Junior Ryder Cup

The Junior Ryder Cup is a team golf competition between Europe and the United States. It is based on the men's Ryder Cup and is run by the same organisations, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Ltd (a subsidiary of the PGA European Tour). The teams consist of six boys and six girls. The Americans must be under sixteen on the final day, while the Europeans must be no older than sixteen on 1 January of the year of the event. This gives the Europeans a potential average age advantage of around eight months. The tournament is played over two days of foursomes, four-ball and singles matches. There are three boys' matches and three girls' foursomes matches and six mixed fourball matches on the first day. There are 12 singles matches (added in 2008) on the second day.

In 1995 an informal set of matches between European junior golfers and Central New York PGA Section and area juniors was played in the United States; Europe dominated but no results were published. Matches were also played in the next two Ryder Cup years, with Europe now taking on the whole of the United States. The Americans won 7-5 in 1997 and Europe won 10½ to 1½ in 1999. These results are not counted for official record purposes.

The Junior Ryder Cup was formally introduced in 2002 and the first event was played at the K Club in Ireland, which was the venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup, and was won by Europe by 9½ to 2½. The second event was held in 2004 at Westfield Group Country Club in Westfield Center, Ohio, USA and the European Team retained the title by winning 8½ to 3½. The 2006 event in Wales was tied 6-6.

Several players in the competition have gone on to professional careers, including Sergio García, who played for the 1995 European team. Isabelle Lendl (former tennis star Ivan Lendl's daughter) played for the United States in 2006.

Results

Official matches:

Matches before official launch:

ee also

*Junior Solheim Cup

External links

* [http://www.pgatournaments.com/index.cfm?menu=4122 Official site]