Lahinch Golf Club – Walker Cup

192. USGA Announce 2026 Walker Cup USA Practice Squad

30th October 2025

The USGA’s International Team Selection (ITS) Committee has invited 18 players to attend a Walker Cup practice session on 18th-20th December 2025. The players will play at Jupiter Hills Golf Club, McArthur Golf Club and Seminole Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.

Nathan Smith, who will captain the USA Team for a second time in the 2026 Walker Cup match at Lahinch Golf Club, will lead the event.

The following players will be in attendance: –

Evan BECK (35) of Virginia Beach, Virginia (Mid-Amateur)
Luke COLTON (18) of Frisco, Texas (High School – 2026)
Ethan FANG (20) of Plano, Texas (Oklahoma State, junior)
Josiah GILBERT (20) of Houston, Texas (Auburn, junior)
Stewart HAGESTAD (34) of Newport Beach, California (Mid-Amateur)
Max HERENDEEN (20) of Bellevue, Washington (Illinois, junior)
Mason HOWELL (18) of Thomasville, Georgia (High School – 2026)
Jackson KOIVUN (20) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina (Auburn, junior)
Michael LA SASSO (21) of Raleigh, North Carolina (Ole Miss, senior)
Bryan LEE (21) of Fairfax, Virginia (Virginia, senior)
Bobby MASSA (37) of Dallas, Texas (Mid-Amateur)
Jacob MODLESKI (20) of Noblesville, Indiana (Notre Dame, junior)
Miles RUSSELL (16) of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. (High School – 2027)
Lance SIMPSON (22) of Knoxville, Tennessee (Tennessee, senior)
Preston STOUT (21) of Dallas, Texas (Oklahoma State, junior)
Cameron TANKERSLEY (22) of Dickson, Tennessee (Ole Miss, senior)
Jack TURNER (21) of Orlando, Florida (Florida, junior)
Tyler WATTS (18) of Huntsville, Alabama (High School – 2026)

Seven of these players, namely Ethan Fang, Stewart Hagestad, Mason Howell, Jackson Koivun, Michael La Sasso, Jacob Modleski and Preston Stout, represented USA in the 2025 Walker Cup match at Cypress Point.

The other three 2025 USA team members, Ben James, Tommy Morrison and Jase Summy, are all college seniors and have presumably declined invitations on the basis that they will be turning pro in May 2026.

WAGR-ranked No. 1 Koivun, who earned his PGA TOUR card in May 2025, through the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program is attending but it remains to be seen whether he stays amateur long enough to play at Lahinch. He has earned the right to turn pro after either the 2026 or 2027 NCAA Championships and take up his season and a half PGA TOUR membership.

An invitation to the Walker Cup practice session does not guarantee selection to the team. Players not invited will also be considered for inclusion on the team as the 2026 season plays out.

Eight and seven of the 16 players from the December 2024 and 2022 Walker Cup practice sessions respectively competed in the 2025 and 2023 matches.

The 51st Match will be played at Lahinch G.C. in the Republic of Ireland, on 5th-6th September 2026.

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174. Nathan Smith Confirmed as 2026 USA Walker Cup Captain

4th November 2024

Alongside their Practice Squad announcement the USGA also confirmed that Nathan Smith will be retained as Captain for the 2026 Walker Cup Match.

Due to the timing of other international golf competitions, primarily the Olympics, the Walker Cup is moving to even years beginning in 2026. That year’s match is being played at Lahinch Golf Club in the Republic of Ireland.

John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer, said “Given the tight turnaround between the 2025 and 2026 Matches, it was clear to us that Nathan should return as captain and provide the team with a consistent leader during the unique situation of two Walker Cups in two years.”

Nathan Smith at the 2013 Walker Cup (Photo: USGA)

Nathan Smith has competed in 48 USGA Championships, six State Team championships and played on three consecutive Walker Cup Teams (2009, 2011, 2013). He amassed a 3-4-1 record in his three matches against Great Britain & Ireland.

The USGA announced the selections of both Mike McCoy and Nathan Smith respectively as USA team captains for the 2023 and 2025 Walker Cup matches on 9th March 2022. Smith was therefore in attendance at St. Andrews in 2023 and this combination of playing and observing will no doubt stand him in good stead.

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158. Lahinch G.C. To Host The 2026 Walker Cup Match

10th July 2023

The R&A have announced that Lahinch Golf Club, located on the west coast of Ireland, will host the 51st Walker Cup match on 5th-6th September 2026.

The biennial match is moving to even years from 2026 so that it is not held in the same year as the World Amateur Team Championships. It will therefore follow on quickly from the 2025 contest being played at Cypress Point G.C. in California.

It will be the third occasion that the match has been played in Ireland with Lahinch following in the footsteps of Portmarnock (1991) and Royal County Down (2007).

The choice of Lahinch by the R&A ties in nicely with the rumours surrounding Paul McGinley as a likely future GB&I Walker Cup captain.

The famous links course was originally laid out by Old Tom Morris before Dr. Alistair Mackenzie re-designed it solely in the sandhills in 1926/27. Dr. Matin Hawtree completed a sympathetic restoration in the early 2000’s to bring it fully up to date.

Lahinch is the long standing home of the South of Ireland Amateur Championship which has been played annually since 1895. As such it is well known to the Irish amateur golfing community.

More recently it hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2019, an event won by Spain’s John Rahm. This Championship was hosted for the DP World Tour by McGinley.

As a precursor the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup match between a mixed team of International and USA collegiate golfers is also being played at Lahinch.

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Lahinch is widely regarded as being one of the finest links courses in Ireland and so there will be great excitement at the prospect of the Walker Cup being played there for the very first time.

“Whenever we have staged a championship or international match on the island of Ireland, we have always been fortunate to have Irish fans turn out in great numbers to support the competing golfers and generate a fantastic atmosphere.

“We look forward to enjoying another special occasion in 2026 when many of the world’s best men’s amateur golfers will represent Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America to compete for this historic trophy.”

Click here to read The R&A Announcement – ‘The 51st Walker Cup Match to be played at Lahinch in 2026’

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