Hannah Darling and Rachel Kuehn give their thoughts ahead of the 2024 Curtis Cup which starts on Friday at Sunningdale
Hannah Darling (pictured above) and Rachel Kuehn hope their experience of playing in two previous Curtis Cup matches helps their respective teams in this week’s contest at Sunningdale.
The leading female amateur golfers from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America are competing in the 43rd Curtis Cup Match over Sunningdale’s Old Course from this Friday 30 August to Sunday 1 September.
The biennial encounter is taking place at the renowned Berkshire venue, with GB&I bidding to win the famous trophy for the first time since 2016 when the team secured a 11½-8½ victory at Dún Laoghaire in Ireland.
Ushering in a new era for GB&I, Catriona Matthew OBE, the two-time winning Solheim Cup captain, leads GB&I with Meghan Stasi captaining the American team.
The USA have won the last three Curtis Cup matches, most recently at Merion on home soil in 2022, as Matthew chases a notable win for the hosts.
England’s Lottie Woad, 20, the leading woman on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and winner of the Smyth Salver as leading amateur at last week’s AIG Women’s Open, is set to be a key player in Matthew’s side, with Darling from Scotland making her third Curtis Cup appearance having played at Conwy in 2021 and Merion in 2022.
“I’m very excited," said Darling, 21. "This is always a great week in our calendar. I’ve played in the Curtis Cup twice already and I’ve loved both weeks. I’m so excited to be here and join this group of players and try and win the cup.
“I’ve always been used to being one of the younger players on teams but obviously this year I’m one of the more experienced. I’m really excited to answer a few questions and bring a bit of wisdom to try and help our team get the win. It’s a long week and I’ve learnt to soak it all in. It goes really quickly and it’s about making the most of it because it’s one of the best weeks of your amateur career.
“Sunningdale is awesome. We were here two weeks ago for practice and we all loved the course. This week is even better and the course is in such great condition. Playing at home is amazing, there is no better feeling. When I first played at home at Conwy in 2021 we had the Covid-19 challenges so there was limited attendance. So this year is going to be really special with the fans here and the level of support.”
Patience and Mimi Rhodes - first sisters to compete since 2010
The home side also includes Mimi, 22, and Patience Rhodes, 20, with the English duo the first sisters to compete in the same match since Leona and Lisa Maguire in 2010.
Patience added, “I’m so excited to be here, over the moon. Being here with my sister, Mimi, as well, it’s just making it that more special. My family is obviously really happy and they’re so excited to come and watch us. We’ve been saying it since we were younger, it would be really cool to play together in the Curtis Cup and having that happen is like a dream come true.
“I love match play, you kind of just go for things and it’s more exciting. Anything can happen in match play. Sunningdale is a gorgeous course. The greens are amazing and rolling so good. Just being here at home with the home crowds is great."
Rachel Kuehn in search of the winning point for the third time
The USA team includes four of the top-ten players from WAGR, namely Zoe Campos, 21, Jasmine Koo, 18, Catherine Park, 20, and Kuehn.
“It’s really special to play in my third Curtis Cup," said Kuehn, 23, who claimed the clinching point in the USA victories in 2021 and 2022. "This is never a week I take for granted. It’s a week I’ve always looked forward to. I’m really excited to be part of it, we have a really great group of girls, it’s an incredible venue and I think it’s going to be a really great week.
“The format is really special. It’s not very often you get to play partner golf and there is just something about representing your country that means a lot to all the girls on our team. I’ve had a little bit of success and hopefully I can use that momentum this week.
“There is just something that sets this week apart. I think all 16 participants just really cherish it. It looks like it’s going to really beautiful this week with the weather and the course is unbelievable. It’s going to be incredible for match play golf, it’s going to be really exciting, especially over the finishing holes coming in. I’m really excited as my family, my parents, two brothers and my aunt, have come over to watch this week.”
Asterisk Talley makes her debut
American Asterisk Talley, 15, is one of the youngest players in Curtis Cup history.
“I’m super excited to be here," added Talley, who represented the USA in the 2023 Junior Solheim Cup. "Coming into this summer, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. I wasn’t even thinking about it so I’m excited and grateful to be here and it’s going to be a fun week.
“Getting the feel for tournament golf like this such as in USGA events really prepares you. It’s a great test and all those experiences have helped me to progress to places like this. I don’t really get nerves that much. I’ve been playing in tournaments since I was five-years-old so I’ve lived with nerves my whole life.”
Tickets can still be purchased for the Curtis Cup at Sunningdale, with large crowds expected in the forecasted sunny weather.
Bought in advance, match day tickets are priced at £22 for adults, £11 for youths (16–25), and free for under-16s. A season ticket is £44 for adults. Walk up prices at the gate each day are £25 for adults with 50% off for youths and free for under-16s. Find out more at www.curtiscup.org
