Irishman leads GB&I in front of home crowd

After a compelling first day of the Walker Cup at Lahinch, it's probably not fair to focus on one testy moment that didn’t even factor into the result. Then again, think about what the average golfer can relate to more: a collection of college-aged golfers with perfect swings trading birdies on one of the game’s great stages; or the lingering tension after a golfer mistakenly picks up a putt that wasn’t conceded.

The controversial moment was during Saturday morning’s foursomes session, when Great Britain & Ireland’s Niall Sheils Donegan missed an 8-footer, then scooped up the ensuing 18-inch putt thinking it was good, only to be told by his American opponents that they never said so. A brief discussion followed, the hole was awarded to the U.S. as a result, but GB&I won the match and leads after Day 1 regardless.

No big deal? To an extent, maybe. But it still underscored the delicate dance of match play when it comes to conceded putts. There will always be two camps in this argument: those who think not giving a short makeable putt is already petty, and it’s even worse to call someone out for what was essentially a technicality; and those who think the rules exist for a reason. Either way, moments like these give you yet another reason to watch.

Stuart Grehan’s heroics give GB&I lead heading into final day

On the back of their local hero, Great Britain and Ireland will take a one-point lead into Sunday at the Walker Cup.

By Jamie Kennedy

What You Need to Know

Jay Coffin

Foursomes pairings for Sunday morning at the Walker Cup have been released. Great Britain & Ireland leads by a point, 6 ½ to 5 ½, after splitting the afternoon singles session on Saturday at Lahinch. The U.S. has won each of the last five Walker Cups, with GB&I last winning in 2015 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. (Times are ET.)

3:05AM: Preston Stout-Ethan Fang (US) vs. Stuart Grehan-Eliot Baker

3:20AM: Jay Leng Jr.-Kihei-Akina (US) vs. Luke Poulter-Sam Easterbrook

3:35AM: Miles Russell-Tyler Watts (US) vs. Tyler Weaver-Connor Graham

3:50AM: William Jennings-Ryder Cowan (US) vs. Niall Sheils Donegan-Josh Hill

Stephen Hennessey

One of the most exciting new course developments of the past year is now ready for its unveiling. Candyroot Lodge, a brand-new golf retreat that will sit on over 1,200 acres about an hour from Charlotte and Columbia, S.C., will open its first course for preview play next month. Day pass reservations for preview play are available starting Tuesday, Sept. 8, ahead of the soft course opening on Oct. 28. Email subscribers who sign up on Candyroot’s website to “stay in the know” will receive a link to buy day asses early (at 8 a.m. ET and everyone else will receive access at noon). The passes will allow all-day play access if selected. The new course is Mike Koprowski's first solo design and will be part of a multi-course, elevated experience that will also include a short course designed by Koprowski and LPGA Tour legend Michelle Wie. 

Jonathan Wall

TaylorMade just added another name to its NIL stable, and it's a big one. Charlie Woods, Tiger's son, was unveiled as the newest amateur golfer to ink an NIL (name, image and likeness) deal with the brand. The rising Benjamin School senior and Florida State commit is already using a TaylorMade-heavy bag (Qi4D driver, 3-wood and 7-wood, P·7CB/P·7TW irons, MG5 wedges and TP5x ball), which makes sense when you consider his dad is a TaylorMade staffer. He joins a TaylorMade amateur roster that already includes future FSU teammate Miles Russell, Asterisk Talley and Logan Reilly. Woods tees it up at the Junior Players this week at TPC Sawgrass.

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