2023 Palmer Cup Teams Announced

04/25/23

NORMAN, Okla. – The 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup teams were announced today. The top six golfers from the final ranking from both the United States and International men and women are among the individuals selected to compete in the Palmer Cup. Longtime Arnold Palmer partner Rolex is continuing its 50-plus year relationship through its support of the matches, which will be hosted by Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa., June 8-10. 

United States team ranking qualifiers included Rachel Kuehn (Wake Forest), Crystal Wang (Illinois), Zoe Campos (UCLA), Megan Schofill (Auburn), Antonia Malate (San Jose State), and Ashleigh Park (Oregon) for the women and Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Michael Thorbjornsen (Stanford), David Ford (North Carolina), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State), Ben James (Virginia), and Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida) for the men.  

United States team Committee selections were Austin Greaser (North Carolina), Tommy Kuhl (Illinois), Ashley Menne (Arizona State), Emilia Migliaccio (Wake Forest), Maxwell Moldovan (Ohio State), Jennie Park (Texas A&M), Amanda Sambach (Virginia), and Caleb Surratt (Tennessee). Olivia Mitchell (Dallas Baptist) and Alex Price (Christopher Newport) were the non-Division I selections. Team USA Head Coach Michael Beard selected Derek Hitchner (Pepperdine) and Derek Radley selected Amari Avery (Southern California) as their coach’s picks.  

International team ranking qualifiers included Julia Lopez Ramirez (Mississippi State; Spain), Charlotte Heath (Florida State; England), Mirabel Ting (Augusta; Malaysia), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Oklahoma State; Australia), Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn (Iowa State; Thailand), and Carla Bernat (Tulane; Spain) for the women and Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech; South Africa), Christiaan Maas (Texas; South Africa), Herman Sekne (Purdue; Norway), Tyran Snyders (Texas Tech; South Africa), Sampson Zheng (California; China), and Karl Vilips (Stanford; Australia) for the men.

International team Committee selections were Santiago de la Fuente (Houston; Mexico), Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Arkansas; Argentina), Max Kennedy (Louisville; Ireland), Frederik Kjettrup (Florida State; Denmark), Andrea Lignell (Ole Miss; Sweden), Caley McGinty (Ohio State; England), Lauren Walsh (Wake Forest; Ireland), and Lottie Woad (Florida State; England). Ryan Griffin (Maynooth; Ireland) and Lorna McClymont (Stirling; Scotland) were the representatives from The R&A Student Tour Series. Head Coaches John Handrigan and Golda Borst selected Mats Ege (East Tennessee State; Norway) and Chiara Tamburlini (Ole Miss; Switzerland), respectively, as their coach’s picks.

Bernat is the first golfer from Tulane and Price the first from Christopher Newport to be selected for the Palmer Cup. Migliaccio (2018-21) became the first golfer to be selected for five Palmer Cups. Ting is the first woman from Augusta and the first Jaguar since Henrick Norlander in 2012 to be selected, Chul-Ak-Sorn the first woman from Iowa State and the first Cyclone since Scott Fernandez in 2013, and Sekne the first Purdue golfer since Lee Williamson (2002) to be selected for the Palmer Cup. Wang is the first woman from Illinois to be selected for the Palmer Cup. 

Returners to the United States team include Kuehn (2020-22), Malate (2022), Mitchell (2022), Avery (2022), Sargent (2022), Thorbjornsen (2022), Gabrelcik (2021-22), Schofill (2020), and Migliaccio (2018-21). Lopez Ramirez, Tamburlini, McClymont (2019, 2022), Lamprecht, Fernández de Oliveira, and Kjettrup return from the winning 2022 International squad, while Walsh (2021) makes her second appearance. 

For more information visit arnoldpalmercup.com.

About the Arnold Palmer Cup

The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players. The Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, The Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills. Beginning with the 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the Palmer Cup is the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.

Since its inception, over 125 former Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on the PGA, DP World, or LPGA Tours; 34 have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, or Solheim Cup and more than 75 have claimed over 315 victories on the PGA, DP World, or LPGA Tours, including 2022 major champions Jennifer Kupcho (The Chevron Championship) and Justin Thomas (PGA Championship). The United States leads the Palmer Cup series 13-12-1.

The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation supports the Palmer Cup, which provides a platform for perpetuating Arnold Palmer’s commitment to youth character development and the growth of amateur/collegiate golf. For more information, please visit ArnoldPalmerCup.com.

About the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation

The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation continues the Palmer family’s mission to champion youth health and development. By continuing their efforts to ensure every child gets the opportunity to live a life well played — through support for nature-focused well-being and character development through golf — the foundation is committed to keeping the Palmer legacy at the forefront of the global conversation of golf and society at large. Learn more at PalmerFoundation.org.

Rolex and the Arnold Palmer Cup

Through an unwavering commitment to the game of golf for more than 50 years, Rolex has developed one of the broadest and longest-standing relationships between brand and sport. These strong ties date back to 1967 when Rolex partnered with legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, making him the first official Rolex Golf Testimonee. The charismatic American holds a special place in golf history thanks as much to his natural talent and successful playing career as to his pioneering role in the sport. Since that pivotal bond began, Rolex has gone on to establish partnerships at every level of the sport, including with the governing bodies responsible for advancing the sport and with the finest players, from The Big Three to the New Guard who lead today’s rankings. The decision to partner with the Arnold Palmer Cup was thus a natural progression for the Swiss watchmaker and a tribute to Arnold Palmer’s inspiring legacy.

About Rolex

Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacturer. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized around the world for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance, and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability. The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization.

The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history. Rolex has registered over 500 patents. At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops, and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly, and finishing of the movement, case, dial, and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport, and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.

About Nike

The exclusive footwear, apparel, headwear, and glove supplier of the Arnold Palmer Cup, our mission is what drives us to do everything possible to expand human potential. We do that by creating groundbreaking sport innovations, by making our products more sustainably, by building a creative and diverse global team, and by making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work.