The USGA announced today a series of revisions to the association’s selection process for international teams that will now provide for some automatic selections, as well as creating more transparency into how the remaining selections are made.
The revised guidelines, which have been approved by the USGA Executive Committee, impact the selection of the organization’s most prestigious international teams: the USGA’s men’s and women’s teams for the World Amateur Team Championships, starting in 2018, as well as the selection of the USGA’s teams for the Walker Cup Match (men) and Curtis Cup Match (women), starting in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
In short, these USA teams will now have automatic selections for the first time. The U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur champions, as well as the Mark H. McCormack Medal winners (the No. 1-ranked men’s and women’s golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), will be automatically selected to each of the respective teams if they are amateurs and U.S. citizens, as will the best-ranked USA players in WAGR when applicable.
The selection process, beginning with the 2018 World Amateur Team Championships (scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 8 in Ireland) and continuing with the next Walker Cup and Curtis Cup matches, will now work as follows:
World Amateur Team Championships (men’s and women’s 3-person USA teams):
- The best-ranked female or male player in WAGR will be automatically named to each respective team, as of the July 25 WAGR update for women and the Aug. 1 WAGR update for men
- The U.S. Women’s Amateur champion and U.S. Amateur champion will be automatically named to each respective team
- The men’s and women’s Mark H. McCormack Medal winners (WAGR world No. 1) will be automatically named to each respective team (named immediately after each U.S. Amateur championship)
- Any other remaining selections will be decided by the USGA’s International Team Selection (ITS) Committee
- All selections assume the player is a U.S. citizen and remains an amateur through the Team Championships
USA Walker Cup Team (10-person team – selected in two segments in August)
- Top 3 ranked USA players in WAGR (as of early August) will be automatically named to the team
- 2020 U.S. Amateur champion will be automatically named to the team
- 2020 Mark H. McCormack Medal winner (WAGR world No. 1) will be automatically named to the team (named immediately after U.S. Amateur Championship)
- The remaining selections, which will include at least one mid-amateur player, will be decided by the USGA’s International Team Selection (ITS) Committee
- All selections assume the player is a U.S. citizen and remains an amateur through the Walker Cup Match
USA Curtis Cup Team (8-person team selected all at once in spring)
- 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion will be automatically named to the team
- Top 3 ranked USA players in WAGR (as of team selection date) will be automatically named to the team
- 2019 Mark H. McCormack Medal winner (WAGR world No. 1) will be automatically named to the team (named immediately after U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship)
- The remaining selections will be decided by the USGA’s International Team Selection (ITS) Committee
- All selections assume the player is a U.S. citizen and remains an amateur though the Curtis Cup Match
“Adding these elements of transparency to our selections helps players understand the process and aspire to earn coveted spots on these top teams,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA senior managing director of Championships & Governance. “Representing your country in team competitions is one of golf’s highest honors and among the best experiences of a player’s career, and we want excellence to be rewarded.”
For selection of additional players, the USGA’s ITS Committee will place primary emphasis on playing accomplishments, rankings and awards over the past 24 months, with an emphasis on results in USGA competitions.
The selection committee will also continue to adhere to an overarching guideline that a player named to any of its teams must have an unquestioned ability to appropriately represent the USA and USGA with character, sportsmanship and integrity – an inherent component of the selection process.
The 2018 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship will be conducted Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Carton House Golf Club in Dublin, Ireland, followed by the 2018 World Amateur Team Championship Sept. 5-8 at the same location.
The USA Walker Cup Team, which defeated the Great Britain and Ireland team 19-7 in 2017 at Los Angeles Country Club, will defend its title at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, England, Sept. 7-8, 2019.
Following a resounding 17-3 victory this May at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, N.Y., the USA Curtis Cup Team will defend its title June 12-14, 2020 at Conwy Golf Club in Caernarvonshire, Wales.
The USGA International Selection Committee consists of five members, including representatives of the USGA Championship Committee, Executive Committee, Women’s Committee, and World Amateur Golf Ranking Committee. It is currently chaired by Martha Lang, who has competed in more than 60 USGA championships, winning the 1988 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship and playing on the 1992 USA Curtis Cup Team. She captained the 1996 USA Curtis Cup Team as well as the USA Team in the 2014 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship.
