Mark Harris
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Given that we are living in the year 2023 where people can act offended by literally anything, it shouldn’t come as a shock that a hat with a ‘W’ on the front of it is getting quite the reaction ahead of this weekend’s Walker Cup.
Members of the U.S. team, the heavy favorite over their European counterparts this weekend, were spotted wearing hats with the letter ‘W’ across the front at St. Andrews on Thursday. A reporter actually asked what the ‘W’ stood for, insinuating that it stood for win, but U.S. captain Mike McCoy made it clear that it stood for “The Walker Cup.”
The U.S. team has worn ‘W’ hats in the past as well, most notably in 2013 to honor George W. Bush, whose great-grandfather George Herbert Walker was a past USGA president, Walker Cup donor, and the literal namesake of the WALKER cup. The former President also regularly attends the Walker Cup when it’s held in the States.
Despite the history, and McCoy very plainly saying the ‘W’ stands for Walker Cup, The Scotsman published a story about the hats titled ‘Star-studded US team insists ‘W’ on Walker Cup caps doesn’t stand for ‘win.’
It wasn’t just an outlet across the pond trying to create drama centered around a hat. Sports Illustrated wrote a similar story titled ‘The U.S. Walker Cup Team Is Already Wearing A ‘W’ But Isn’t Overconfident.’
When asked about the ‘W’ hats, Stuart Wilson, the Great Britain & Ireland captain, made it clear that he couldn’t care less about them.
“We’ve done our preparation and we’ve done what we think is right in trying to get the guys into the right position come Saturday morning, and I’m sure Mike and his team have done the same,” Wilson said. “If they feel that’s appropriate for them, that’s absolutely fine.”
So, what we have here are two outlets trying to stir up drama at the biggest amateur team event in the sport over a hat with a letter on it that nobody who actually matters cares about.
You can’t make this stuff up.
Follow Mark Harris on Twitter @ItIsMarkHarris
What a stupid argument. Of course its made by a Sports Illustrated hack. I swear, sportwriters have become just as lazy as their “journalist” counterparts.