LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – Florida men’s golfer Jack Turner was one of 18 players invited to attend practice sessions of the USA Walker Cup Team, the USGA announced. The three days of practice will be held from Dec. 18-20 in Jupiter, Fla., at Seminole Golf Club, Jupiter Hills Club and McArthur Golf Club.

The 2026 Walker Cup and 51st playing will be held at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland from Sept. 5-6. Beginning with the 2026 Match, the Walker Cup will be played in even-numbered years to avoid conflicts with the World Amateur Team Championships. The Match is played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches. Earlier this fall, Luke Poulter competed in the Walker Cup for Team GB&I. 

Entering his junior season, Turner lead the team in stroke average (72.2), top-5s (2), top-25s (4), rounds counted (12/13), birdies (43) and par or better rounds (7). He highlighted his fall with a runner-up finish at the Marquette Intercollegiate and the match-clinching point in the East Lake Cup Semifinals vs. Michael La Sasso, the 2025 NCAA Individual National Champion.

Currently ranked No. 14 in the nation, Turner has played in 27 tournament for the Gators and has a stroke average of 71.2 with six top5-s, 12 top-10s and 19 top-25s. Among his 74 stroke play rounds, 43 are par or better and 36 have been under par. He is a two-time All-American via Golfweek and GCAA while also an All-Region and All-SEC selection twice. 

The No. 9 Gators closed the fall with winning the East Lake Cup over No. 1-ranked Virginia as the win marked the Gators’ second straight victory this fall and their first-ever championship at the prestigious event. The fall’s first win came at the Williams Cup where UF went wire-to-wire and won by 12 shots over six-ranked teams.  

Florida begins the spring season at the Sea Best Invitational at Atlantic Beach Country Club, an event Florida has won seven times and its last three straight outings. Following that, UF hosts the Gators Invitational from Feb. 14-15 at Mark Bostick Golf Course as the field will feature the last two National Champions in Oklahoma State and Auburn.

USA Walker Cup Practice Session Invited Players (with college affiliation):

• Evan Beck, 35, of Virginia Beach, Va. (Wake Forest, class of 2013)
• Luke Colton, 18, of Frisco, Texas (high school class of 2026)
• Ethan Fang, 20, of Plano, Texas (Oklahoma State, junior)
• Josiah Gilbert, 20, of Houston, Texas (Auburn, junior)
• Stewart Hagestad, 34, of Newport Beach, Calif. (University of Southern California, class of 2013)
• Max Herendeen, 20, of Bellevue, Wash. (Illinois, junior)
• Mason Howell, 18, of Thomasville, Ga. (high school class of 2026)
• Jackson Koivun, 20, of Chapel Hill, N.C. (Auburn, junior)
• Michael La Sasso, 21, of Raleigh, N.C. (Ole Miss, senior)
• Bryan Lee, 21, of Fairfax, Va. (Virginia, senior)
• Bobby Massa, 37, of Dallas, Texas (UT Arlington, class of 2010)
• Jacob Modleski, 20, of Noblesville, Ind. (Notre Dame, junior)
• Miles Russell, 16, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla. (high school class of 2027)
• Lance Simpson, 22, of Knoxville, Tenn. (Tennessee, senior)
• Preston Stout, 21, of Dallas, Texas (Oklahoma State, junior)
• Cameron Tankersley, 22, of Dickson, Tenn. (Ole Miss, senior)
• Jack Turner, 21, of Orlando, Fla. (Florida, junior)
• Tyler Watts, 18, of Huntsville, Ala. (high school class of 2026)