University of Tennessee Athletics
Tyler Watts Named Preseason First Team All-American by Golf Channel
August 31, 2026 | Men's Golf
The Golf Channel revealed its Preseason All-America teams on Monday morning, with Tennessee freshman Tyler Watts earning a spot on the first team.
It is the second preseason honor for the highly touted incoming freshman, who was also named to the Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List last week.
Watts is one of just three freshmen listed on any of the Golf Channel's Preseason All-American Teams and the only freshman to be named a First Team Preseason All-American.
In addition to individual recognition for Watts, Tennessee was selected No. 7 in the Golf Channel's Preseason Top-30 team rankings. The Vols closed the 2025-26 season with a tie for seventh place at the NCAA Championship, narrowly falling in a playoff to miss the match play quarterfinals.
Watts arrives on Rocky Top with an extremely impressive junior golf resume, garnering a reputation as one of the world's best amateur players before participating in a collegiate tournament.
The Huntsville, Ala., native earned a historic victory at the Northeast Amateur in late June, closing at 16-under-par to become the youngest champion in tournament history at 18-years-old. The victory saw Watts climb to No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), where he currently remains.
As the second-highest ranked American in the WAGR on July 8, Watts earned an automatic exemption to Team USA at the 2026 Walker Cup, where he will become just the fourth Vol to ever compete in the event and the first to do so as a freshman.
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.
In addition to the Northeast Amateur victory and Walker Cup berth, Watts' resume also includes wins at the 2025 Sunnehanna Amateur Championship and the 2025 Elite Amateur Series. Additionally, he has made two starts on the PGA TOUR, making the cut at both the 2025 Procore Championship and the 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Golf Channel's Preseason All-Americans
FIRST TEAM
Preston Stout, Sr., Oklahoma State
Tyler Watts, Fr., Tennessee
Kihei Akina, So., BYU
Ryder Cowan, Sr., Oklahoma
Daniel Bennett, Jr., Texas
William Jennings, Jr., Alabama
Josiah Gilbert, Sr., Auburn
Jack Turner, Sr., Florida
Logan Reilly, So., Auburn
Jay Leng Jr., Jr., Stanford
SECOND TEAM
Carson Bertagnole, So., North Carolina
Luke Poulter, Sr., Florida
Adam Bresnu, Sr., Texas Tech
Max Herendeen, Sr., Illinois
Tyler Weaver, Sr., Florida State
Eric Lee, Sr., Oklahoma State
Tim Wiedemeyer, Sr., Texas Tech
Zack Swanwick, Jr., Florida
Lev Grinberg, Fr., Arkansas
THIRD TEAM
Niall Sheils Donegan, Sr., North Carolina
Nguyen Anh Minh, So., Arizona State
Wheaton Ennis, Jr., Texas A&M
Tyler Mawhinney, Fr., Vanderbilt
Jacob Modleski, Sr., Notre Dame
Ethan Fang, Sr., Oklahoma State
Connor Williams, Sr., Arizona State
Willy Walsh, Jr., Pepperdine
Matthew Comegys, Sr., Texas
Connor Graham, Jr., Texas Tech
HONORABLE MENTION
Ziqin Zhou, Soph., Cal
Baylor Larrabee, Jr., UCLA
Harry Takis, Jr., San Diego State
Taishi Moto, Jr., Arizona
Arni Sveinsson, Jr., LSU
Will Hartman, Jr., Vanderbilt
Jaden Dumdumaya, Jr., USC
Boston Bracken, So., Arizona State
Jack Whaley, Sr., Florida State
Josh Duangmanee, Sr., Virginia
It is the second preseason honor for the highly touted incoming freshman, who was also named to the Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List last week.
Watts is one of just three freshmen listed on any of the Golf Channel's Preseason All-American Teams and the only freshman to be named a First Team Preseason All-American.
In addition to individual recognition for Watts, Tennessee was selected No. 7 in the Golf Channel's Preseason Top-30 team rankings. The Vols closed the 2025-26 season with a tie for seventh place at the NCAA Championship, narrowly falling in a playoff to miss the match play quarterfinals.
Watts arrives on Rocky Top with an extremely impressive junior golf resume, garnering a reputation as one of the world's best amateur players before participating in a collegiate tournament.
The Huntsville, Ala., native earned a historic victory at the Northeast Amateur in late June, closing at 16-under-par to become the youngest champion in tournament history at 18-years-old. The victory saw Watts climb to No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), where he currently remains.
As the second-highest ranked American in the WAGR on July 8, Watts earned an automatic exemption to Team USA at the 2026 Walker Cup, where he will become just the fourth Vol to ever compete in the event and the first to do so as a freshman.
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.
In addition to the Northeast Amateur victory and Walker Cup berth, Watts' resume also includes wins at the 2025 Sunnehanna Amateur Championship and the 2025 Elite Amateur Series. Additionally, he has made two starts on the PGA TOUR, making the cut at both the 2025 Procore Championship and the 2025 Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
Golf Channel's Preseason All-Americans
FIRST TEAM
Preston Stout, Sr., Oklahoma State
Tyler Watts, Fr., Tennessee
Kihei Akina, So., BYU
Ryder Cowan, Sr., Oklahoma
Daniel Bennett, Jr., Texas
William Jennings, Jr., Alabama
Josiah Gilbert, Sr., Auburn
Jack Turner, Sr., Florida
Logan Reilly, So., Auburn
Jay Leng Jr., Jr., Stanford
SECOND TEAM
Carson Bertagnole, So., North Carolina
Luke Poulter, Sr., Florida
Adam Bresnu, Sr., Texas Tech
Max Herendeen, Sr., Illinois
Tyler Weaver, Sr., Florida State
Eric Lee, Sr., Oklahoma State
Tim Wiedemeyer, Sr., Texas Tech
Zack Swanwick, Jr., Florida
Lev Grinberg, Fr., Arkansas
THIRD TEAM
Niall Sheils Donegan, Sr., North Carolina
Nguyen Anh Minh, So., Arizona State
Wheaton Ennis, Jr., Texas A&M
Tyler Mawhinney, Fr., Vanderbilt
Jacob Modleski, Sr., Notre Dame
Ethan Fang, Sr., Oklahoma State
Connor Williams, Sr., Arizona State
Willy Walsh, Jr., Pepperdine
Matthew Comegys, Sr., Texas
Connor Graham, Jr., Texas Tech
HONORABLE MENTION
Ziqin Zhou, Soph., Cal
Baylor Larrabee, Jr., UCLA
Harry Takis, Jr., San Diego State
Taishi Moto, Jr., Arizona
Arni Sveinsson, Jr., LSU
Will Hartman, Jr., Vanderbilt
Jaden Dumdumaya, Jr., USC
Boston Bracken, So., Arizona State
Jack Whaley, Sr., Florida State
Josh Duangmanee, Sr., Virginia
Players Mentioned
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