Two future UVA golfers make U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Two members of Bowen Sargent’s men’s golf class of 2022 have been named to the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team. This is a huge honor for UVA’s players of the future.

Ben James, 18, from Milford, Conn., and Bryan Lee, 17, from Fairfax, are the two future Cavaliers to make the team.

The U.S. team will play an exhibition match at Whistling Straits on Sept. 22, and will participate in the Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony and attend the first day of competition in Kohler, Wisc. The Ryder Cup takes place Sept. 21-26.

Former members of the Junior Ryder Cup alumni are Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Scottie Scheffler, Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomar of the U.S., along with Rory Mclllroy, Sergio Garcia and Suzann Pettersen of Europe.

James is a first team 2020 Rolex Junior All-America selection. Over the spring, he won twice (Scott Robertson Memorial and Team TaylorMade Invitational) and then had three runner-up finishes this summer. Over the Labor Day weekend, James won the prestigious Junior PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. He is ranked second in the Rolex AJGA rankings.

Lee is coming off a runner-up finish at the Boys Junior PGA Championship. He has five top-10 finishes this year, putting him at sixth in the Rolex AJGA rankings.

What a recruiting coup for UVA’s Sargent to have not just one, but two players make the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team.