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Miles Russell has now achieved the dream of amateur golfers in the U.S. for more than a century — a spot on the Walker Cup team.
Russell, a 17-year-old from Jacksonville Beach, was named among the first four players on the American team on July 9 by the United States Golf Association. Preston Stout of Dallas, Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Ala., and Ethan Fang of Plano, Texas, were picked as the top three Americans on the World Amateur Rankings as of July 8, while Russell was added by the USGA Team Selection Committee.
The Walker Cup, an amateur team event between the U.S. and Great Britain/Ireland, is named for past USGA President George Herbert Walker, the grandfather of President George Bush and the great-grandfather of President George W. Bush. It will be on Sept. 5-6 at the Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland. It is moving to even-numbered years to avoid conflict with the World Amateur Team Championship.
The competition was established in 1922 with the U.S. winning 8-4 at the National Golf Links in New York, with the help of Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet.
The U.S. won 17-9 last year at Pebble Beach and Cypress Point in California to take a 39-9-1 lead in the competition.
Stout and Fang will be playing in the Walker Cup for the second time. Watts and Russell, the top two junior amateurs in America, will make their debuts in the event.
“Preston and Ethan bring the kind of experience that only comes from having done this before, and that continuity is vital heading into Lahinch,” said Nathan Smith, captain of the U.S. Team, in a statement. “Tyler and Miles are young players on the rise who have already shown they belong on this stage. Together they give us a great mix of proven and rising talent, and I couldn't be more excited to lead this group.”
The USGA Team Selection Committee will name six more players before and after the U.S. Amateur Championship Aug. 10-16.
The winner of the 2026 U.S. Amateur Championship, set to be played this August at Merion Golf Club, in Ardmore, Pa., and the recipient of the 2026 McCormack Medal as the nation's top amateur, will also earn automatic exemptions if they are from the U.S.
Russell, who is fifth on the World Amateur Ranking, is playing this week in the PGA Tour's ISCO Championship, his seventh Tour start. He tied for 39th in his U.S. Open debut at Shinnecock Hills on June 21.
Russell has played on the U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and is the only two-time winner of both the Junior Players Championship and the Sage Valley Invitational. He is a two-time AJGA Player of the Year.
The last player with First Coast ties to play on the Walker Cup was University of North Florida star Nick Gabrelcik in 2023. The last Walker Cup player who grew up playing junior golf on the First Coast was Bud Cauley in 2009.
Other past Walker Cup players with First Coast or South Georgia ties at the time they made the team were Davis Thompson (2021), Blayne Barber (2011), David Duval (1991), Len Mattiace (1987), Davis Love III (1985) and Steve Melnyk (1969, 1971).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach named to the U.S. Walker Cup team
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Russell, a 17-year-old from Jacksonville Beach, was named among the first four players on the American team on July 9 by the United States Golf Association. Preston Stout of Dallas, Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Ala., and Ethan Fang of Plano, Texas, were picked as the top three Americans on the World Amateur Rankings as of July 8, while Russell was added by the USGA Team Selection Committee.
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The Walker Cup, an amateur team event between the U.S. and Great Britain/Ireland, is named for past USGA President George Herbert Walker, the grandfather of President George Bush and the great-grandfather of President George W. Bush. It will be on Sept. 5-6 at the Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland. It is moving to even-numbered years to avoid conflict with the World Amateur Team Championship.
The competition was established in 1922 with the U.S. winning 8-4 at the National Golf Links in New York, with the help of Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet.
The U.S. won 17-9 last year at Pebble Beach and Cypress Point in California to take a 39-9-1 lead in the competition.
Ten-man team will be finalized after U.S. Amateur
Stout and Fang will be playing in the Walker Cup for the second time. Watts and Russell, the top two junior amateurs in America, will make their debuts in the event.
“Preston and Ethan bring the kind of experience that only comes from having done this before, and that continuity is vital heading into Lahinch,” said Nathan Smith, captain of the U.S. Team, in a statement. “Tyler and Miles are young players on the rise who have already shown they belong on this stage. Together they give us a great mix of proven and rising talent, and I couldn't be more excited to lead this group.”
The USGA Team Selection Committee will name six more players before and after the U.S. Amateur Championship Aug. 10-16.
Miles Russell is a match-play veteran
The winner of the 2026 U.S. Amateur Championship, set to be played this August at Merion Golf Club, in Ardmore, Pa., and the recipient of the 2026 McCormack Medal as the nation's top amateur, will also earn automatic exemptions if they are from the U.S.
Russell, who is fifth on the World Amateur Ranking, is playing this week in the PGA Tour's ISCO Championship, his seventh Tour start. He tied for 39th in his U.S. Open debut at Shinnecock Hills on June 21.
Russell has played on the U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and is the only two-time winner of both the Junior Players Championship and the Sage Valley Invitational. He is a two-time AJGA Player of the Year.
Past First Coast Walker Cup members
The last player with First Coast ties to play on the Walker Cup was University of North Florida star Nick Gabrelcik in 2023. The last Walker Cup player who grew up playing junior golf on the First Coast was Bud Cauley in 2009.
Other past Walker Cup players with First Coast or South Georgia ties at the time they made the team were Davis Thompson (2021), Blayne Barber (2011), David Duval (1991), Len Mattiace (1987), Davis Love III (1985) and Steve Melnyk (1969, 1971).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach named to the U.S. Walker Cup team
Continue reading...
