LAHINCH, Ireland – Multiple players on the U.S. Walker Cup team are dealing with stomach issues ahead of the 51st edition at Lahinch Golf Club.
William Jennings, a rising junior at Alabama, and Oklahoma State senior Ethan Fang, who competed in last year’s Walker Cup at Cypress Point, did not join their other eight teammates for on-course practice on Thursday morning as they recover from stomach illnesses.
“They’re good,” U.S. captain Nathan Smith said. “They’re just going to get a little rest and should be good to go.”
This is not the first time that a stomach illness has stricken Walker Cup competitors the week of the competition. In 2021 at Seminole, 16 members from both teams, including the two captains, contracted stomach bugs, with some gastrointestinal issues so severe that they required players be sent to the emergency room.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two teams had alternates on site, and two of them – American Mac Meissner and GB&I’s Jake Bolton – were subbed into action. It marked the first time in the event, which dates to 1922, that alternates were used.
Smith was confident that this health setback would not be nearly as bad as 2021. He has a list of four alternates to go from should he need, though none are onsite.
The only of the four sessions that requires 10 players is Sunday afternoon’s singles.
“You know, travel and everything hits everyone a little differently,” Smith said. “But they’re going to be OK.”
As for Great Britain and Ireland, the home side is just returning to a clean bill of health. Englishman Tyler Weaver, a senior at Florida State, hasn’t competed since the ACC Championship in April because of an oblique injury. He withdrew from last month’s U.S. Amateur at Merion to fully ensure he was 100% for his second Walker Cup appearance.
Weaver was leaned on heavily last year, facing Jackson Koivun in all four sessions (Weaver went 1-3).
GB&I captain Dean Robertson said Weaver has been “full go” and swinging it well this week. He even took a swing with a hurling stick on Monday as the teams were visited by the Clare County hurling team.