PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA. (June 19, 2018) – The PGA of America has announced the current Official Standings for the 2018 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team, as of June 19, 2018. The U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team will feature six boys and six girls who are U.S. citizens and members of the high school graduating class of 2019, or younger.
The 11th Junior Ryder Cup will be contested between the U.S. and Europe at Disneyland Paris, Sept. 24-25. The American team is vying for its sixth straight victory in the biennial competition.
Among the Junior Ryder Cup alumni are major champions, PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players including: Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Hunter Mahan, Tony Finau, Lexi Thompson, Alison Lee and Brittany Altomare of the United States; and Rory McIllroy, Sergio Garcia, Nicolas Colsaerts, Suzann Pettersen, Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda of Europe.
The six girls who qualify for the team will be announced on July 23, following the U.S. Girls Junior Championship. The six boys who will join them on the team will be announced following the conclusion of the Boys Junior PGA Championship on Aug. 3. There will be 10 players who qualify as exemptions, as well as two Captain’s picks made by PGA Past President/2018 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Captain Allen Wronowski, PGA.
2018 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team
Official Boys Point Standings
(through Wyndham Invitational presented by BB&T - as of June 19, 2018)
| Last name | First name | Class | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhatia | Akshay | 2020 | Wake Forest, N.C. | 2185 |
| Castillo | Ricky | 2019 | Yorba Linda, Calif. | 1075 |
| Claycomb | Canon | 2020 | Bowling Green, Ky. | 775 |
| Ponich | Cole | 2019 | Farmington, Utah | 735 |
| Wotnosky | Grayson | 2020 | Wake Forest, N.C. | 595 |
| Mouw | William | 2019 | Chino, Calif. | 520 |
| Fountain | Peter | 2020 | Raleigh, N.C. | 520 |
| Beber-Frankel | Jake | 2020 | Miami | 500 |
| Thorbjornsen | Michael | 2020 | Wellesley, Mass. | 480 |
| Moll | William | 2019 | Houston | 455 |
| Smith | Ryan | 2020 | Carlsbad, Calif. | 360 |
| Merchent | Clay | 2019 | Noblesville, Ind. | 360 |
| Sargent | Gordon | 2021 | Birmingham, Ala. | 320 |
Note: The next boys 2018 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team points update will follow the Polo Golf Junior Classic in early July.
2018 United States Junior Ryder Cup Team
Official Girls Point Standings
(through Rolex Girls Junior Championship - as of June 19, 2018)
| Last name | First name | Class | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Li | Lucy | 2020 | Redwood Shores, Calif. | 2975 |
| Zhang | Rose | 2021 | Irvine, Calif. | 2620 |
| Heck | Rachel | 2020 | Memphis, Tenn. | 2225 |
| Noh | Yealimi | 2019 | Concord, Calif. | 2110 |
| Shepherd | Erica | 2019 | Greenwood, Ind. | 2020 |
| Navarrosa | Brianna | 2020 | San Diego | 1270 |
| Seay | Brooke | 2019 | Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. | 1110 |
| Morard | Michaela | 2020 | Huntsville, Ala. | 1075 |
| Pano | Alexa | 2022 | Lake Worth, Fla. | 1075 |
| Campos | Zoe | 2021 | Valencia, Calif. | 1070 |
| Englemann | Sadie | 2020 | Austin, Texas | 855 |
Note: The next girls 2018 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team points update will follow the Polo Golf Junior Classic in early July.
The idea for the Junior Ryder Cup came about in 1995, when a team of Europeans played an informal exhibition match against the Central New York PGA Section and area juniors. Two years later, the Junior Ryder Cup was formally introduced as an event in its own right, while played at Alcaidesa Links Golf Course, in Cadiz, Spain, and won by America, 9-7.
The United States captured the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup at Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota, 15 1/2 to 8 1/2. A total of 10 players from the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Team are slated to be on NCAA Division I college golf rosters for the 2018-19 school year. Meanwhile, 2016 U.S. Team Member Norman Xiong, who received the Jack Nicklaus Award as 2018 NCAA Division I National Player of the Year, just turned professional.
