Sixteen of the top amateurs in the country have been invited to attend next month’s U.S. Walker Cup practice session.
The session will take place Dec. 16-18 in Orlando, Florida. The prospective team members will spend three days playing Bay Hill and Lake Nona Country Club before eight of the players stay in Central Florida for the Arnold Palmer Cup, which will take place Dec. 21-23 at Bay Hill.
Those attending: Ricky Castillo, of Yorba Linda, Calif.; Pierceson Coody, of Plano, Texas; Quade Cummins, of Weatherford, Okla.; Cooper Dossey, of Austin, Texas; Austin Eckroat, of Edmond, Okla.; Stewart Hagestad, of Newport Beach, Calif.; Cole Hammer, of Houston, Texas; McClure Meissner, of San Antonio, Texas; William Mouw, of Chino, Calif.; John Pak, of Scotch Plains, N.J.; David Perkins, of East Peoria, Ill.; Garett Reband, of York, S.C.; Cameron Sisk, of San Diego, Calif.; Tyler Strafaci, of Davie, Fla.; Davis Thompson, of St. Simons Island, Ga.; and Michael Thorbjornsen, of Wellesley, Mass.
Hagestad, Pak and Hammer are the only past Walker Cuppers who will be participating in the practice session. Hagestad played on winning teams at both the 2017 and 2019 matches, while Pak and Hammer were on last year’s team.
Seven of the 16 players who were at the 2018 practice session went on to make the 10-man squad last year.
“The process of team selection continues with this practice session and is an opportunity for all involved to become more familiar with each other and create team camaraderie while adhering to health and safety protocols,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director of championships. “These accomplished individuals represent a talented group of potential USA Team members, but we expect others will be considered as the selection process moves toward its conclusion.”
The 2021 Walker Cup will be played May 8-9 at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida. It will mark the first time that the biennial team matches will be played in the spring on U.S. soil. The U.S. leads the overall series, 37-9-1.
