Nathan Smith – Walker Cup

185. 2025 USA Walker Cup Team Is Announced

17th August 2025

Following the conclusion of the 125th U.S. Amateur Championship on Sunday 17th August the USGA’s International Team Selection Working Group (ITS) and captain Nathan Smith confirmed the 10 players who would represent the USA in the 2025 Walker Cup match.

Five players had already been selected in advance of the U.S. Amateur so today saw the five remaining players confirmed.

USA Walker Cup Team (Graphic: USGA)

JACKSON KOIVUN (20), BEN JAMES (22) and MICHAEL LA SASSO (21), who were ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) at the time, were selected on 18th June 2025.

ETHAN FANG (20) and PRESTON STOUT (21), who were WAGR ranked 3rd and 4th at the time, were added to the USA line-up on 25th July 2025 based on their recent form.

Mason HOWELL (18) earned automatic selection by winning the U.S. Amateur Championship at The Olympic Club on 17th August 2025.

Stewart HAGESTAD (34), Jacob MODLESKI (20), Tommy MORRISON (21) and Jase SUMMY (21) were selected by the ITS and also announced on 17th August 2025.

Miles RUSSELL (16) and Max HERENDEEN (20) will be the team’s alternates.

Hagestad secured the mid-amateur berth ahead of Evan Beck and will play his fifth consecutive Walker Cup match. He has won all four of his previous encounters and holds a P11 W6 H0 L5 record with 5 Singles wins to his name.

Ben James is the only other USA returner. His record at St. Andrews in 2023 was P3 W1 H0 L2.

USA Player Profiles – Courtesy of the USGA

ETHAN FANG (20) – Plano, Texas
The 2025 Amateur champion at Royal St. George’s, England.
Rising junior at Oklahoma State whom he helped to the 2025 NCAA Div I title.
Represented the USA in the 2025 Palmer Cup.

Stewart HAGESTAD (34) – Newport Beach, California
Competing in his fifth Walker Cup match.
U.S. Mid-Amateur champion in 2016, 2021 & 2023.
Only invited U.S. Mid-Amateur champion to make the cut at The Masters (2017).
Works as a broker for investment bank BDT & MSD Partners in Palm Beach, FL.

Mason HOWELL (18) – Thomasville, Georgia
The 2025 U.S. Amateur champion at The Olympic Club, San Francisco.
Qualified for the 2025 U.S. Open by shooting a pair of bogey-free 63s in Atlanta.
Stroke-play medalist at the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur.
Rising high school senior who has committed to play at Georgia in 2026.

BEN JAMES (22) – Milton, Connecticut
Member of the victorious 2023 USA Walker Cup Team at St. Andrews.
Rising senior at Virginia whom he helped to 2nd place at the 2025 NCAA Finals.
Has qualified for the last two U.S. Opens.
Member of the 2024 USA Palmer Cup Team.

JACKSON KOIVUN (20) – Chapel Hill, North Carolina
WAGR #1 and winner of the 2025 Mark H. McCormack Medal.
Rising junior at Auburn University who won the 2024 NCAA title.
Swept all the major collegiate golf awards in the 2023-24 season.
Member of the 2024 and 2025 USA Palmer Cup Teams.

MICHAEL LA SASSO (21) – Raleigh, North Carolina
Rising senior at Ole Miss who claimed the 2025 NCAA Division I individual title.
Competed in the 2025 U.S. Open.
Member of the 2024 and 2025 USA Palmer Cup Teams.

Jacob MODLESKI (20) – Noblesville, Indiana
Rising junior at the University of Notre Dame.
Reached the quarter finals of the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Amateur Championships.
Semi-finalist in the 2025 Western Amateur.
Won the 2024 Jones Cup Invitational.

Tommy MORRISON (21) – Dallas, Texas
Rising senior at the University of Texas.
The only American to win the European Amateur Championship (2024).
Victory earned him an exemption into The Open Championship at Royal Troon.
At 6 feet, 9 inches, he is one of the tallest players in the game.

PRESTON STOUT (21) – Richardson, Texas
Rising junior at Oklahoma State helping them to the 2025 NCAA Division I title.
Won the 2025 Northeast Amateur by eight strokes.
Represented the USA in the 2025 Palmer Cup.

Jase SUMMY (21) – Keller, Texas
Rising senior at University of Oklahoma
Won the 2025 Western Amateur.
Finished tied for third in 2025 Southern Amateur
Member of the 2025 USA Palmer Cup Team
Won the Maridoe Intercollegiate and was 2nd in Valspar Intercollegiate in 2025.

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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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140. Mike McCoy and Nathan Smith Named US Captains

9th March 2022

The USGA has announced the selections of Mike McCoy and Nathan Smith as USA Team captains for the 2023 and 2025 Walker Cup matches respectively.

McCoy, 59, is from Des Moines, Iowa where he works in the insurance industry. He played in the 2015 Walker Cup at Royal Lytham & St. Annes where he became the third-oldest Walker Cup competitor in history aged 52. He won the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, becoming the second-oldest champion in the event’s history at age 50. He has competed in a total of 65 USGA championships, including 20 U.S. Amateurs during his career.

Nathan Smith and Mike McCoy (Photo: USGA)

Smith, 43, is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He played in three Walker Cups in 2009, 2011 and 2013. He has won a record four U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012) as well as the inaugural 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, with partner Todd White. He has competed in 48 USGA championships in his career.

The 49th match will be played on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland on 2nd-3rd September 2023 whilst the 50th match will take place at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, California, USA on 6th-7th September 2025.

“Both Mike and Nathan have long, exceptional histories with the USGA and outstanding amateur golf resumes,” said Stu Francis, USGA president. “Given the historic nature of the next two matches being staged at St. Andrews and Cypress Point, we wanted to give both of them the time to enjoy this leadership opportunity and plan their next few years accordingly.”

This is the first time the USGA has announced two captains concurrently. It is also the first time since the early 1990s that a USA captain will not have been awarded a two match term of office. Back then Vinny Giles (1993 only) followed Jim Gabrielsen (1991, although he had previously done the job in 1981 too).

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60. Scott Harvey Wins The George C. Thomas Jr. Invitational

29th June 2017

Last weekend Scott HARVEY won the George C. Thomas Jr. Invitational Tournament (GCT).

I don’t overly concern myself with the US Walker Cup team but as you know the mid-amateur situation intrigues me.

The GCT is a 54 hole mid-amateur and senior amateur event that was first held in the United States in 2012.

What makes it particularly interesting is the fact that it is staged annually on the North Course at the Los Angeles Country Club, the host venue of the 2017 Walker Cup.

The GCT mid-amateur prize was won by Mike MCCOY in 2013 and 2014. Mike played in the 2015 Walker Cup at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Scott HARVEY won in 2016.

Scott Harvey (Photo: USGA)

This year Scott HARVEY retained his title after a 3 hole play-off with Nathan SMITH and Patrick CHRISTOVICH. Harvey birdied 2 of the extra holes.

In regulation play Harvey shot rounds of 78, 67 and 70 for a 215 (+4) total.

In a report by John Steinbreder in Global Golf Post (USA) Harvey said “I am extremely honoured to be champion again. The Thomas is an incredible tournament filled with great golfers and played on a course I absolute love. Obviously, I hope this boosts my chances to player again in September in the Walker Cup.”

Well it certainly won’t have done any harm as John “Spider” Miller was in attendance and saw the win for himself. Miller said to Steinbreder “I wanted to take another look at the mid-ams as well as the course. I also felt it was important to support the tournament and the Club.”

In summary it’s looking increasing like the USGA will have every reason to select both Harvey and Stewart HAGESTAD for the forthcoming Walker cup match.

View the – George C. Thomas Invitational Results

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