Stephen Gallacher will captain Team Europe at the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup, while Ryder Cup Europe and the European Golf Association have today confirmed the selection process for the European junior team.
The Scotsman, a four-time DP World Tour winner, was part of the European team that defeated USA to retain the Ryder Cup in 2014, winning 14.5 to 13.5 at Gleneagles Hotel.
Six boys and six girls will take on the USA in Rome from September 26-28, 2023, with the first two days of the Junior Ryder Cup being played at Golf Nazionale before the decisive singles matches are held at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the Ryder Cup venue, on the eve of the 44th edition of the biennial contest between Europe and the United States.
Three boys and three girls will earn a place on the European Junior Ryder Cup team through a season-long ranking system, which has been organised by the European Golf Association, while the remaining six players will be selected by Gallacher, the European Junior Ryder Cup Captain.
The Scotsman set up the Stephen Gallacher Foundation to help and encourage junior golfers in Scotland and he will now lead the European junior team in Rome as he continues to inspire the next generation of golfers.
“I am absolutely delighted to be named Junior European Ryder Cup Captain for 2023,” said Gallacher. “It’s a privilege to be able to lead a team of the best juniors in Europe against America in Rome.
“Playing the final day at Marco Simone will be a fantastic experience for our players who get the opportunity to compete in front of Ryder Cup crowds on the Ryder Cup course for the first time.
“I’m really looking forward to getting to some events during the year and working with the most exciting future talent in Europe.”
It’s a privilege to be able to lead a team of the best juniors in Europe against America in Rome - Stephen Gallacher
Players will earn points for the Rankings based on their finishing position in selected elite amateur events in 2023 and these points will be allocated using the World Amateur Golf Ranking system. The qualification process will end following The R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur Championships on August 20, 2023.
Boys and girls who are citizens of a European country as defined by the International Golf Federation’s Nationality Policy, under 18 years of age on January 1, 2023, and who are not enrolled to play college golf in USA during 2023 are eligible to participate in the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup.
The Junior Ryder Cup has produced a plethora of golfing stars and once again in 2023 the best male and female junior amateurs from Europe and the USA go head-to-head in the mixed event.
Rory McIlroy and Nicolas Colsaerts, the recently-appointed European Ryder Cup Vice-Captain, both triumphed in the event before also winning The Ryder Cup, while Suzanne Peterson and Carlota Ciganda both succeeded as amateurs before lifting the Solheim Cup.
Boys' Events:
| DATE | EVENT | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| 8-11 Feb | Portuguese International Amateur | Montado Golf Resort (POR) |
| 28 Feb - 5 Mar | Spanish International Amateur (Copa SM El Rey) | Infinitum Golf (ESP) |
| 6-10 Apr | French International Boys Championship (Carlhian Trophy) | Golf de Saint-Germain (FRA) |
| 1-3 Jun | German Boys Open | St. Leon-Rot (GER) |
| 19-24 Jun | The Amateur Championship | Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale (ENG) |
| 28 Jun - 1 Jul | European Amateur Championship | Pärnu Bay Golf Links (EST) |
| 11-15 Jul | European Boys’ Team Championship* | Geneva (SUI) |
| 11-15 Jul | European Amateur Team Championship* | Royal Waterloo (BEL) |
| 15-20 Aug | R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | Ganton & Fulford (ENG) |
Girls' Events
| DATE | EVENT | VENUE |
|---|---|---|
| 25-28 Jan | Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship | Montado Golf Resort (POR) |
| 28 Feb - 5 Mar | Spanish International Amateur Championship (Copa SM La Reina) | La Reserva Club Sotogrande (ESP) |
| 6-10 Apr | French International Girls Championship (Esmond Trophy) | Saint-Cloud (FRA) |
| 1-3 Jun | German Girls Open | G.C. St. Leon-Rot (GER) |
| 13-18 Jun | The Women’s Amateur Championship | Prince’s (ENG) |
| 13-15 Jun | ANNIKA Invitational Europe (girls) | Halmstad GK (SWE) |
| 11-15 Jul | European Girls’ Team Championship* | Golf d’Hossegor (FRA) |
| 11-15 Jul | European Ladies’ Team Championship* | Tawast G&CC (FIN) |
| 26-29 Jul | European Ladies’ Amateur Championship | Tegelberga GK (SWE) |
| 15-20 Aug | R&A Girls Amateur Championship | Ganton & York (ENG) |
European Countries for Junior Ryder Cup European Team Eligibility
| Albania | Estonia | Liechtenstein | San Marino |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andorra | Finland | Lithuania | Serbia |
| Armenia | France | Luxembourg | Slovak Republic |
| Austria | Georgia | North Macedonia | Slovenia |
| Azerbaijan | Germany | Malta | Spain |
| Belgium | Greece | Moldova | Sweden |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Hungary | Monaco | Switzerland |
| Bulgaria | Iceland | Montenegro | Turkey |
| Croatia | Ireland | The Netherlands | Ukraine |
| Cyprus | Israel | Norway | United Kingdom |
| Czech Republic | Italy | Poland | Latvia |
| Denmark | Kazakhstan | Portugal |
