- World amateur number-one, Ingrid Lindblad (SWE) to represent the Continent of Europe
- Strong team announced with two players in the top-3, and five in the top-15, of the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
- Continent of Europe team looking to retain the trophy against GB&I at Royal Dornoch, Scotland, later this month
- Two more selections to be announced after The R&A Women’s Amateur
The EGA is delighted to confirm the first six players of the 2023 Continent of Europe Vagliano Trophy Team. Selection for the team recognizes the players’ outstanding achievements in the amateur game.
The Vagliano Trophy is a biennial match between the best female amateur players from Great Britain & Ireland and the Continent of Europe. The contest will take place for the first time in four years at Royal Dornoch, Scotland on 30 June and 1 July, after the 2021 edition was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
The selections:
Helen Briem (GER)
Savannah De Bock (BEL)
Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (ESP)
Julia Lopez Ramirez (ESP)
Ingrid Lindblad (SWE)
Meja Örtengren (SWE)
Ingrid Lindblad is currently the number-one ranked amateur player in the world and will make her first appearance in the match later this month. The 23-year-old Swedish player won the European Ladies’ Amateur title in 2021 and has secured numerous victories in the U.S. representing Louisiana State University.
Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (ESP) is currently third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at just 18 years of age. The Spanish player helped the Continent of Europe to victory in the Junior Vagliano Trophy in 2021 and has earned her first appearance for the women’s team this year.
Meja Örtengren (SWE) and Helen Briem (GER) were also part of the victorious Continent of Europe junior team in 2021. The pair finished tied for first position at the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship last year and are both currently ranked inside the top-15 of the WAGR.
Julia Lopez Ramirez (ESP) has been one of the top amateur performers in the U.S. this season. Her biggest win came at the SEC Women’s Golf Championship, which fueled a rise to 13th position in the WAGR.
Savannah De Bock (BEL) is the reigning European Ladies’ Amateur Champion. The Belgian won the event in a play-off at Golf de Saint-Germain in France last summer, earning a start in the AIG Women’s Open.
The six players will be joined by two further selections following The R&A Women’s Amateur Championship next week.
The team will be captained by Ane Urchegui García, a former Spanish international team player, who led the Continent of Europe teams to victory at the 2017 and 2019 Junior Vagliano Trophy matches.
“I am very honoured to be Captain of the Continent of Europe women’s team for the first time alongside some of the best amateur players in the world” said Urchegui García, who succeeds to Italy’s Anna Roscio as captain.
“I have great memories of the past editions as captain of the Junior Vagliano Trophy team. We will carry the same goal into this year’s match, enjoyment of the moment, friendship, gratitude, sportsmanship, discipline, motivation, teamwork, and love for golf. That is the best recipe to fight for the prestigious Vagliano Trophy”.
The 2019 Continent of Europe Vagliano Trophy Team
The selected players will follow in the footsteps of Solheim Cup stars Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Céline Boutier and major champion, Sophia Popov, who have all formerly represented the Continent of Europe in the match.
Royal Dornoch will set the stage for both the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano matches this year. Having formerly hosted the Jacques Léglise Trophy in 2015, the course is consistently ranked amongst the best in Scotland and the world.
About the Vagliano Trophy
The Vagliano Trophy is a biennial match played between eight-player teams from the Continent of Europe and Great Britain & Ireland. The EGA selects the Continent of Europe team, while the GB&I side is selected by The R&A.
The Vagliano Trophy was presented by André Vagliano to the French Golf Federation and the Ladies’ Golf Union in 1931, originally for an annual match between Great Britain and Ireland and France. The format was changed in 1959 to include the entire Continent.
The match takes place over two days. Four foursomes matches in the morning and eight singles matches in the afternoon are played on both days with 24 total points available to the teams.
This year’s match will be the 32nd between GB&I and the Continent of Europe. Both teams have won 15 times each since 1959, with one match halved. The Continent of Europe team is looking for their eighth consecutive win, with Great Britain & Ireland’s last victory coming in 2005.