WEST BARROW, Ireland - Junior Jonathan McEwen of the Washington and Lee University men's golf team and Team USA are set to take on Team International in the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup in West Barrow, Ireland.
McEwen, a Portsmouth, Va. native, was the fourth NCAA Division III golfer to be selected to represent Team USA at the Arnold Palmer Cup on May 5th. He will join some of the best collegiate golfers in the Ryder Cup Style event on July 3-5 at the prestigious Tralee Golf Links.
The Arnold Palmer Cup, co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), is a Ryder Cup-style tournament that features the top men's and women's collegiate golfers, pitting Team USA against an International squad. This year marks the 30th edition of the event, with the United States holding a 15-13-1 advantage in the all-time series. The competition has been staged at some of the world's most iconic venues, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Baltusrol, The Honors Course, Cherry Hills and Lahinch.
It is a great honor to be chosen to represent both W&L and the United States at the Palmer Cup. I look forward to collaborating and competing with some of the best college golfers from around the world. The support of the W&L community has been invaluable in my development as a player, and I truly appreciate it.
Jonathan McEwen '27
McEwen becomes just the fourth Division III player selected to compete in the Arnold Palmer Cup, joining Anthony Maccaglia (Oglethorpe, 2014), Alex Price (Christopher Newport, 2023) and Jackson Klutznick (Emory, 2024). As a group, these Division III players have posted a 3-7-2 record at the event.
In nine tournaments during his junior season, McEwen posted a 68.3 adjusted scoring average across 28 rounds. He recorded three victories and finished among the top five in eight events. He carded 12 rounds in the 60s this season with 22 rounds of par or better while contributing a counting score in all 28 rounds for the Blue and White. His victories came at the Gate City Invitational, the Savannah Invitational, and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship, where he successfully defended his conference title.
At the NCAA Division III Championship, McEwen finished as the national runner-up after shooting nine-under par (278) over four rounds, breaking his own program record for a 72-hole score. He totaled 16 birdies and 50 pars during the championship and led the 225-player field in par-3 scoring at five-under par.
McEwen added more awards to his already lengthy resume as he was named a PING First Team All-American and All-Region selection, First Team All-ODAC, ODAC/Virgina Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year, ODAC Individual Champion and was named to the 2026 Ben Hogan Award Watch List this season. He became the 11th golfer all-time and second NCAA Division III golfer to win two-straight Jack Nicklaus Awards.
McEwen etched his name in the program's record books once again this season as he reset nine program records. He set four new round records this season in low round (64), low round vs. par (-8), Low 54 hole total (-14 at Jekyll Island Collegiate) and low 72 hole total (-9 at NCAA Championship) while also posting the second-lowest 54 hole total with a score of 13-under par at the Savannah Invitational.
In addition, he set six season records this year. He had 22 par or better rounds in the team's 28 rounds played this season, counted in all 28 rounds while posting the best head-to-head percentage in program history, defeating 97.3% of the 1,013 opponents he squared off against. McEwen also recorded a program record eight eagles this year while posting program-best scoring on par 3's (3.02) and par 5's (4.55).
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Jonathan to represent the USA internationally. He is well on his way to becoming the most decorated Division III golfer of all time. It's pretty exciting to watch it unfold.
Thomas R. Wall, IV '80 Head Men's Golf Coach, Pete Gyscek, PGA
ABOUT TRALEE GOLF LINKS
Tralee Golf Links, perched dramatically on the Atlantic cliffs at West Barrow near Tralee, County Kerry, is one of Ireland’s premier championship links courses. Designed by legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, this jewel of Irish golf offers an unparalleled playing experience that blends natural beauty with a world-class challenge.
Since Tralee Golf Links moved to its current location at Barrow in October 1984, Tralee has occupied a site perfectly suited to links golf, featuring towering dunes, undulating fairways, and cliff-top tees with breathtaking ocean views. The front nine rolls along the cliffs, with standout holes like the dramatic par-5 second and the picturesque par-3 third. The back nine winds through rugged dunes, offering a thrilling challenge with holes like the unforgettable 16th and a dramatic finishing stretch on the back nine.
As the first European course designed by Arnold Palmer, Tralee holds a special place in Palmer’s legacy. Palmer famously remarked, a reflection of the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the terrain. A statue of Palmer by noted sculptor Zenos Frudakis stands near the first tee, honoring Palmer’s vision and contributions to the game. (A twin statue stands in front of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Penn.)
Tralee consistently ranks among the world’s finest links courses, captivating players with its unique setting, memorable holes, and raw coastal beauty. It is widely recognized as a must-play for golf travellers and a cornerstone of any golf itinerary in Ireland.
I may have designed the first nine, but surely god designed the back nine.
Arnold Palmer
TEAM USA
Kihei Akina; BYU; Fr.; Alpine, Utah
Amely Bochaton; Wingate; So.; Wingate, North Carolina
Kylie Chong; Southern California; So.; Torrance, California
Ryder Cowan; Oklahoma; Jr.; Edmond, Oklahoma
Anna Davis; Auburn; Jr.; Spring Valley, California
Wheaton Ennis; Texas A&M; So.; Eagle, Idaho
Josiah Gilbert; Auburn; Jr.; Prattville, Alabama
William Jennings; Alabama; So.; Greenville, South Carolina
Jasmine Koo; Southern California; So.; Cerritos, California
Chloe Kovelesky; Wake Forest; So.; Boca Raton, Florida
Jonathan McEwen; Washington and Lee; Portsmouth, Virginia
Jacob Modleski; Notre Dame; Jr.; Noblesville, Indiana
Farah O'Keefe; Texas; Jr.; Austin, Texas
Macy Pate; Wake Forest; Jr.; Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Cayden Pope; Auburn; Jr.; Lexington, Kentucky
Megan Propeck; Florida; Sr.; Leawood, Kansas
Kiara Romero; Oregon; Jr.; San Jose, California
Bailey Shoemaker; Southern California; Jr.; Dade City, Florida
Jack Turner; Florida; Jr.; Orlando, Florida
Willy Walsh; Pepperdine; Jr.; San Mateo, California
Avery Weed; Mississippi State; Jr.; Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Connor Williams; Arizona State; Jr.; Escondido, California
Coach's Pick: Max Herendeen; Illinois; Jr.; Bellevue, Washington
Coach's Pick: Mackenzie Lee; SMU; Sr.; North Little Rock, Arkansas
Co-Head Coach: Laura Ianello; Texas; Charleston, Illinois
Co-Head Coach: Trey Jones; Florida State; Cullman, Alabama
Assistant Coach: Emily Fletcher; Northwestern; Evanston, Illinois
Assistant Coach: Beth Miller; Northwestern; Dixon, Illinois
Assistant Coach: Bowen Sargent; Virginia; Charlottesville, Virginia
Assistant Coach: Thomas Sutton; Arizona State; Montgomery, Alabama
TEAM INTERNATIONAL
Nguyen Anh Minh; Oregon State; Fr.; Hanoi, Vietnam
Daniel Bennett; Texas; So.; Pretoria, South Africa
Vanessa Borovilos; Texas A&M; So.; Etobicoke, Canada
George Cannon; Stirling; Sr.; Falkirk, Scotland
Cayetana Fernández García-Poggio; Texas A&M; Jr.; Madrid, Spain
Paula Francisco; Florida; Jr.; Madrid, Spain
Connor Graham; Texas Tech; So.; Blairgowrie, Scotland
Veronika Kedronova; Kent State; Jr.; Rožnow pod Radhoštem, Czech Republic
Lauren Kim; Texas; Jr.; Surrey, Canada
Marie Eline Madsen; NC State; So.; Viborg, Denmark
Rianne Malixi; Duke; Fr.; Manila, Philippines
Maria Jose Marin; Arkansas; Jr; Cali, Colombia
Paula Martín Sampedro; Stanford; Jr.; Madrid, Spain
Caitlin Maurice; St Andrews; Sr.; Omokoroa, New Zealand
Malan Potgieter; Louisiana; Sr.; Kirkwood, South Africa
Luke Poulter; Florida; Jr.; Woburn, England
Patience Rhodes; Arizona State; Jr.; Bath, England
Niall Sheils Donegan; North Carolina; Jr.; Glasgow, Scotland
Árni Sveinsson; LSU; So.; Garðabær, Iceland
Zack Swanwick; Florida; So.; Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Harry Takis; San Diego State; So.; Brisbane, Australia
Tim Wiedemeyer; Texas Tech, Jr.; Olching, Germany
Coach's Pick: Jack Buchanan; Southern California; So.; Cape Town, South Africa
Coach's Pick: Marta Silchenko; Oklahoma State; Jr.; Riga, Latvia
Co-Head Coach: Janice Olivencia; Miami; Caguas, Puerto Rico
Co-Head Coach: Brennan Webb; Tennessee; Bracebridge, Canada
Assistant Coach: Jake Amos; LSU; Leicester, England
Assistant Coach: Veronique Drouin-Luttrell; Oklahoma; Saints-Anges, Canada
Assistant Coach: Matt Walton; Arizona; Lytham St Annes, England
Assistant Coach: Yoshio Yamamoto; South Carolina; Guadalajara, Mexico