Many amateurs base their whole year – or even two years – around the opportunity to represent their country in an international team competition, with the Walker Cup and Curtis Cups the frontrunners.
After the 2020 playing of the Curtis Cup was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, two teams of the best female amateurs in U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland have landed at Conwy Golf Club in Wales for the latest matches.
The U.S. team includes the Nos. 1 and 2 amateurs in the world in Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck. Both players are headed to Stanford shortly after the conclusion of the Cup. On the GB&I side, three players are coming straight from making the cut at the AIG Women’s British Open, the final women’s major of the season: Louise Duncan, Annabell Fuller and Lauren Walsh.
Consider this your primer on all things Curtis Cup before the matches begin on Thursday Aug. 26.
Meet the teams: U.S. roster | GB&I roster