Members of the UNC men’s golf team, David Ford, Dylan Menante and Austin Greaser, competed for Team USA in the 49th Walker Cup in Scotland this weekend.
The United States rallied to defeat Great Britain and Ireland 14.5-11.5 at the Old Course at St. Andrews. The matchplay team event, which was composed of two singles and two foursomes sessions, took place on Saturday and Sunday.
The Walker Cup is amateur golf's premier team event. It's played every two years between two teams, one representing the United States and the other representing Great Britain and Ireland. 2023 marked the first time a Tar Heel has played in the Walker Cup since Tom Scherrer in 1991.
Ford, Menante and Greaser — all ranked in the top 10 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking — entered the week having reached match play in the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club two weeks prior.
Before the event, Greaser told reporters he had never dreamed of playing a Walker Cup at a historic place like St. Andrews. The Old Course at St. Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world and St. Andrews Links is often referred to as the 'Home of Golf.'
"To be able to feel the nerves and the pressure and just the amazing opportunity to represent the United States of America, I don't care how many or what holes I play," Greaser said in a press conference on Friday. "I just want to play."
Menante was paired with Vanderbilt standout and No. 1 ranked amateur Gordon Sargent to put the first point on the board for the USA. They defeated Barclay Brown and Mark Power of GB&I in a 3-and-2 victory in Saturday's foursomes.
"My legs were shaking on the first tee shot," Menante told reporters after the match. "So I was like, ‘Just please go left like it's supposed to.'"
Ford and Preston Summerhays lost their Saturday foursomes match 1-down, while Greaser sat out the opening session.
