Ganton, Sept 08: Britain and Ireland hit back from 9-7 down to win the Walker Cup for an unprecedented third time in a row on Sunday, the American amateurs losing 12 1/2 to 11 1/2 in the closest match since 1989.
Trailing 7-5 after Saturday's play and 9-7 after Sunday's foursomes, Britain-Ireland won five of the eight singles to follow up its victories at Nairn, Scotland, in 1999 and Ocean Forest, Ga., two years ago.
It also was the third time in a row the Americans had lost the match having led at the halfway stage. Despite the three losses, they still hold a 31-7 lead, with one match tied.
First played in 1922, the biennial match is named after former USGA president George Herbert Walker, the great-grandfather of President Bush. The 40th match will be played at the Chicago Golf Club in 2005.

The host's victory meant that Gary Wolstenholme is the first Britain-Ireland player to win four Walker Cups - and it was Wolstenholme who started the comeback at Ganton Golf Club.



After he had beaten 18-year-old American Casey Wittenberg 3 and 2, Oliver Wilson holed a 7-foot putt at the last to edge Bill Haas 1 hole and tie the match at 9-9.



Michael Skelton, the youngest player on the home team at 19, then nudged Britain-Ireland ahead by beating Adam Rubinson 3 and 2, but Matt Hendrix ended the U.S. losing streak to make it 10-10, needing just 14 holes to score a 5 and 4 victory over Stuart Wilson.



Brock McKenzie then regained the lead for the Americans with a 3 and 1 result against Irishman Colm Moriarty. But it became 11-11 when David Inglis outplayed Ryan Moore 4 and 3.



Stuart Manley made sure that the host retained the trophy by beating Trip Kuehne 3 and 2, and Nigel Edwards remained unbeaten in three matches by halving his match with Lee Williams to clinch victory.



Haas was watched from the crowd by father Jay Haas, who won the Walker Cup in 1975, and uncle Jerry Haas, who was on the winning American team in 1985. But he failed to complete a family trio of triumphs.


Bureau Report