The 13th Junior Ryder Cup, presented by HPE, concluded today at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, New York, with Team USA securing a thrilling 17 ½ – 12 ½ win over Team Europe.
With 12 singles matches up for grabs, the U.S. Team only needed 5 ½ points to regain the Junior Ryder Cup title. However, the day started off challenging, as they trailed in nine matches heading into the back nine.
Despite the daunting odds, both teams proved that no lead is safe and the competition was far from over.
U.S. Team Captain Suzy Whaley, a former PGA President and Master Professional, praised her team’s determination. “We were down first thing this morning for a long time, and these kids just fought so hard and they got the job done,” she stated. “They saw a sea of blue on the leaderboard and knew exactly where they stood. They showed grit, perseverance and did not give up.”
Gradually, the tide began to turn as the leaderboard shifted in favor of the U.S., showcasing red for their points.
The first point for the U.S. came from Anna Fang, a Stanford University commit from San Diego, who secured a decisive 5 & 3 victory over Nagore Martinez from Spain.
Following her success, fellow Stanford recruit and ranked No. 12 amateur in the world, Asterisk Talley, contributed another vital point for the U.S. with a close 1-up win against Charlotte Naughton from England, who nearly mounted a comeback from being 4-down through 14.
Two standout performances were noted by Captain Whaley: those of Rayee Feng from New Jersey and Hamilton Coleman from Georgia.
“When I spoke with them this morning they both said, ‘Don’t worry coach, I’m going to get this job done,’ and they did just that. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I couldn’t be more proud of all 12 of these incredible golfers,” Whaley remarked.
Feng, who was one of Whaley’s captain’s picks, faced initial adversity being 1-down to Louise Uma Landgraf of Spain after five holes. Nevertheless, she rebounded by winning holes 7, 9, and 10, achieving back-to-back birdies on the ninth and tenth holes.
Feng found herself 3-up through 14 and ultimately clinched the necessary point for the U.S. by winning hole 15 with a par.
Reflecting on her experience, Feng stated, “I actually did not know it was the last point needed. A lot of my teammates were there cheering because they knew it was the winning point. It’s been amazing playing for this country and on this team.”
Coleman, the reigning 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, echoed this sentiment, saying, “That was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. You know, not only am I playing for myself but I’m also playing for my country.”
Despite the U.S. dominance, Team Europe managed to secure 4 ½ points, highlighted by Frenchman Hugo Le Goff’s 4 & 3 victory against the top-ranked U.S. Boys’ player, Miles Russell.
European Captain Stephen Gallacher expressed pride in his team’s performance. “I’m very proud of my team,” he remarked. “They fought extremely hard until the end, and they are not only fantastic golfers but also fantastic human beings. Their body language and commitment to the team from every one of them was so professional.”
The victory improves the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup record to 8-4-1, marking a significant achievement for Captain Whaley and her squad.
“Being a captain of a team holds a lot of responsibility, but it wasn’t just me. This was a team effort for Team USA to bring that Cup home and set the tone for tomorrow’s Ryder Cup, and that’s exactly what we did,” Whaley stated.
To celebrate their accomplishment, the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team will attend the opening day of the Ryder Cup tomorrow at Bethpage Black.
image source from：rydercup
