Three English players in Europe's Junior Ryder Cup team for Paris next month

EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

The European team for the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup, which takes place at Disneyland Paris® from September 24 – 25, has been finalised.

The team, comprising one under-16 boy, five under-18 boys and six under-18 girls, will attempt to regain the trophy from the United States after a 15½ - 8½ defeat at Interlachan Golf Club in 2016.

The Junior Ryder Cup was formally introduced in 1997 – with stars such as Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy and Suzann Pettersen all having taken part in the event since – and, once again, it will serve as a curtain-raiser for the main event at Le Golf National, from September 28-30.

Leading the way for the European team is Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard. The 17 year old became the third Danish player to win the European Amateur Championship in June, and after making the cut in the Porsche European Open, he reached the quarter-finals of the British boys' amateur championship at Royal Portrush last week.

Also making the team is Rasmus Hojgaard who pipped his twin brother to the Toyota Junior World Cup title earlier this year in Japan. The brothers will become the first set of male twins to represent Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup – Irish twin sisters Lisa and Leona Maguire played in the event in 2008.

England’s Conor Gough will also represent Europe for the first time in the biennial contest. The 15-year-old from Stoke Poges Golf Club, won the British boys' amateur championship at the weekend..

A selection committee comprising European team captain Maïtena Alsuguren and representatives from the European Golf Association and Ryder Cup Europe also chose England’s Robin Williams and Spaniards David Puig and Eduard Rousaud Sabate as the three other boys who will compete in Paris.

The committee was present at a number of key junior events and also took into account performances in national championships plus standings in national and European Amateur Golf Rankings.

The girls’ representation is headed up by Emma Spitz of Austria, who will play in the event for a second time after winning this year’s British girls' open amateur championship last week 

Italian Emilie Alba Paltrinieri will also make her second appearance in the event, having competed in 2016, while her fellow Italian, Alessia Nobilio, England’s Annabell Fuller (pictured left) and Swedes Amanda Linner and Ingrid Lindblad will make their Junior Ryder Cup debuts in Paris.

Team:

Boys:

Nicolai Hojgaard, 17, Denmark

Rasmus Hojgaard, 17, Denmark

David Puig, 17, Spain

Eduard Rousaud Sabate, 18, Spain

Conor Gough, 15, England

Robin Williams, 16, England

 

Girls:

Emma Spitz, 18, Austria

Emilie Alba Paltrinieri, 16, Italy

Alessia Nobilio, 17, Italy

Annabell Fuller, 16, England

Amanda Linner, 17, Sweden

Ingrid Lindblad, 18, Sweden