LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. – This past weekend at the United States Golf Association’s Annual Meeting, the USGA announced the following championship updates:
- Pine Valley Golf Club will host the 2044 Walker Cup Match
- Stu Francis named USA Captain, 2025 Men’s World Amateur Team Championship
- Kendra Graham named USA Captain, 2025 Women’s World Amateur Team Championship
- Meghan Stasi named 2026 USA Curtis Cup Captain
The venerable Pine Valley Golf Club, in Pine Hill, N.J., will host its fourth USGA championship, having previously hosted the 1936 and 1985 Walker Cup Matches. The renowned venue will also host the 2034 Curtis Cup Match.
“We are committed to bringing our championships to the finest golf courses in the country,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. “To have Pine Valley as the host site of this prestigious event will not only produce memorable competition but also reinforce the stature of amateur golf worldwide.”
Pine Valley, which began construction in 1913 and was completed in 1922, was designed by George Arthur Crump, who died in 1918.
For his one and only design, Crump consulted experienced architects such as Harry Colt, A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Hugh Wilson, George C. Thomas Jr. and Walter Travis to conceptualize the course, which from the beginning has been widely considered some of the greatest golf course architecture in America.
Captained by Francis Ouimet, the USA Team won the 1936 Walker Cup Match at Pine Valley in dominant fashion, blanking their Great Britain & Ireland opponents, 9-0.
The USA claimed the 1985 Match by a narrow 13-11 margin, with a team featuring playing captain Jay Sigel and future PGA Tour winners Davis Love III, Scott Verplank and Duffy Waldorf.
The 50th Match will be played later this year at the Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, Calif., on Sept. 6-7. The Match is a 10-man amateur team competition contested over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches.
The USA leads the overall series that began in 1922, 39-9-1, but it has been tremendously competitive over the last three decades, with the USA holding just an 11-7 advantage since 1989.
Past USGA President Stu Francis and recently retired USGA Executive Committee member Kendra Graham will lead the men’s and women’s USA Teams, respectively, for the 2025 World Amateur Team Championships at Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore.
“Stu and Kendra are exceptional leaders, and we are honored to have them lead our teams in Singapore,” said Kevin Hammer, chair of the USGA’s Championship Committee. “The World Amateur Team Championships are a worldwide tribute to this great game, and I’m confident that Stu, Kendra and their players will proudly represent the USGA and our country.”
Francis, of Hillsborough, Calif., served as the 66th president of the USGA from 2020-2023. Prior to his presidency, he spent eight years on the USGA Executive Committee. An accomplished amateur golfer, Francis competed in three U.S. Amateur Championships, two NCAA championships and three Canadian National Amateur championships.
While earning his B.A. at Princeton University, he was co-captain of the varsity golf team, selected first team All-Ivy League and was named to the Division I NCAA All-American golf team.
“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to represent your country, and I am thrilled to have been named captain of the 2025 USA Men’s World Amateur Team,” said Francis. “I look forward to an exciting championship with our team of three outstanding amateurs competing against the best from around the world.”
Graham, of Vero Beach, Fla., retired from the Executive Committee in 2024 after serving for six years. Previously, she was a member of the USGA staff, working in Rules and Competitions from 1987-2003. Graham grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Wake Forest University, where she was a member of and served as captain of the school’s golf team.
She has competed in three USGA championships. Kendra follows in the footsteps of her late mother, Ann, who captained the victorious 1994 USA Women’s World Amateur Team in France and competed in 14 USGA championships, including five U.S. Women’s Opens.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as captain for the USA Women’s Team, and I look forward to leading these young women in Singapore as we compete for the gold,” said Graham. “I’ve had the privilege of watching women’s amateur golf grow for many years, and with the strength of the game right now, captaining this team will certainly be a highlight of my career.”
The 2023 championships were played at Abu Dhabi Golf Club (National Course) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Republic of Korea won the Espirito Santo Trophy for the fifth time, edging Chinese Taipei by four strokes. In the men’s championship, the USA Team claimed its 16th Eisenhower Trophy, finishing 11 strokes ahead of the silver-medal winning Australian and Norwegian sides.
Stasi, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will lead the 2026 USA Curtis Cup Team at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif. The four-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion was a member of the victorious 2008 USA Curtis Cup Team at St Andrews in Scotland. She was also captain of the 2024 USA Curtis Cup Team.
“I’m incredibly honored to once again captain the USA Curtis Cup Team in 2026. The opportunity to lead and support these talented young women on such a historic stage continues to be truly special,” said Stasi. “The Curtis Cup has been a meaningful part of my journey in golf, and I can’t wait to build on the incredible experience we had in 2024. I’m looking forward to embracing the challenge and representing the USA with pride.”
Stasi’s four U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur titles are tied for the most in the championship’s 35-year history. She won back-to-back titles in 2006 at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss., and 2007 at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree, Ariz., before winning again in 2010 at Wichita (Kan.) Country Club and 2012 at Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas.
In 2021, Stasi became the youngest individual ever inducted into the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) Hall of Fame. To date, she has won 17 FSGA titles, including two Florida Women’s Amateurs and five Florida Women’s Mid-Amateurs. Stasi is an eight-time FSGA Player of the Year.
“Meghan’s previous Curtis Cup experience and guidance will prove valuable heading into 2026,” said Bodenhamer. “Our players experienced life lessons from a true role model and competitor, and we are excited to have her lead the team again at Bel-Air.”
The GB&I Team won the 2024 Curtis Cup Match at Sunningdale Golf Club, in England, for the first time since 2016. The USA leads the overall series, 31-9-3.