Traveling overseas is often a challenge, let alone when you're not feeling 100 percent. That's why it will be interesting to see how the U.S. team fares on the road this weekend at the 51st Walker Cup. Preston Stout, William Jennings and Ethan Fang are ranked No. 1, 4 and 9 in the world but each has missed practice rounds at Lahinch Golf Club due to a reported stomach bug. U.S. captain Nathan Smith said Friday the trio was on the mend and all would be ready when the two-day competition starts Saturday, and he backed that up by putting out Stout and Fang, college teammates at Oklahoma State, in the first group off for the opening foursomes session. Still, as Jamie Kennedy reports from on the ground in Ireland, Smith also has reached out to Team USA’s first alternate to make sure he’s ready to get to Ireland if needed.
On paper, the American side looks to be the favorite to win for a sixth straight match, with seven of its 10 players ranked inside the top 10 to only two for GB&I. But being on the road and under the weather hints that this Walker Cup might just go down to the last singles matches on Sunday.
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The U.S. Senior Amateur was proof that the USGA's reinstatement process needs serious overhaul. Earlier this week former PGA Tour pro and current CBS’ on-course reporter Colt Knost relayed that his request to regain amateur status was denied. That process has become a lightning rod in recent years, as there are those in the sport who believe former pros dominating amateurs—many with actual 9-to-5 jobs—in prestigious amateur events defeats the spirit of the game. Last year's U.S. Mid-Am was a flashpoint, with six of the eight quarterfinalists being former pros. This week's U.S. Senior Am offered more evidence for the cause: all four semifinalists were former pros, and the competition was won by Mike Sposa, who's logged more than 330 career appearances on the PGA Tour and Nike (now Korn Ferry) circuit, including a win. There has been talk behind the scenes that the USGA will no longer be so relaxed when it comes to reinstatement; between Knost’s appeal and the Senior Am results, that outcome could be happening soon.
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For many LIV Golf pros, this has been a summer of uncertainty. While the world waits for clarity on the league’s future after its PIF funding was cut earlier this season, many of its pros have been forced to make contingency plans. That includes Peter Uihlein, who was at Huddersfield Country Club this week to compete in the opening stage of DP World Tour Q-School. But after opening with rounds of 74-73 to sit in 66th place (and needing to be in the top 19 to get to second stage), the in-limbo RangeGoat found himself disqualified from the tournament for reportedly no-showing for his third-round tee time.
From reports of countless unpaid vendors and employees to its general slapdash setup, LIV Golf has lacked a degree of professionalism from the very start, and unfortunately that seems to have trickled down to its pros. Withdrawing from an event when it’s just not your week is one thing. Ghosting your tee time without warning is another entirely.
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Nine of the 20 golfers competing in the Walker Cup at Lahinch this weekend are back from playing a year ago at Cypress Point. It’s a quirk of a schedule change, the USGA/R&A deciding to play the 51st edition 12 months early to return the biennial matches to even-numbered years while the Ryder Cup is played in odd years. With several “veterans” on each squad, the names you’ll see over the weekend in Ireland may sound more familiar to golf fans who’ve paid attention to the amateur scene in recent years. The U.S. lineup sports seven of the top-10 golfers in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with two representing Great Britain & Ireland. For those who are catching up on the amateur game with Lahinch drawing your attention as the host course, check out our player guide that includes 20 fun facts about the 20 participants.
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