By Jay Aggarwal On August 20, 2025 9:00 UTC
European Junior Ryder Cup Captain Stephen Gallacher has unveiled his 12-strong team to take on the United States as they aim to defend their title in New York from September 23-25, 2025.
The six automatic qualifiers comprise three boys – French duo Callixte Alzas and Hugo Le Goff and Lev Grinberg from Ukraine – and three girls – Sara Brentcheneff and Louise Uma Landgraf of France and England’s Charlotte Naughton. The automatic qualifiers earned their place on the European Junior Ryder Cup team through a season-long ranking system, which was organised by the European Golf Association.
Six players were then selected by Gallacher: Ireland’s John Doyle, England’s Kris Kim and France’s Oscar Couilleau for the boys, while Denmark’s Benedicte Brent-Petersen, Spain’s Nagore Martinez and Alice Kong of France were selected for the girls.
Gallacher ended a run of six straight defeats for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup as they secured a European record 11-point victory in Rome in 2023, and they will now target back-to-back victories both home and away for the first time since 2006.
Gallacher said: “I would like to congratulate the players selected to represent Europe in the 2025 Junior Ryder Cup. They have performed brilliantly over the past year, and they should all be very proud of their achievement in making the team.
“I’ve been to several of the qualification events, and I’ve been blown away by the standard of golf on show. We have a very strong team and I’m looking forward to working with the most exciting future talent in Europe again this year.
“The team spirit was unbelievable in 2023, and we will be looking to replicate that in New York. Playing away from home is an exciting challenge and I have no doubt that our team will be ready for it.
“It is a tremendous honour to be their Captain, and we are relishing the prospect of taking on the United States. Playing the final day single matches at Bethpage Black is a fantastic opportunity for both sets of players to showcase their skills to the golfing world.”
Alzas, winner of the recent English Boys’ U18 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship (Carris Trophy), topped the male Junior Ryder Cup Order of Merit to secure his place in New York, and he will be joined by compatriot Hugo Le Goff who finished second on the Rankings.
Le Goff, currently sitting tenth on the European Men’s Amateur Golf Rankings, finished tied eighth at the Portuguese International Amateur Championship at the start of the year, before claiming victory at the Spanish International Amateur Championship.
The third and final automatic qualification spot was taken by 2023 Junior Ryder Cup player Grinberg after an impressive campaign which included a tied second-place finish at the German International Amateur Boys’ Championship in May. The Ukrainian returns to Gallacher’s side having played a key part in Europe’s record 11-point victory over the United States at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome two years ago.
Grinberg, at the 2022 Soudal Open in Belgium, became the second-youngest player to make a cut in the DP World Tour’s history at the age of 14.
For the girls, Brentcheneff topped the Order of Merit thanks to an impressive season, which included a runner up finish at the Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship followed by a tied third-place finish at the Spanish International Ladies’ Amateur Championship. Brentcheneff also secured a fifth-place finish at the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
Brentcheneff, currently sitting tenth in the European Women’s Amateur Golf Rankings and 37th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, will be joined in New York by her fellow automatic qualifiers, Uma Landgraf and Naughton.
Uma Landgraf has tasted success twice in 2025, firstly winning the Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship in January before adding the Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open Championship in June, whilst Naughton secured the final automatic qualification spot. Naughton won the German International Amateur Girls Championship earlier this year and finished runner-up at The R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship last week.
Gallacher then selected the talented trio of Doyle, Kim and Couilleau. Kim enjoyed a memorable Junior Ryder Cup debut in 2023, going undefeated and earning three and a half points from four matches in Team Europe’s record-breaking victory in Rome. A year later the Englishman became the youngest European player to make a cut on the PGA TOUR at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson at the age of 16.
He also picked Brent-Petersen, who finished tied ninth at the Women’s Amateur Championship in June, Martinez who won the Spanish International Ladies’ Amateur Championship earlier this year and Kong, meaning there will be a total of six French players in the team.
The first two days of the Junior Ryder Cup will be played at Nassau Country Club before the decisive singles matches are held at Bethpage Black, the Ryder Cup venue, on the eve of the 45th edition of the biennial contest between Europe and the United States.
