The qualification criteria and counting events have been confirmed for the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup, which will take place at Interlachen Country Club in Minnesota, USA, from September 26-27.
The European team will again comprise 12 amateur players – six boys and six girls – who are European citizens and under the age of 18 as of January 1, 2016 (ie. born in 1998 or later).
In conjunction with the European Captain, Maïtena Alsuguren, and the European Golf Association (EGA), Ryder Cup Europe have selected the counting events based on an analysis of all EGA calendar tournaments and their most recent World Amateur Golf Ranking rating.
Six players – three boys and three girls – will qualify automatically through a points system based on the top five ranked EGA junior events and the top five ranked EGA amateur events.
Alsuguren will then fill the remainder of her team with six wildcard picks based upon the players’ performances in the counting events, which take place between March and August, as well as their position in the EGA European Amateur Rankings and results from other significant match play and stroke play events.
Alsuguren said: “It’s a real honour to captain Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup, and I’m already looking forward to seeing the team take shape once the counting events have begun in March. The standard of junior golf in Europe, amongst both boys and girls, is incredibly high, and while recent history may be against us, I’m sure we will take a very strong team to Minnesota in September.”
America have won the last four editions of the Junior Ryder Cup, with Europe’s last victory coming in Ohio, in 2004. The 2006 contest was tied.
For a full explanation of the qualifying criteria and an up-to-date ranking once the counting events have started, please visit here
Source: here