NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt men’s golf team will be well represented at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup, as juniors Gordon Sargent and Jackson Van Paris were each selected to play for the United States at the event.
The 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup teams were announced today live on Golf Channel. It is the third time that Sargent will participate in the Palmer Cup, as he was a member of Team USA each of the last two years. For Van Paris, it will be his debut at the Palmer Cup, as he was selected by Team USA head coach Matt Thurmond. The duo will head to Lahinch Golf Club in Lahinch, Ireland on July 5-7 to compete at the 2024 Palmer Cup.
Sargent is the all-time leader for career wins (6) at Vanderbilt and is currently ranked No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. A 2023 Masters Tournament participant and 2022 NCAA Division I individual national champion, Sargent won the Mason Rudolph Championship earlier this season. The Birmingham, Alabama, native represented the United States at the Walker Cup, where he went 4-0-0 to help the U.S. claim the victory. He also played in the World Amateur Team Championships for Team USA in Abu Dhabi, where he teamed up with Nick Dunlap and David Ford to win gold. Sargent will be looking to help Team USA claim its second-straight Palmer Cup, as he went 3-0-1 last season. Sargent becomes just the fourth men’s golfer ever to play in three Palmer Cups for Team USA, joining Bryce Molder (’98, ’99, ’01), Chandler Phillips (’17, ’18, ’19), and Nick Gabrelcik (’21, ’22, ’23).
Van Paris is enjoying a breakout junior season that has seen him shoot up to No. 14 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Pinehurst, North Carolina, native made his PGA TOUR debut back in March at the Puerto Rico Open, where he finished in a tie for 10th. In the fall, Van Paris earned his first collegiate victory at the inaugural St Andrews Links Collegiate, carding 9-under 131. He is also the youngest player since Bobby Jones to win a U.S. Amateur match, playing in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at age 14.
The Vanderbilt men’s golf team has a rich history at the Arnold Palmer Cup. A total of 10 Commodores have competed at the Palmer Cup, while Vanderbilt men’s golf head coach Scott Limbaugh led Team USA back in 2019.
United States team selections were Zoe Campos (UCLA), Luke Clanton (Florida State), Maisie Filler (Florida), David Ford (North Carolina), Megha Ganne (Stanford), Ian Gilligan (Florida), Melanie Green (USF), Ben James (Virginia), Jackson Koivun (Auburn), Rachel Kuehn (Wake Forest), Michael La Sasso (Ole Miss), Jack Lundin (Missouri), Anna Morgan (Furman), Farah O’Keefe (Texas), Catherine Park (Southern California), Kiara Romero (Oregon), Amanda Sambach (Virginia), Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State), and Brendan Valdes (Auburn). Mary Kelly Mulcahy (Findlay) and Jackson Klutznick (Emory) were the non-Division I selections. Head Coaches Matt Thurmond and Garrett Runion selected Jackson Van Paris (Vanderbilt) and Latanna Stone (LSU), respectively, as their coach’s picks.
International team selections include Bastien Amat (New Mexico; France), Josele Ballester (Arizona State; Spain), Carla Bernat (Kansas State; Spain), Emma Bunch (New Mexico State; Denmark), Adela Cernousek (Texas A&M; France), Hannah Darling (South Carolina; Scotland), Santiago de la Fuente (Houston; Mexico), Wenyi Ding (Arizona State; China), Maria José Marin (Arkansas; Colombia), Max Kennedy (Louisville; Ireland), Julia Lopez Ramirez (Mississippi State; Spain), Caitlyn Macnab (Ole Miss; South Africa), Paula Martín Sampedro (Stanford; Spain), Omar Morales (UCLA, Mexico), Jacob Skov Olesen (Arkansas; Denmark), Louise Rydqvist (South Carolina; Sweden), Calum Scott (Texas Tech; Scotland), Mirabel Ting (Florida State; Malaysia), Ben van Wyk (Georgia; South Africa), and Sampson Zheng (California; China). Ryan Griffin (Maynooth; Ireland) and Kate Lanigan (Maynooth; Ireland) were selected as representatives of The R&A’s Student Tour Series. Head Coaches Rhyll Brinsmead and Barry Fennelly selected Sara Byrne (Miami; Ireland) and Filip Jakubcik (Arizona; Czech Republic), respectively, as their coach’s picks.
The Commodores are heading into championship season this Wednesday, as the 2024 SEC Men’s Golf Championship is set for April 24-28 at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia.
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