Montreal, Quebec, Canada: A strong performance from Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh was not enough to lead the International Team to victory in the fourth edition of the Junior Presidents Cup.
Despite contributing two points out of three, Anh Minh’s effort was in a losing cause with the United States Team emerging victorious 15-9 at Le Club Laval-sur-le-Lac's Blue Course in Montreal.
Holding a one-point lead heading into the final day, the US squad needed 5.5 points to retain the Cup. They came out hot, gaining 3.5 points from the first four matches and never looked back.
The Junior Presidents Cup is a two-day, team match play competition featuring 24 junior boys, 19 years old and younger. The juniors are split into teams of 12, half from the US and the other half from around the world, excluding Europe.
Taking place just days before the start of the biennial Presidents Cup, the Junior Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European juniors a unique playing opportunity to compete in an international team match play competition and showcase the global reach of junior golf.
The 12-strong International Team consisted of 10 players from the Asia-Pacific – Anh Minh and fellow-Vietnamese Le Khanh Hung, Indonesian Rayan Abdul Latief, Indian Kartik Singh, New Zealand’s Joshua Bai, Thais Thanawin Lee and Warut Boonrod and the Chinese trio of Chang Xihuan, Gu Liangliang and Yu Hanjie.
Apart from Yu and Gu, the eight other players from the region will reconvene in Japan next week when they’ll be bidding for individual glory at the 15th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Despite the Junior Presidents Cup score finishing heavily in favour of the US, many of the singles matches were close. Of the 12 matches, eight made it to the 18th hole with five ending in a tie. The only International player to win his contest was Anh Minh who defeated Miles Russell, one-up.
In the foursomes, Anh Minh teamed up with New Zealander Bai to beat Blades Brown and Tyler Watts, 4&2. Anh Minh and Bai were part of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that defeated the European Golf Association in the Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in Spain last year.
International Captain Graham DeLaet said: “It was a super special week. It was way more emotional than I thought it was going to be. By the end of the week I felt like these 12 kids were basically my children.
“I tried to pick them up when they were down and keep them from getting too far ahead of themselves. I’m so proud of them. Even though they didn’t come out on top here, they gained friendships for the rest of their lives and the memories that will stay with them. I learned so much from them and that was the best part for me.”
The Junior Presidents Cup will head back to the US in 2026 with Chicago as host.
