Lottie Woad (Florida State Athletics Photo)
Eight golfers have been selected for the Great Britain and Ireland team to compete against the United States of America in the 43rd Curtis Cup match at Sunningdale.
The biennial encounter is taking place at the renowned Berkshire venue from Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September, with GB&I bidding to win the famous trophy for the first time since 2016 when the team secured a 11½-8½ victory at Dún Laoghaire in Ireland.
Catriona Matthew OBE, who led Europe to back-to-back Solheim Cup victories and has ushered in a new era for GB&I as Captain, said, “I’m really looking forward to the match at Sunningdale. We have selected eight players who we believe provide us the best opportunity of regaining the Curtis Cup against the United States of America on home soil.
“This role means a lot to me. When I was an amateur golfer, getting in the Curtis Cup side was always the main focus. I was lucky enough to play in it three times.
“With all my experience as a professional in the Solheim Cup, as a player and captain, I’ve enjoyed the chance to go back to where it all started. I’m really excited about leading the team at Sunningdale.”
The top five players on the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) and three selections make up the GB&I side. The team includes Lottie Woad, the number one ranked player in the world, and sisters Euphemie and Patience Rhodes. The English duo are the first sisters to compete in the match since Leona and Lisa Maguire in 2010.
The GB&I team:
Sara Byrne, Ireland, Douglas, 23
Beth Coulter, Ireland, Kirkistown Castle, 20
Hannah Darling, Scotland, Broomieknowe, 21
Aine Donegan, Ireland, Lahinch, 22
Lorna McClymont, Scotland, Milngavie, 23
Euphemie Rhodes, England, Burnham & Berrow, 22
Patience Rhodes, England, Burnham & Berrow, 20
Lottie Woad, England, Farnham, 20
Reserves
1. Anna Foster, Ireland, Elm Park, 22
2. Nellie Ong, England, Eaton, 18
Captain: Catriona Matthew
The Scot leads the Great Britain and Ireland team for the first time and aims to join a small group of victorious GB&I Captains. As a member of three GB&I Curtis Cup teams, the Women’s Amateur Champion in 1993 experienced a loss in 1990, a win in 1992 and a draw in 1994. After becoming the University of Stirling’s first-ever female sports scholar, the North Berwick player began a professional career in 1994 which has included winning the 2009 Women’s British Open and playing on nine European Solheim Cup teams. In 2019 and 2021, Matthew led Europe to consecutive Solheim Cup wins over the United States of America as team captain.
Player information:
Sara Byrne
Byrne is representing GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the first time. This year, the 2024 Second Team All-American at the University of Miami has represented Ireland in both the Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch in her home country and in the European Ladies’ Team Championship in Spain. In 2023, she won the Irish Women’s Close Championship, earned low amateur honours in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open and represented Ireland in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship in Abu Dhabi. She was in attendance as a fan during the 2016 Curtis Cup at Dún Laoghaire in Ireland when GB&I last defeated the USA.
Beth Coulter
Making her Curtis Cup debut, the Arizona State University student has this year finished eighth in the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play and advanced to the match play stages in The Women’s Amateur Championship for the fifth consecutive year. In 2023, she reached the quarter-finals of The Women’s Amateur, finished runner-up in both the Irish Women’s Amateur Open and Irish Women’s Close championships and represented GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy at Royal Dornoch. She represented Ireland in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship in 2022 and 2023 and in the Home Internationals from 2017 to 2023.
Hannah Darling
Darling is representing GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the third time after playing in 2021 at Conwy and in 2022 at Merion. This year, the three-time All-American at the University of South Carolina was part of the International team in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch and progressed to the match play stages in The Women’s Amateur Championship for the fifth consecutive year. In 2023, the Scot finished tied-eighth in the European Ladies’ Amateur in Sweden and represented her country in both the Vagliano Trophy and the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. She won both the 2018 R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship and 2021 R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship at Fulford.
Aine Donegan
The Irish player is making her Curtis Cup debut for GB&I. This year, the 2023 Honourable Mention All-American at Louisiana State University has finished tied-fourth in the NCAA Women’s Golf Individual Championship and tied-sixth in the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play. In both 2023 and 2024, she advanced to the last-64 in The Women’s Amateur Championship and competed in the US Women’s Open. In last year’s US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, she opened with a 69 and was one stroke off the opening round lead before making the cut. She has represented Ireland in the Home Internationals four times and went 5-0-1 in the 2019 Girls’ Home Internationals at Downfield.
Lorna McClymont
McClymont competes for GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the first time. In 2024, the two-time R&A Student Tour Series Order of Merit winner from the University of Stirling has won four WAGR® events and finished runner-up to the USA’s Melanie Green in The Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock in Ireland. She won five WAGR® events in both 2022 and 2023. She has represented Scotland on multiple occasions in the Home Internationals, Women’s World Amateur Team Championship and the Arnold Palmer Cup. She went 5-1-0 in the 2023 Women’s and Men’s Home Internationals at Machynys Peninsula in Wales.
Euphemie Rhodes
A Curtis Cup debutant, she and younger sister, Patience, will join twins and 2010 GB&I team members Leona and Lisa Maguire as the only sisters to compete in the Curtis Cup. In 2024, the recent Wake Forest University graduate has finished third in both the South American Women’s Amateur in Colombia and a LET Access Series event in Sweden. In 2023, she helped lead Wake Forest to a national championship title and in the Women’s and Men’s Home Internationals in Wales, she and sister Patience went 3-0-0 for England in foursomes, winning their matches 6&5, 7&6 and 3&2.
Patience Rhodes
Rhodes is representing GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the first time, alongside her sister, Euphemie. This year, the Arizona State University student completed her first collegiate season after struggling with wrist and back injuries the year before. She has also finished tied-ninth in the South American Women’s Amateur in Colombia and tied-18th in the European Ladies’ Amateur in Finland. In 2023, she won The St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and reached the last-32 in The Women’s Amateur Championship at Prince’s. Representing England in the Home Internationals, she went 4-1-1 in the Girls’ and Boys’ competition in 2021 at Woodhall Spa and 5-0-0 in the Women’s and Men’s competition in 2023 at Machynys Peninsula.
Lottie Woad
Woad has enjoyed a memorable year and continues it with a first appearance in the Curtis Cup. The two-time First Team All-American at Florida State University won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and reached the last-16 in The Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock. She has also competed in three major championships and reached number one on the WAGR®. Last year, she finished runner-up in the South American Women’s Amateur in Ecuador. The 2022 R&A Girls’ Amateur Champion has represented her country in the Home Internationals, Vagliano Trophy, Women’s World Amateur Team Championship and Arnold Palmer Cup.
Woad is the No. 2 ranked player in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women's Rankings.
Recent results:
2022 Merion, USA 15½ GB&I 4½
2021 Conwy, GB&I 7½ USA 12½
2018 Quaker Ridge, USA 17 GB&I 3
2016 Dún Laoghaire, GB&I 11½ USA 8½
2014 St Louis, USA 13 GB&I 7
2012 Nairn, GB&I 10½ USA 9½