Exeter's Eliot Baker helps GB&I to thrilling win in Walker Cup

Exeter's Eliot Baker was part of a historic triumph this weekend as Great Britain & Ireland secured a thrilling 13½-12½ victory over the United States to win the 51st Walker Cup. In what will go down as one of the most dramatic finishes in the prestigious amateur tournament's 104-year history, the GB&I side held their nerve at Lahinch to reclaim the trophy from the Americans. The narrow one-point margin reflected the fiercely contested nature of the trans-Atlantic showdown, with Baker and his teammates battling right down to the final putts to seal a famous win on Irish soil. England Golf Men's Squad players Eliot Baker, Ben Bolton, Sam Easterbrook, Tyler Weaver and Jack Whaley, and Luke Poulter and Josh Hill, who have also represented England Golf in recent years, played key roles as GB&I had a weekend to remember. Trailing 9½-6½ going into the afternoon's singles session, Dean Robertson's side conjured up a comeback for the ages which culminated in Englishman Hill securing the winning point on the 18th hole with the last putt of the match to secure GB&I's first victory in the historic encounter since 2015 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Heading into the final day's play, GB&I held a slender 6.5-5.5 lead but the USA swept the morning foursomes 4-0 for the first time since the 2007 match at Royal County Down, to cruise into a 9½-6½ lead before the afternoon's singles. World number one Preston Stout and Ethan Fang got the better of home favourite Stuart Grehan and Eliot Baker by a 3&2 margin, highlighted by an eagle two at the par-4 13th. With the scoreboard turning red in favour of the visitors, Kihei Akina and Jay Leng Jr edged the USA in front in the match overall with a resounding 4&3 defeat of Luke Poulter and Sam Easterbrook, before William Jennings and Ryder Cowan dominated their encounter with Niall Sheils Donegan and Josh Hill to win by the same margin. The morning's complete dominance by the USA was confirmed shortly after thanks to Miles Russell and Tyler Watts beating Tyler Weaver and Connor Graham 3&2. US Amateur Champion Jack Whaley got GB&I's comeback effort off to a flying start when he blew away William Jennings 8&7 to reduce the deficit to two points. In doing so he equalled the second largest margin of victory in a singles match in the Walker Cup. Grehan, the lone Irishman in Robertson's side, then delighted the home galleries by coming back from 2-down against Stout to win 2&1 in the top match of the draw before Poulter drew the sides level at 9½-9½ by defeating Fang 3&1. Home hopes rose further when Weaver edged GB&I back in front in the match with a convincing 4&3 scoreline against Leng Jr while Donegan kept his composure at the last to secure a vital half against Akina after the American missed a putt to win the match from close range. The USA responded shortly after when Josiah Gilbert defeated Sam Easterbrook 4&3. Baker then claimed another point for the hosts when he birdied the last against Walker Cup veteran Stewart Hagestad to win by one hole before Cowan looked to have put the visitors in a commanding position as the match headed towards its conclusion with a 3&2 defeat of Ben Bolton. With only two matches left out on the course, the USA only needed a point to retain the trophy while GB&I needed one and a half points to win the match outright. Graham secured an important half-point in his match against Russell, coming back from 3-down at the 11th, to win the last with a birdie and leave Hill requiring a point against Watts in the last match on course. The Englishman found the greenside bunker with his approach but dug deep to produce a wonderful recovery which left him a three-foot putt. With Watts unable to convert his birdie chance from long range, Hill calmly holed out to delight the thousands of fans thronging around the 18th arena and set off celebrations which went late into the night. The victory by GB&I at the iconic links on the County Clare coast ends the streak of five victories in the Walker Cup by the USA and is GB&I's 10th win overall.