When the United States gathers in Jupiter, Florida, this December for its first official 2026 Walker Cup practice session, it will look more like a roll call of the game’s best amateurs than a tryout.

The USGA Team Selection Committee has extended 18 invitations for the three-day session (Dec. 18–20), which will span Seminole Golf Club, Jupiter Hills Club, and McArthur Golf Club—three of the most respected venues in the world of amateur golf.

Koivun Headlines a Star-Studded Field

If there’s a leader among equals, it’s Jackson Koivun. The Auburn junior and World No. 1 amateur is coming off one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory — top-15 finishes in three PGA Tour starts, a 3–1 Walker Cup record at Cypress Point, and the 2025 McCormack Medal.

Koivun is joined by six of his 2025 teammates, all expected to be in the mix when the next team is finalized ahead of the 51st Walker Cup Match at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland (Sept. 5–6, 2026).

Experience Meets Youth

If history tells us anything, mid-amateur presence is part of the Walker Cup’s DNA — and this camp reinforces that. Stewart Hagestad, at 34, is once again the veteran heartbeat of the team room. The three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion has played in every Walker Cup since 2017, amassing a 7–1 singles record and never tasting defeat in team play.

He’ll be joined by Evan Beck (Wake Forest, ’13) and Bobby Massa (UT Arlington, ’10), two more mid-ams whose résumés prove that age and elite performance can absolutely coexist.

On the other end of the spectrum: Miles Russell (16), Tyler Watts (18), and Luke Colton (18), all high school standouts representing the future of American amateur golf. Russell, especially, continues to break new ground after a summer that saw him balance top junior finishes with national spotlight moments.

The Complete List of Invitees

• Evan Beck (35, Virginia Beach, Va.) – Wake Forest, ’13
• Luke Colton (18, Frisco, Texas) – High School ’26
• Ethan Fang (20, Plano, Texas) – Oklahoma State, Jr.
• Josiah Gilbert (20, Houston, Texas) – Auburn, Jr.
• Stewart Hagestad (34, Newport Beach, Calif.) – USC, ’13
• Max Herendeen (20, Bellevue, Wash.) – Illinois, Jr.
• Mason Howell (18, Thomasville, Ga.) – High School ’26
• Jackson Koivun (20, Chapel Hill, N.C.) – Auburn, Jr.
• Michael La Sasso (21, Raleigh, N.C.) – Ole Miss, Sr.
• Bryan Lee (21, Fairfax, Va.) – Virginia, Sr.
• Bobby Massa (37, Dallas, Texas) – UT Arlington, ’10
• Jacob Modleski (20, Noblesville, Ind.) – Notre Dame, Jr.
• Miles Russell (16, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.) – High School ’27
• Lance Simpson (22, Knoxville, Tenn.) – Tennessee, Sr.
• Preston Stout (21, Dallas, Texas) – Oklahoma State, Jr.
• Cameron Tankersley (22, Dickson, Tenn.) – Ole Miss, Sr.
• Jack Turner (21, Orlando, Fla.) – Florida, Jr.
• Tyler Watts (18, Huntsville, Ala.) – High School ’27

The Road to Lahinch

For context: being invited to a Walker Cup practice session is an opportunity, not a guarantee. But historically, it’s a pretty good sign. Half or more of the invitees from the past two sessions (2022 and 2024) went on to make the final team.

Nathan Smith, four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and veteran of three Walker Cups as a player, will again captain the U.S. side. His steady hand led the 2025 team to a 17–9 win at Cypress Point, one of the most dominant American performances of the past two decades.

The 2026 Match will mark the first time the Walker Cup moves to an even-year rotation, aligning it with the global amateur calendar and avoiding overlap with the World Amateur Team Championships. Lahinch, a links masterpiece on Ireland’s rugged west coast, will provide a fitting stage for the transition.

What’s Next

The Curtis Cup practice session announcement will follow in late November, ahead of the 2026 matches at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles — the first time both iconic team events will share the same year since 1938.

For now, all eyes are on Jupiter. The mix of college standouts, seasoned mid-ams, and teenage prodigies ensures that this December session will shape not only the next Walker Cup team — but the future of American amateur golf.

Photo credit: USGA