The United States Junior President's Cup team (AJGA Photo)
The United States put together a dominant singles session to win the fourth Junior Presidents Cup by a score of 15 to 9. Holding a one-point lead heading into the day, the US squad needed 5.5 points to retain the cup. They came out hot, gaining 3.5 points from the first four matches and never looked back.
“It was pretty much even going into the singles today,” United States Captain Charley Hoffmann said. “The scores were all over the place in the morning but we were able to squeak out a few wins and it was fun to be a part of that. I'm so proud of the boys, they overcame some struggles from yesterday and they learned from it and that's all you can ask for. They came out today and played some pretty darn good golf and I’m proud of what they did.”
The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match-play competition featuring the top 24 junior boys, 19 years old and younger. The juniors are split into teams of 12, half from the United States and the other half from around the world, excluding Europe. Taking place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup, the Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world's best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match-play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf .
The 15 to 9 score marks the largest margin of victory in the event's history. Despite the score being heavily in favor of the United States, many of the singles matches were close. Of the twelve matches, eight made it to the 18th hole, with five ending in a tie.
The United States team was led by Logan Reilly of Lovettsville, Virginia, who earned three points for the United States through the three sessions. He was the only player to earn a full point in four-ball, foursomes and singles matches. He also notched the biggest win of the event with his 6&5 singles victory of Samuel Gonzalez of Colombia.
“This week was awesome,” United States player Logan Reilly said. “It was the most fun week I've ever had. Being out here with the guys and representing the USA was just unreal. Being able to go undefeated during the week just makes you feel so good. You never get to do this as a team and to win in a different country it is something special for sure.”
The International team put up a tough fight in the later matches of the day, but struggled to finish out a match on-top. They claimed one full point and a portion of five other matches during the singles session. Nguyen Anh Minh of Vietnam, led the International team, claiming the only full point in singles and another point in foursomes. Local player, Antoine Jasmin of Canada, claimed 1.5 points for the International team with a victory in four-ball and a half point in singles.
“This week was basically a home game for me,” International player Antoine Jasmin said. “So many people were counting on me and I like that pressure. I had lots of family and friends here to support me and I'm very grateful for this event. You don't get a lot of opportunities like this to play in your home nation and it's an honor to represent Canada. I’ve been working so hard for this moment and this was my dream, and I achieved that dream.”
“It was a super special week,” International Captain Graham DeLaet said. “It was way more emotional than I thought it was going to be. By the end of the week I felt like these 12 kids were basically my children. I tried to pick them up when they were down and keep them from getting too far ahead of themselves. I'm so proud of them. Even though they didn't come out on top here, but they gained friendships for the rest of their lives and the memories that will stay with them. I learned so much from them and that was the best part for me.”
The Junior Presidents Cup will head back to United States in 2026 as Chicago will play host to what is quickly becoming the most prestigious event in junior golf.
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ABOUT THE
The Junior Presidents Cup features two days of
match play with 12 of the best players from the
United
States and 12 players from the rest of the world
with
the exception of Europe. The event kicks off Presidents
Cup week, at the end of which the professional teams
compete at the same venue.
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