On a brisk Thursday morning at historic Nassau Country Club, Team USA faced an uphill battle. Needing 5½ points in the singles matches to reclaim the 13th Junior Ryder Cup from Team Europe, the Americans found themselves trailing in nine of the 12 contests after the opening nine holes.
But by afternoon, the red, white, and blue were basking in triumph.
Fueled by grit, resilience, and a belief that no lead is safe in match play, the U.S. team stormed back to win the prestigious event 17½ - 12½, capturing their eighth Junior Ryder Cup title in dramatic fashion.
“We were down first thing this morning for a long time, and these kids just fought so hard,” said U.S. Captain Suzy Whaley, a PGA Master Professional. “They saw a sea of blue on the leaderboard and knew exactly where they stood. They showed grit, perseverance, and did not give up.”
The comeback began with a commanding performance from Stanford University commit Anna Fang of San Diego, who won 5 & 3 over Spain’s Nagore Martinez. Fellow Stanford signee Asterisk Talley, ranked No. 12 among amateur girls worldwide, added another crucial point by edging England’s Charlotte Naughton 1-up, fending off a late surge after leading by four through 14 holes.
Of the 8½ points collected by the Americans in the singles session, two stood out for Whaley — Rayee Feng of New Jersey and Hamilton Coleman of Georgia.
“When I spoke with them this morning they both said, ‘Don’t worry coach, I’m going to get this job done,’” Whaley recalled. “And they did just that.”
Feng, one of Whaley’s captain’s picks, trailed Spain’s Louise Uma Landgraf early before rattling off wins at holes 7, 9, and 10, including back-to-back birdies. Leading 3-up through 14, she closed out the match with a par on 15 — unknowingly clinching the Cup-winning point.
“I actually didn’t know it was the last point needed,” Feng said. “But when my teammates started cheering, I realized. It’s been amazing playing for this country and on this team.”
Coleman, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion, delivered another steady performance, defeating Ireland’s John Doyle 2 & 1.
“That was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had,” said Coleman. “Not only am I playing for myself, but I’m also playing for my country.”
Despite the loss, Team Europe earned 4½ points on the day, including a notable 4 & 3 victory by Frenchman Hugo Le Goff over Miles Russell, the top-ranked U.S. junior boy.
“I’m very proud of my team,” said European Captain Stephen Gallacher. “They fought extremely hard until the end. They are not only fantastic golfers but also fantastic human beings.”
With the win, Team USA improves its all-time Junior Ryder Cup record to 8-4-1. The American squad will now attend the opening day of the Ryder Cup at nearby Bethpage Black, hoping their dramatic victory sets the tone for their professional counterparts.
“Being a captain of a team holds a lot of responsibility,” Whaley said. “But it wasn’t just me. This was a team effort to bring that Cup home—and that’s exactly what we did.”
