Walker Cup 2025: Do The Players Get Paid?

A tee marker at the 2025 Walker Cup at Cyprus Point

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 5 September 2025

It's the amateur version of the Ryder Cup as the cream of the crop from the United Kingdom and Ireland take on the best from America in the Walker Cup.

It doesn't feature a full European line-up like the professional version but the 10v10 competition is still a fiercely fought battle taking place every two years.

In a slightly different format to the Ryder Cup, the Walker Cup is played over two days with foursomes in the mornings and singles in the afternoons - with the first team to reach 13.5 points claiming victory.

There's been controversy over whether the professionals in the Ryder Cup should get paid, but there's no such drama over at the Walker Cup.

With it being an amateur event, there's no prize money involved, as some high-profile amateurs have discovered in the past when performing well in pro events.

Shane Lowry won the Irish Open as an amateur back in 2009 and had to forgo the near $600,000 first prize, while only last year Nick Dunlap missed out on the whopping $1.5m he would have claimed by winning the American Express due to his amateur status.

So the 20 top amateurs taking part in the 2025 Walker Cup at Cyprus Point are playing for the glory, for their nations but not for the money. All travel and expenses are of course covered though for both teams - usually by the hosts.

It's also great experience for possible future Ryder Cup appearances, as a host of Walker Cup players have gone on to play in the big one as a professional.

This year, Ian Poulter's son Luke is taking part, alongside Scottish star Niall Shiels Donegan, who made headlines with his brilliant run at the US Amateur - eventually finishing third.

And from the USA side they can field seven of the top nine in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, including the top five Jackson Koivun, Ben James, Ethan Fang, Preston Stout, Jase Summy who are all tipped for bright futures in the pro game.

But while many will be improving their golfing reputations during the Walker Cup, they won't be improving their bank balances.

How to watch the 2025 Walker Cup

USA (ET)

Saturday, September 6 - Day One: 12:30pm - 3:30pm (Peacock), 7:00pm - 10:00pm (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)

Sunday, September 7 - Day Two: 12:30pm - 3:30pm (Peacock), 7:00pm - 10:00pm (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)

UK (BST)

Saturday, September 6 - Day One: 5:30pm - 8:30pm (Sky Sports Golf), 12:00am - 3:00am (Sky Sports Golf)

Sunday, September 7 - Day Two: 5:30pm - 8:30pm (Sky Sports Golf), 12:00am - 3:00am (Sky Sports Golf)

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.

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