For the second consecutive year, San José State women’s golfer Antonia Malate has been selected to Arnold Palmer Cup team representing the United States at matches which will be hosted by the Laurel Valley Golf Club, in Ligonier, Pa., June 8-10, 2023.
Malate was one of six ranking women’s qualifiers for the United States team. She is coming off a sixth-place finish at the Mountain West Championship and has eight top-25 finishes this season. Malate also tied for 20th at this year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Last year, Malate went 2-1-1 at the Palmer Cup in Switzerland.
Another familiar face to Spartan fans will be there as assistant coach Kortnie Maxotopoulis Barrett will serve as one of the two United States assistant coaches.
The Arnold Palmer Cup is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players, the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.
United States team ranking qualifiers included Rachel Kuehn (Wake Forest), Crystal Wang (Illinois), Zoe Campos (UCLA), Megan Schofill (Auburn), Antonia Malate (San Jose State), and Ashleigh Park (Oregon) for the women and Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Michael Thorbjornsen (Stanford), David Ford (North Carolina), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State), Ben James (Virginia), and Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida) for the men.
United States team Committee selections were Austin Greaser (North Carolina), Tommy Kuhl (Illinois), Ashley Menne (Arizona State), Emilia Migliaccio (Wake Forest), Maxwell Moldovan (Ohio State), Jennie Park (Texas A&M), Amanda Sambach (Virginia), and Caleb Surratt (Tennessee). Olivia Mitchell (Dallas Baptist) and Alex Price (Christopher Newport) were the non-Division I selections. Team USA Head Coach Michael Beard selected Derek Hitchner (Pepperdine) and Derek Radley selected Amari Avery (Southern California) as their coach’s picks.
International team ranking qualifiers included Julia Lopez Ramirez (Mississippi State; Spain), Charlotte Heath (Florida State; England), Mirabel Ting (Augusta; Malaysia), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Oklahoma State; Australia), Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn (Iowa State; Thailand), and Carla Bernat (Tulane; Spain) for the women and Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech; South Africa), Christiaan Maas (Texas; South Africa), Herman Sekne (Purdue; Norway), Tyran Snyders (Texas Tech; South Africa), Sampson Zheng (California; China), and Karl Vilips (Stanford; Australia) for the men.
International team Committee selections were Santiago de la Fuente (Houston; Mexico), Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Arkansas; Argentina), Max Kennedy (Louisville; Ireland), Frederik Kjettrup (Florida State; Denmark), Andrea Lignell (Ole Miss; Sweden), Caley McGinty (Ohio State; England), Lauren Walsh (Wake Forest; Ireland), and Lottie Woad (Florida State; England). Ryan Griffin (Maynooth; Ireland) and Lorna McClymont (Stirling; Scotland) were the representatives from The R&A Student Tour Series. Head Coaches John Handrigan and Golda Borst selected Mats Ege (East Tennessee State; Norway) and Chiara Tamburlini (Ole Miss; Switzerland), respectively, as their coach’s picks.
About the Arnold Palmer Cup
The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players. The Palmer Cup has been played at some of the world’s greatest courses, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, The Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, and Cherry Hills. Beginning with the 2018 matches at Evian Resort Golf Club, the Palmer Cup is the only major tournament which features men and women playing side-by-side as partners.
Since its inception, over 125 former Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn cards on the PGA, DP World, or LPGA Tours; 34 have represented Europe or the USA in the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup, or Solheim Cup and more than 75 have claimed over 310 victories on the PGA, DP World, or LPGA Tours, including 2022 major champions Jennifer Kupcho (The Chevron Championship) and Justin Thomas (PGA Championship). The United States leads the Palmer Cup series 13-12-1.