Deacs Shine on International Stage
8/30/2021 1:21:00β―PM | Women's Golf
Wake Forest led the nation with three representatives at the 41st Curtis Cup in Conwy, Wales.
Emilia Migliaccio, Rachel Kuehn, and Lauren Walsh represented their countries and Wake Forest on the biggest international stage in women's amateur golf at the 41st Curtis Cup this past week. Migliaccio and Kuehn, both North Carolina natives, played for Team USA, while Lauren Walsh, a native of Kildare, Ireland, played for Team GBI (Great Britain and Ireland).
Wake Forest was the only school in the country to have three players selected for the event.
"Rachel and Lauren are incredible competitors, but more importantly are amazing people. I'm so lucky to have developed such a special friendship with them both and have all three of us achieve one of our greatest dreams together," said Migliaccio.
Team USA came out victorious and now holds back-to-back titles, as they won in 2018 in New York. Although, this is the first time Team USA has won on international soil since 2008 when they were victorious in historic St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland.
The event was played over three days with five rounds of competition. On day one and two, there were three foursome matches and three fourball matches. On the third and final day, there were eight singles matches. Migliaccio and Kuehn were paired together on day one and two for both foursome matches.
After Emilia and Rachel dropped their foursome match and Lauren won her fourball match on day one, the United States was down 4.5 points to 1.5 points. Day two had Migliaccio and Kuehn paired together again, this time coming out successful and winning their morning foursome. Kuehn was paired against Walsh in the afternoon fourball and came out on the winning side again.
''I think that the three of us are super competitive. We have all trained the last two years over at university with the goal of making the Curtis Cup. I think it is great that the three of us are here and it is great for the University," said Walsh.
Heading into the final day of competition, Team USA was all square with Team GBI. All three Deacs played in a singles match to determine the winner. The United States came out victorious, winning six of the eight matches.
Migliaccio was one up heading into the final hole and won with a birdie on 18. Walsh dropped her match to defending NCAA Champion Rachel Heck on the 17th hole, going down three with one to play. Kuehn clinched her match and the victory for Team USA, as she headed into the final hole one up and shot par on 18 to win it.
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"We all knew we only had to win four to retain but that wasn't our goal," said Kuehn. "Our goal was to go out and to win eight singles matches. The more we can win, the less pressure is on the girls coming in. Just one more point you can put up for your country is a huge deal."
"This is unbelievable, especially as we only scored a point-and-a-half on day one," said Kuehn, who ended with a 3-0-1 record. "To make the comeback we did yesterday was pretty amazing. It was anybody's game this morning. So, this is really cool, really special for me to do what my mom did all those years ago. I've heard about it since I was 8 years old."
Kuehn's mom, Wake Forest All-American Brenda Corrie Kuehn, also clinched the winning match for Team USA in the 1998 Curtis Cup in Minnesota.
"Words cannot explain it. What you feel watching the team and your daughter in this stage, I am so proud of the team and of her. The fans have been amazing, they are true fans that cheer for both sides. I vividly remember my time; I knew I didn't want to play the 18th. Since she was young, I've shared my experiences about the Curtis cup with her, and now being here, I think the stories are something she appreciates," said Corrie-Kuehn.
"I've heard the stories since I was eight, but it's cooler to hear them when we're here at the Curtis Cup, I guess! It's really cool, I didn't know I clinched but then the team told me and the first thing I thought was 'oh my gosh, mom clinched in 98!'" said Kuehn.
Curtis Cup
The Curtis Cup is the most prestigious team trophy for women amateur golfers and contested biennially by teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. The first Curtis Cup Match was played in 1932 at the Wentworth Club in England and won by the American team. A silver bowl of Paul Revere design was donated by Harriot and Margaret Curtis in 1927 and is presented to the winning team.
The golfing sisters, who were both US Women's Amateur Champions, wanted to promote international friendships in women's golf after competing in an informal match between Great Britain and America in 1905. It was not until 1931 that the Ladies Golf Union (LGU) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) agreed to co-sponsor the event. Then, in 2017, the LGU and The R&A had a merger and The R&A assumed responsibility for the organization and administration of the LGU's championships and international matches, including the Curtis Cup.
Each Curtis Cup team is comprised of the eight best amateur golfers in their respective countries. The top three ranked Americans in the World Amateur Golf rankings (WAGR) are the first three named to the team, with the following five players being chosen by the USGA's International Team Selection group. Team GBI is chosen by The R&A from the top ranked amateurs out of England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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Wake Forest was the only school in the country to have three players selected for the event.
"Rachel and Lauren are incredible competitors, but more importantly are amazing people. I'm so lucky to have developed such a special friendship with them both and have all three of us achieve one of our greatest dreams together," said Migliaccio.
3 Deacs, 2 teams, 1 @CurtisCup π€©#GoDeacs π©β³οΈ pic.twitter.com/8rtQpLIFSA
β Wake Women's Golf (@WakeWGolf) August 25, 2021
Team USA came out victorious and now holds back-to-back titles, as they won in 2018 in New York. Although, this is the first time Team USA has won on international soil since 2008 when they were victorious in historic St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland.
The event was played over three days with five rounds of competition. On day one and two, there were three foursome matches and three fourball matches. On the third and final day, there were eight singles matches. Migliaccio and Kuehn were paired together on day one and two for both foursome matches.
After Emilia and Rachel dropped their foursome match and Lauren won her fourball match on day one, the United States was down 4.5 points to 1.5 points. Day two had Migliaccio and Kuehn paired together again, this time coming out successful and winning their morning foursome. Kuehn was paired against Walsh in the afternoon fourball and came out on the winning side again.
''I think that the three of us are super competitive. We have all trained the last two years over at university with the goal of making the Curtis Cup. I think it is great that the three of us are here and it is great for the University," said Walsh.
Heading into the final day of competition, Team USA was all square with Team GBI. All three Deacs played in a singles match to determine the winner. The United States came out victorious, winning six of the eight matches.
Migliaccio was one up heading into the final hole and won with a birdie on 18. Walsh dropped her match to defending NCAA Champion Rachel Heck on the 17th hole, going down three with one to play. Kuehn clinched her match and the victory for Team USA, as she headed into the final hole one up and shot par on 18 to win it.
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π©ππ© #GoDeacs π©β³οΈ pic.twitter.com/6BHrgApton
β Wake Women's Golf (@WakeWGolf) August 28, 2021
"This is unbelievable, especially as we only scored a point-and-a-half on day one," said Kuehn, who ended with a 3-0-1 record. "To make the comeback we did yesterday was pretty amazing. It was anybody's game this morning. So, this is really cool, really special for me to do what my mom did all those years ago. I've heard about it since I was 8 years old."
Kuehn's mom, Wake Forest All-American Brenda Corrie Kuehn, also clinched the winning match for Team USA in the 1998 Curtis Cup in Minnesota.
"Words cannot explain it. What you feel watching the team and your daughter in this stage, I am so proud of the team and of her. The fans have been amazing, they are true fans that cheer for both sides. I vividly remember my time; I knew I didn't want to play the 18th. Since she was young, I've shared my experiences about the Curtis cup with her, and now being here, I think the stories are something she appreciates," said Corrie-Kuehn.
"I've heard the stories since I was eight, but it's cooler to hear them when we're here at the Curtis Cup, I guess! It's really cool, I didn't know I clinched but then the team told me and the first thing I thought was 'oh my gosh, mom clinched in 98!'" said Kuehn.
A feeling unlike any other ππΊπΈ#GoDeacs π©π pic.twitter.com/etVpegth0m
β Wake Women's Golf (@WakeWGolf) August 28, 2021
The Curtis Cup is the most prestigious team trophy for women amateur golfers and contested biennially by teams representing Great Britain and Ireland and the United States. The first Curtis Cup Match was played in 1932 at the Wentworth Club in England and won by the American team. A silver bowl of Paul Revere design was donated by Harriot and Margaret Curtis in 1927 and is presented to the winning team.
The golfing sisters, who were both US Women's Amateur Champions, wanted to promote international friendships in women's golf after competing in an informal match between Great Britain and America in 1905. It was not until 1931 that the Ladies Golf Union (LGU) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) agreed to co-sponsor the event. Then, in 2017, the LGU and The R&A had a merger and The R&A assumed responsibility for the organization and administration of the LGU's championships and international matches, including the Curtis Cup.
Each Curtis Cup team is comprised of the eight best amateur golfers in their respective countries. The top three ranked Americans in the World Amateur Golf rankings (WAGR) are the first three named to the team, with the following five players being chosen by the USGA's International Team Selection group. Team GBI is chosen by The R&A from the top ranked amateurs out of England, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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