THE selection process for The 2020 European Junior Ryder Cup team has been confirmed by Ryder Cup Europe and the European Golf Association (EGA).
Six boys and six girls captained by European Junior Ryder Cup captain Paul Lawrie will take on the USA at Milwaukee’s Blue Mound Golf & Country Club, in Wisconsin, in September.
They will be selected based on performances in international events in the coming season organised by The R&A and the EGA.
Boys and girls who are citizens of a European country as defined by IGF’s nationality policy, and are under 18 years of age on 1 January 2020, are eligible to participate in the 2020 Junior Ryder Cup – providing they are not enrolled to play college golf in the USA during 2020.
Three boys and three girls will earn their places on the team through a points-based Order of Merit system.
Using the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the Order of Merit will award points based on finishing position in those events.
The qualification process will end following the R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur Championships on August 15 and 16, respectively.
The remaining six players will be selected by captain Lawrie, with performances specifically in international events, including the European Young Masters, and positions in the EGA European Amateur Golf Rankings expected to prove important in the final decision.
Selection in the Jacques Léglise and Junior Vagliano Trophies will also be taken into strong consideration, as will performances in previous editions of the Junior Ryder Cup.
“I’m excited for the qualification process to begin,” said Lawrie. “The prospect of seeing how Europe’s best young golfers perform over the course of the next 10 months or so is fascinating.
“I’m looking forward to getting to some of these events to watch as many as possible in action,” added the 1999 Open Champion winner, who is the last Scotsman to win a Major some 20 years on.
The Junior Ryder Cup, held biennially in the build-up to the Ryder Cup, sees the best male and female junior amateurs from Europe and the USA go head-to-head in a mixed event.
The 2020 Junior Ryder Cup will be played from September 21-22, with the Ryder Cup starting at Whistling Straits – also in Wisconsin – three days later.
Many of world golf’s biggest starts have in the past featured in the junior competition before excelling at the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup.
Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy both succeeded in the event before ending up on the winning side at a Ryder Cup, while Suzanne Peterson and Carlota Ciganda both triumphed as amateurs before lifting the Solheim Cup.
The 2018 European team featured Stoke Park’s Conor Gough, who is eligible again, having been crowned English Amateur Champion at just 16, in August, Peterborough Milton’s England Boys cap Robin Williams and Roehampton’s Curtis Cup player Annabel Fuller.
Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hjøgaard were also in the team with Rasmus claiming his first European Tour win this weekend, while just 18 – proving how quickly youngsters can step up in the pro ranks having experienced the competition against the American’s best teenage talents.
Lawrie, who has played in two Ryder Cups and was a vice-captain to Darren Clarke in the heavy defeat at Hazeltine in 2016, was announced as Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup captain last week.
LAWRIE APPOINTED JUNIOR RYDER CUP CAPTAIN
The qualiying events for the boys are:–
Tournament – England unless stated | Date 2020 | Venue |
Spanish International Amateur Championship | Feb 26 – March 1 | Real Club Sevilla Golf, Spain |
French International Boys’ Championship (Carlhian Trophy) | April 9 – 13 | Golf des Aisses, France |
Lytham Trophy | May 1 – 3 | Royal Lytham & St Annes GC |
German Boys’ Open | June 4 –6 | GC St. Leon-Rot, Germany |
The Amateur Championship | June 15 – 20 | Royal Birkdale & West Lancashire GC |
European Amateur Championship | June 24 – 27 | Golf du Médoc Resort, France |
European Amateur Team Championship | July 7 – 11 | Hilversumsche GC, Netherlands |
European Boys’ Team Championship (Jean-Louis Dupont Trophy) | July 7 – 11 | Upsala GC, Sweden |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | August 11 – 16 | Moortown GC & Alwoodley GC |
The qualifying events for the girls are:–
Tournament – England unless stated | Date 2020 | Venue |
Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship | Jan 29 – Feb 1 | Montado Golf Resort, Portugal |
Spanish International Ladies’ Amateur Championship | Feb 26 – March 1 | RCG Tenerife, Spain |
French International Girls’ Championship (Esmond Trophy) | April 9 – 13 | Saint Cloud GC, France |
German Girls’ Open | June 4 – 6 | GC St. Leon-Rot, Germany |
The Women’s Amateur Championship | June 23 – 27 | Kilmarnock (Barassie) GC, Scotland |
European Ladies’ Team Championship | July 7 – 11 | GC Escorpión, Spain |
European Girls’ Team Championship | July 7 – 11 | ROSA Private GC, Poland |
European Ladies’ Amateur Championship | July 22 – 25 | Kytäjä Golf, Finland |
R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship | August 11 – 15 | Southport & Ainsdale GC |
•To find out more about the Junior Ryder Cup click here.