Incoming Tennessee men’s golf freshman Tyler Watts has been selected to compete for Team USA at the 2026 Walker Cup, as announced by the USGA on Thursday.
Watts is set to become just the fourth Volunteer to compete in the event, joining Mike Sposa (1991), Chris Paisley (2009), and Caleb Surratt (2023). He will become the first Vol to ever compete in the event as a freshman.
Watts earns his spot on Team USA via an automatic exemption granted to the three highest-ranked American players in the WAGR on July 8, as previously outlined by the USGA. As of the July 8 update, he is the second-highest ranked American in the WAGR, granting said exemption.
A decorated junior career has seen Watts climb to No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). A historic victory at the Northeast Amateur in late June contributed to a surge in the rankings, where he closed at 16-under-par to become the youngest champion in tournament history at 18-years-old. A 9-under-par 60 in the second round of the event saw Watts set a new course record at Wannamoisett Country Club.
The Walker Cup is a two-day golf match played between 10-man teams of amateur golfers from the United States (USA) and Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I). Each day includes four foursome matches in the morning followed by a series of singles matches in the afternoon.
The 2026 Walker Cup Match, which is the 51st in the event’s history, is set for Sept. 5-6 as Team USA will take on Great Britain & Ireland at Lahinch Golf Club in the Republic of Ireland.
Watts will arrive on campus this fall with an impressive resume including victories at the 2025 Sunnehanna Amateur Championship and the 2025 Elite Amateur Series. Beyond success at the junior and amateur level, he has also made two starts on the PGA TOUR, making the cut at both the 2025 Procore Championship and the 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
