FARMINGDALE, NY. As the world’s eyes turn to the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, golf’s future stars will be competing in their own international showcase Sept. 23-25, at Nassau Country Club and Bethpage Black, for the 13th Junior Ryder Cup presented by HPE.
Captained by PGA of America Past President and PGA Master Professional Suzy Whaley, the US Junior Ryder Cup Team features six boys and six girls who are US citizens and members of the high school graduating class of 2026 or younger. The US will look to re-claim the Junior Ryder Cup aided by two of the top-ranked junior golfers in America: Stanford University commit Asterisk Talley, 16, and Florida State University commit Miles Russell, 16.
Additionally, the US team boasts six of the top-10-ranked boys and four of the top-10 girls in the AJGA rankings, including 2025 US Junior Amateur champion and University of Georgia commit Hamilton Coleman, 17, of Augusta, Georgia, and Anna Fang, 16, of San Diego, who will join Talley as a Stanford Cardinal in the Class of 2027.
Team Europe, once again led by four-time DP World Tour winner Stephen Gallacher, a member of the victorious 2014 European Ryder Cup team, comes to New York defending its title with two returning players: Ukraine’s Lev Grinberg, 17, and England’s Kris Kim, 17. Half of the team is from France, including top-ranked U18 European Amateur Callixte Alzas, 17, who sits second on the European Amateur Golf Rankings. French native Sara Brentcheneff, 18, is also the second-ranked amateur on the European Girls’ Amateur ranking and 37th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
The US Team looks to rebound from their 20½ – 9½ loss two years ago at Golf Nazionale & Marco Simone in Rome in 2023, which broke a US win streak of six consecutive Junior Ryder Cups between 2008 and 2018.
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The Whaley Bio
PGA of America Past President and Master Professional Suzy Whaley is recognized as one of the top coaches in America, and as a commentator for ESPN and PGA Tour live, she continues to expand golf’s reach around the world.
After serving two-year terms as both PGA of America Secretary and Vice President, Whaley became the first woman elected to serve as PGA President in 2018. She steered the Association through the onset of the global pandemic, leading to the establishment of the nearly $8 million Golf Emergency Relief Fund for golf industry personnel in need and an unprecedented growth in rounds played, using social distancing protocols established in conjunction with the CDC and Back2Golf.
A dual member of the PGA of America and LPGA Teaching & Club Professional division, Whaley was a LPGA Tour member in 1990 and 1993. She famously qualified and participated in the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, becoming the first woman since Babe Zaharias in 1945 to qualify for a PGA Tour event.
A 2023 PGA of America Hall of Fame inductee, she is also a Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, Connecticut Golf Sports Hall of Fame and Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame member.
The Whaley Story
Captaining the United States Junior Ryder Cup team is an immense honor and a unique opportunity to inspire and guide some of the brightest young talents in our game. It’s a role that merges my lifelong passions for playing, teaching and coaching. As I take on this role, I am reminded of the profound impact that great coaches have had on my own journey in golf, fueling my dedication to help these young adults continue to find success. I look forward to making the week an incredible experience for our team, both on and off the course.
My passion for coaching is at the heart of everything I do. Sharing my knowledge and experience with our 12 US team members, I strive to help cultivate their skills and confidence to thrive in this pressure-packed event they are about to play in. These moments fuel my commitment to nurturing not just exceptional golfers, but well-rounded individuals who value respect, integrity and perseverance.
As Captain, I aim to create a team spirit that emphasizes camaraderie and hard work. The Junior Ryder Cup is more than a competition; it’s a platform for growth and international friendship. It is a chance for these young golfers to represent their country with pride.
I’m extremely competitive, like the rest of our team. We certainly look to take the cup back, but I also look to make the 13th Junior Ryder Cup a springboard for their futures, and a fond memory they will have for the rest of their lives.
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What interested you in accepting the captaincy for the USA Junior Ryder Cup team?
I love to coach and it just gives me great joy to be a part of something that’s only occurring every two years. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it with these young adults that have qualified because of their unbelievable play.
As a past President of the PGA of America, it’s an honor and privilege to captain various team events. I’ve had my eyes on the Junior Ryder Cup for a long time now. I can’t wait to be all together and help bring the Junior Ryder Cup back to the US.
How much interaction have you had thus far, with the members of the team?
I’ve kept a close eye on our team throughout the qualification process. As we got closer to finalizing the team I started to do more research on what these twelve incredibly talented golfers do on and off the course.
At the Junior PGA Championships I was able to watch most of their games in person and start to get a feel for their strengths. It’s been great to get to know them from a distance; it’ll be even better once we’re all together in New York.
If you had one word to describe the team, what word would you pick? And what specific preparations are you doing leading into the rounds at Nassau and the final one at Bethpage Black?
Exceptional.
We are working hard on determining pairings, mapping the courses, and creating team culture.
You’ve been a long-time advocate for junior golf development. What’s different in 2025 now than a quarter of a century ago?
The depth of talent in junior golf continues to grow year-to-year. Many members of our team benefit from the expertise of PGA of America Golf Professionals or LPGA Professionals to refine their skills; this remains unchanged.
However, now they may also engage with fitness specialists, mental strategy coaches and more. This heightened level of preparation, coupled with advanced equipment, has elevated the junior game to new heights.
Has golf made critical progress on three key fronts — the time it takes to play, the cost of the equipment and the quality of the instruction reaching deeper levels beyond those with the dollars to secure it?
While we have made some great strides in the golf industry, the journey is ongoing. I’d like to think golf is more accessible now than it ever has been.
We’re continually working to make golf easier to access and attractive to younger generations, whether it’s through innovative programs like PGA Jr. League that introduces the game through a team environment and jerseys with their names on their back, or providing quality instruction that extends beyond those who can traditionally afford it. PGA of America Golf Professionals and LPGA Professionals are continually working to get clubs in more hands.
Our commitment to these key areas focuses on ensuring golf is welcoming and inclusive for everyone.
Best advice you ever received – what was it and who was it from?
“Success is when preparation meets opportunity. “ Joe Tesori, my PGA coach growing up.
Best advice you can give parents looking to get their kids involved in golf?
Golf is a journey. Help them love the game first. When children learn to play with joy they play for a lifetime.
You’ve got one round to play – what is the course and who are three other people — whether alive or dead – joining you there?
Cypress Point-Bill Whaley, Jenn Whaley, and Kelly Whaley. My family.
Complete the sentence, Suzy Whaley is —
Purposeful and passionate.
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For more info on the Junior Ryder Cup go to:
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