U.S. National Junior Team to Host Match Against Team Sweden

The U.S. National Junior Team will host members of Team Sweden for a World Amateur Golf Ranking®-sanctioned match at Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas, from April 17-18. This event marks the third international match-play competition for the U.S. National Development Program, following its victory against Team Canada – NextGen at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas, last April. 

The match will feature six players from each nation in a mixed Ryder/Solheim Cup-style format over two days of competition. The format is as follows:

• Saturday, April 17 – Foursomes Mixed Team Matches (a.m.), Four-Ball Mixed Team Matches (p.m.)
  
  
• Sunday, April 18 – Singles Matches

“Some of the game’s most storied competitions are centered around team match play,” said USNDP Head Coach Chris Zambri. “We believe that it is vitally important to expose our developing athletes to this style of play and the championship-level courses these events are contested on as we prepare them for representing their country at the biggest stages in golf.”

The U.S. National Junior Team has continued to grow year over year from an 18-player roster in 2024, to a 24-player roster comprised of 12 boys and 12 girls in 2026. The USNJT is one of three active teams within the U.S. National Development Program, alongside the Elite Amateur Program (10 players) and the Young Professionals Team, whose roster will be announced later this year.

The six male and six female junior golfers representing the U.S. National Junior Team in the match were determined by a qualifier held in March at USNDP training camp at Desert Mountain Club in Arizona.

“We are looking forward to our Swedish athletes competing in this event as they continue to sharpen their skills in international team play,” said Ola Lindgren, head coach for the Swedish National Team. “We have already seen our elite athletes represent our country at the biggest stages of golf, including the Ryder and Solheim Cups. We are confident that opportunities like these will help grow the next group of golf stars to represent Sweden. We want to thank the USGA for organizing a match to display the best young golf talent from around the world, as we continue the strong relationship between our two golf federations. We also value the opportunity for an exchange of ideas and experiences between our coaches, which further strengthens the development of our players.”

Team USA for this match is comprised of the following players:

Boys

• Grayson Baucom*, 17, Hickory, N.C.
  
  
• Ronin Banerjee, 17, Irvine, Calif.
  
  
• Chase Hughes, 16, Oklahoma City, Okla
  
  
• Mason Howell, 18, Thomasville, Ga. 
  
  
• Jaden Soong, 16, Burbank, Calif.
  
  
• Tyler Watts, 18, Huntsville, Ala.

Girls

• Grace Carter, 15, Jupiter, Fla.
  
  
• Zoe Cusack, 17, Potomac, Md.
  
  
• Anna Fang, 16, San Diego, Calif.
  
  
• Jude Lee, 18, Walnut, Calif.
  
  
• Amelie Zalsman, 17, St. Petersburg, Fla.
  
  
• Angela Zhang, 16, Bellevue, Wash.

For more information on the U.S. National Junior Team, click here.

Team Sweden for this match is comprised of the following players:

Boys

• Carl-Hugo Eriksson*, 18, Vasteras 
  
  
• Filip Grave, 17, Bunkeflostrand
  
  
• Benjamin Hård, 17, Molndal
  
  
• Theodor Kruus, 17, Jarfalla
  
  
• Ludwig Libera, 17, Halmstad
  
  
• Edwin Sjödin,18, Lindigo

Girls

• Ronja Alverlin, 15, Stenungsund
  
  
• Lova Askerdal, 16, Frillesas
  
  
• Maja Bohlin, 15, Kungsbacka
  
  
• Lova Jansson*, 18, Vasteras
  
  
• Ebba Mejer, 17, Hollviken
  
  
• Molly Ralin*, 19, Vaxjo

* - Denotes team selection

For more information on Team Sweden, click here: Boys | Girls

Vaquero Club is a private golf community situated on 525 acres in Westlake, Texas, developed by Discovery Land Company in 2001 on the former Circle T Ranch. The club features an 18-hole Par 71 course originally designed by Tom Fazio and fully redesigned by Andrew Green in 2023, highlighted by Pure Distinction bentgrass greens equipped with state-of-the-art hydronic heating and cooling systems.

This will be the first USGA event hosted at the Westlake Club.