first hole. I think I shanked my bunker shot.
“But Preston obviously birdied the second, but after that I kind of found my rhythm and played some really, really nice golf.
“Yeah, round the turn I think I played some really, really good golf, so, yeah, delighted. Very proud of myself.”
Grehan and Baker suffered a 3&2 drubbing to Stout and Ethan Fang in the morning foursomes and he got off to the worst of starts yet again. A duffed pitch and a shanked bunker shot at the first cost him that hole and he was two down through two for the second straight day and it appeared that his head was down and his shoulders slumped.
But under the watchful eye of Robertson, who acted more as a babysitter than as a second caddie for the seventeen holes, he rallied superbly. Birdies on the 4th and 8th levelled the match. A stunning approach to the par-5 12th set up a gimme eagle to go 1UP and a birdie on 13 put him 2UP with five to play before a par on 17 put a point on the board.
GB&I made a roaring start and were up in six matches and down in just one before they put definitive blue on the board by winning the first four singles ties to really ignite belief that yes, this could happen.
Ian Poulter was the heart and soul of the Miracle at Medinah in 2012, his son Luke played a huge part in the comeback in Clare with a hard fought 3&1 win over Fang who looks a links specialist going forward.
A tremendous 9&7 win from US Amateur champion Jack Whaley over William Jennings set the tone and at around that time, Grehan was making his comeback against Stout. Moments later the victories for Tyler Weaver and Poulter were confirmed.
The first USA point came through Cowan with Gilbert quickly to follow but amazingly, the USA came away with just three points and lost their first Sunday singles in eleven years.
For GB&I skipper Robertson, it is the crowning moment of his golf career.
“Stuart Grehan, Luke Poulter,Jack Whaley, Tyler Weaver. Everybody was just massive. And then bringing that energy from the start was huge for the ones at the back. Then for Connor to get the half match and for Josh to make that up and down is just spectacular.”
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