There are 3 Irish names among the 10-strong provisional squad announced by the R&A ahead of next year’s Curtis Cup matches at Conwy Golf Club in Wales.
Julie McCarthy, Olivia Mehaffey and Annabel Wilson are the ones in the frame, with only Mehaffey proven at this level and each now plying their trade on the US collegiate circuit.
Mehaffey is the highest-ranked member of the squad at #19 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and she is aiming for her third appearance in the event while for McCarthy and Wilson, final selection would mean a debut at the 41st Curtis Cup. Mehaffey, of course, made her debut in 2016, where she secured 3½ points for the victorious GB&I team, while she was also a standout player in last year’s tough defeat at the 2018 staging where she helped achieve 2½ of the team’s 3 point total.
The match will be played from Friday 12 – Sunday 14 June 2020 with GB&I attempting to regain the historic trophy after the United States recorded a commanding 17-3 victory at Quaker Ridge in New York last year.
Elaine Ratcliffe, who will captain GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the first time, said, “We have a strong pool of players to choose from throughout GB&I and I’m delighted with the ten players we have selected for the initial squad. Each player’s performance and results will be monitored closely over the coming months and we will be looking for each of them to maintain a high standard as they try to secure their places in the team.”
“There are many other talented players who can be added to this squad over the next few months. We will be following performances closely before the Curtis Cup team is announced in May.”
The GB&I squad:
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The final eight player GB&I team will be announced on 11 May 2020 and will include the two golfers who are placed highest in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™ in the week prior. A further six players will be selected by The R&A Women’s Selection Committee. Up to four non-travelling reserves will also be announced.
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