In a match the place golf’s future stars announce themselves to the world, it was a 34-year-old golfer of a bygone period who stole the present.
The Walker Cup – the novice model of the Ryder Cup – wrapped up on Monday morning AEST with america retaining the trophy towards Nice Britain and Eire on the normally scenic Cypress Level in California, that was engulfed by fog.
The away crew had obtained a video of assist from Rory McIlroy throughout his Irish Open triumph, whereas the hosts had been inspired by Bryson DeChambeau strolling the course to spur them on.
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It was not a promising youthful destined to quickly grow to be a colleague of McIlroy and DeChambeau that secured the decisive level within the Sunday singles, nevertheless.
In an American crew stacked with expertise from the highest faculty’s within the nation, it was finance govt Stewart Hagestad, who used his broomstick putter to clinch a fifth straight US triumph.
“The timing of it labored out,” Hagestad stated.
“I’m simply so completely satisfied it went in. I hit that a little bit onerous and each one is a straight one when you hit it onerous sufficient.”
In some methods, Hagestad defies what the match is all about, however he has additionally grow to be the beating coronary heart of the fashionable iterations.
This week was the fifth time Hagestad has taken annual depart to play within the Walker Cup.
When he made his debut again in 2017, he was a teammate of present world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and two-time main winner Collin Morikawa.
Hagestad is the one member of that ten crew to not flip skilled.
When he completed his faculty profession 12 years in the past, as an alternative of chasing the celebrity and fortune of the skilled ranks, Hagestad opted to make use of his diploma in enterprise administration from the College of Southern California pursue a profession in finance.
It was a choice extra akin of the time the Walker Cup started again in 1922, when it was named for then United States Golf Affiliation president George Herbert Walker, the grandfather of George H. W. Bush and great-grandfather of George W. Bush, the forty first and forty third US presidents.
A century in the past when the likes of Bobby Jones, who gained 5 US Amateurs, 4 US Opens and three British Opens, wouldn’t flip skilled as a result of there was a greater profession to be made elsewhere – Jones went on to purchase the land, crew up with to legendary course architect Alister Mackenzie to design Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership and co-found the Masters.
Hagestad’s endeavours took him to New York, the place he quickly sufficient grew to become a Wall Avenue banker for a few years.
He at present works as an affiliate for funding and advisory agency BDT & MSD Companions, who handle greater than $60 billion value of belongings, and now lives in Florida.
To keep up his golf recreation whereas within the Huge Apple, indoor simulators grew to become his buddy, so too did hitting places on the mat in his lounge.
Hitting the course has grow to be simpler for the reason that transfer, and supposedly he will get the prospect to play 18 holes with purchasers at occasions.
They might little doubt be fascinated by his tales of taking part in in The Masters and the US Open.
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In 2017, Hagestad was low novice at Augusta Nationwide, making the minimize and ending tied thirty sixth.
He earned his place within the subject by successful the US mid-amateur title, a nationwide championship for novice golfers a minimum of 25 years of age and with a USGA handicap of two.4 or decrease.
Hagestad additionally gained the mid-amateur crown in 2021 and 2023, making certain he has had two extra cracks at a inexperienced jacket, though he missed the minimize in each 2022 and 2024.
His novice exploits have additionally earned him 5 begins within the US Open, making the minimize as soon as with a sixty fourth place end at Brookline in 2022.
The mid-amateur victories have additionally been Hagestad’s ticket to the Walker Cup, however the probability to play in majors solely served to substantiate in his thoughts that he had chosen the precise profession path.
“On the 2017 Masters, my golf was about nearly as good because it could possibly be, and I completed T-36,” Hagestad stated within the lead-up to the Walker Cup when requested about his choice to not flip skilled.
“So the place am I gonna end once I’m not taking part in my finest?”
Hagestad has overtly spoken beforehand of how opting towards the skilled grind has maintained his love for the sport.
Sitting in an workplace permits him to dream of getting out within the recent air and putting a gap tee shot like many weekend golfers do at their 9 to 5.
The large distinction is that he has performed that at lots of the finest programs on this planet.
In addition to taking part in majors at Augusta Nationwide, Erin Hills, Shinecock Hills, Pebble Seashore, Brookline and Pinehurst, the Walker Cup have taken him to among the high venues on both facet of the Atlantic – Los Angeles Nation Membership, Royal Liverpool, Seminole, St. Andrews and Cypress Level.
“The very first thing individuals ask you is the place you performed your Walker Cups,” Hagestad stated.
“The second factor is when you gained.”
He did win, all 5 occasions.
It’s a document that makes him a close to certainty for Walker Cup captaincy honours sooner or later.
He might have extra editions as a participant forward of him, nevertheless.
The biennial occasion is going down once more subsequent 12 months at Lahinch, Eire to maneuver it away from Ryder Cup years.
If Haegstad is just not on the crew although, he will probably be very content material sharing tales of his exploits to mates, household and purchasers throughout a spherical of golf.
“I’ve achieved greater than I ever thought doable within the novice recreation,” Hagestad stated three years in the past after making the minimize on the US Open.