2018 Arnold Palmer Cup Coaches Picks Announced
NC State's Stephen Franken
(Golfweek Photo)
NORMAN, Okla. – Luis Gagne of LSU and Costa Rica and Wenyung Keh of Washington and New Zealand have been named Coach’s Picks for the International Team while NC State’s Stephen Franken and Kaitlyn Papp of Texas were selected to represent the United States at this summer’s Arnold Palmer Cup. Longtime Arnold Palmer partner Rolex is continuing its 50 year relationship through its support of the matches, the first played under the expanded format to include men’s and women’s USA collegiate golfers against their counterparts from around the world. The annual Ryder Cup-style competition will be played July 6-8 at Evian Resort Golf Club.
Herb Page’s coach’s pick for the international team, Gagne is a junior from San Jose, Costa Rica. A two-time PING Honorable Mention All-America selection, Gagne has claimed medalist honors four times in his college career. This season he has posted a career-best scoring average of 71.24. Gagne has four top-10 finishes this season, including a tie for medalist honors at the David Toms Intercollegiate.
A Junior from Auckland, New Zealand, Keh was Anne Walker’s coach’s pick. An All-Pac 12 Conference selection, Keh posted five top 10 finishes and only placed outside the top 20 once in nine events. Additionally, she tied for second at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, falling in a playoff. As a freshman, Keh won all three of her matches during the match play portion of the NCAA Championships to help lead Washington to the team title.
Franken, a Raleigh, N.C., native, was tabbed by Ryan Hybl as his coach’s pick. The junior leads NC State with a 70.30 scoring average. Franken has six top-10 finishes in 10 tournaments, including his first career medalist honors at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate. He has played 21 of his 30 rounds at par or better. Franken also finished tied for fifth at the Jones Cup.
Freshman of the Year in the same season. She won two tournaments this season - The Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge and Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational - and carded eight top five finishes in 11 events. Papp posted a 71.74 stroke average and recorded 17 of 31 rounds at par or better.
ABOUT THE
Palmer Cup
The annual Ryder Cup-style competition
features
top men and women collegiate players from the
United States
against their International counterparts.
Each team will be comprised of 12 men's and
12
women's golfers.
Day one will feature Mixed Four-Ball
competition, day
two will see Mixed
Foursomes in the morning and Four-Ball in the
afternoon, with 24 singles
matches on the final day.
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