2026 Walker Cup Preview: Rosters, WAGR Ranks, Format and TV
By Staff Writer
3 min read
Key takeaways
- The 51st Walker Cup starts Sept. 5 at a sold-out Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland, with the U.S. leading the all-time series 40-9-1.
- Team USA is the favorite with an average world ranking of 8.2, led by world No. 1 Preston Stout and No. 2 Tyler Watts.
- Nine of the top 10 amateurs in the world are in the field, including U.S. Amateur champion Jack Whaley for GB&I.
- The U.S. needs 13 points to retain the Cup; GB&I needs 13.5 to win it back for the first time since 2015.
- Coverage airs on Golf Channel starting at 3:30 a.m. ET Saturday and 3 a.m. ET Sunday.
The Walker Cup returns for its 51st playing this weekend, with the United States defending its title against Great Britain & Ireland at Lahinch Golf Club on Ireland's west coast. The Americans have won five straight matches and are chasing a sixth.
Who is on each Walker Cup roster?
Each team fields 10 amateurs. Nathan Smith returns to captain the U.S. after last year's 17-9 rout at Cypress Point, while Dean Robertson leads GB&I for a second straight year. Nine of the world's top 10 amateurs are in the field, led by top-ranked Preston Stout, the 2026 NCAA Division I champion, and No. 2 Tyler Watts. U.S. Open low-amateur Ryder Cowan, 2026 U.S. Amateur champion Jack Whaley and 17-year-old Miles Russell, who made the cut at this year's U.S. Open, round out a deep American side.
GB&I counters with world No. 3 Tyler Weaver and No. 8 Luke Poulter at the top of its lineup, plus Whaley, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, and Elliot Baker, who finished 13th at the DP World Tour's Nexo Championship. Veteran Stewart Hagestad, 35, makes his sixth Walker Cup appearance for the U.S. as its lowest-ranked player at No. 25 in the world.
| Team USA | WAGR | Team GB&I | WAGR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Stout | 1 | Tyler Weaver | 3 |
| Tyler Watts | 2 | Luke Poulter | 8 |
| William Jennings | 4 | Elliot Baker | 13 |
| Miles Russell | 5 | Niall Sheils Donegan | 18 |
| Ryder Cowan | 6 | Connor Graham | 26 |
| Josiah Gilbert | 7 | Stuart Grehan | 28 |
| Ethan Fang | 9 | Jack Whaley | 45 |
| Kihei Akina | 11 | Sam Easterbrook | 76 |
| Jay Leng Jr. | 12 | Ben Bolton | 86 |
| Stewart Hagestad | 25 | Josh Hill | 93 |
How does the format work?
An opening ceremony Friday night starts the week. Four foursomes matches are played each morning Saturday and Sunday, followed by eight singles matches Saturday afternoon and 10 Sunday. Each win is worth a full point and each tie a half-point to both sides.
The U.S. arrives as the deeper team on paper, but a raucous, wind-exposed home crowd at Lahinch gives GB&I its best shot at an upset since 2015.
How to watch the 2026 Walker Cup
Golf Channel carries the matches live both days. Saturday's foursomes run 3:30-8 a.m. ET, followed by singles from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday's foursomes air 3-7:30 a.m. ET, with singles from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Lahinch, ranked 34th on GOLF's Top 100 Courses in the World list, opened in 1892 and was reshaped by Old Tom Morris two years later. The match returns to an even-numbered year after last year's stop at Cypress Point; the next Walker Cup is set for Bandon Dunes in 2028.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026 Walker Cup start?
Play begins Saturday, Sept. 5, following a Friday night opening ceremony, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 6, at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland.
How many points are needed to win the Walker Cup?
The U.S. needs 13 points to retain the Cup, while Great Britain & Ireland needs 13.5 points to reclaim it.
Who is the top-ranked player in the 2026 Walker Cup?
Team USA's Preston Stout is the world No. 1 amateur and the reigning NCAA Division I individual champion.
What channel is the Walker Cup on?
Golf Channel is broadcasting all sessions live both days, with morning foursomes followed by afternoon singles.
- Walker Cup
- Lahinch Golf Club
- Preston Stout
- Tyler Watts
- Jack Whaley
- Tyler Weaver
- WAGR
- amateur golf
