12 women chosen for initial Curtis Cup practice squad

The USGA’s International Team Selection Committee announced a 12-player practice squad as they begin the journey to what they hope will be a successful Curtis Cup defense when the matches are played in Wales next summer.

The 12 players who have accepted the Committee's invitation to the practice session, to be held in Florida next month, include (with college affiliation or age category in parentheses):

Allisen Corpuz, 21, of Honolulu, Hawaii (University of Southern California)
Mariel Galdiano, 21, of Pearl City, Hawaii (University of California, Los Angeles)
Lauren Greenlief, 29, of Ashburn, Va. (Mid-Amateur)
Lauren Hartlage, 21, of Elizabethtown, Ky. (University of Louisville)
Auston Kim, 19, of St. Augustine, Fla. (Vanderbilt University)
Gina Kim, 19, of Durham, N.C. (Duke University)
Emilia Migliaccio, 20, of Cary, N.C. (Wake Forest University)
Alexa Pano, 15, of Lake Worth, Fla. (Junior)
Kaitlyn Papp, 21, of Austin, Texas (University of Texas)
Aneka Seumanutafa, 19, of Emmitsburg, Md. (Ohio State University)
Natalie Srinivasan, 21, of Spartanburg, S.C. (Furman University)
Rose Zhang, 16, of Irvine, Calif. (Junior)

This group of 12 players represents a near total turnover from the team that won the Curtis Cup Match at Quaker Ridge last year. Several members of that team have since turned professional, and juniors like Alexa Pano and Rose Zhang have established themselves as serious contenders for the squad. For USA Team Captain Sarah Ingram, it is less of a rebuild and more of a reload.

“The talent level surrounding women’s amateur golf in this country is incredible, and I’m so excited to bring these 12 impressive players together for this practice session,” said Ingram. “My experience participating in three Curtis Cup Matches both fueled my competitive nature and formed lasting relationships. I am eager to help guide and be a part of that journey for a new group of young women.”

The USGA notes that making this practice squad does not guarantee selection to the eight-player USA Team that will compete next summer. Players not invited will also be considered for inclusion on the team.

The USGA provides automatic selections to the reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, along with the McCormack Medal winner, if eligible. Gabriela Ruffels, of Australia, the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, is not eligible for the team, while 2019 McCormack Medal winner Andrea Lee, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., declined the invitation due to her intent to turn pro prior to the 2020 Curtis Cup Match. The USGA will automatically select the top three USA players in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking on April 8, 2020. The remainder of the team will be selected the following week.