Castle in Contention for Arnold Palmer Cup Selection
NORMAN, Okla. – After a sensational start to her Kentucky women’s golf career, freshman Jensen Castle is in early contention for selection to the Arnold Palmer Cup. Castle, who has been a key piece behind UK’s historic fall, appeared at No. 8 on the fall Arnold Palmer Cup rankings.
The Arnold Palmer Cup, which was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America, is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s university/college golfers matching the United States against a team of International players.
Castle is in the conversation to appear in the 2020 tournament, which will be held July 3-5 at Lahinch Golf Club in Lahinch, Ireland.
The top six golfers from the final rankings in the spring from both the United States and international men and women – 12 total golfers – will be among the 24 individuals selected to compete in the Arnold Palmer.
Using Golfstat’s NCAA player rankings as a base, the Arnold Palmer Cup Ranking awards bonus points for wins and high finishes and a penalty for poor finishes. The ranking also contains a strength of schedule component.
The remaining six men’s and women’s spots for the United States will consist of five committee selections, including at least one non-Division I golfer, and a coaches’ pick. The balance of the international team will include the men’s and women’s winners of The R&A Scholars Tournament, four committee selections and a coaches’ pick.
The next Arnold Palmer Cup rankings will be announced Feb. 20.
Castle, the highest-rated signee in Kentucky women’s golf history, has led UK to a historic turnaround. Through the fall season, the Wildcats have already won two team championships, placed second at another tournament and are on a record-pace scoring average.
Ranked No. 21 in the latest Golfstat ratings (UK is also tied for 20th in the Women’s Golf Coaches Association and No. 26 in Golfweek’s rankings), the Wildcats – still with plenty of work to do in the spring – appear primed for a return to the postseason.
Castle has had a lot to do with that.
The South Carolina native leads all Wildcats with a 71.3 stroke average, which — if the season ended today — would shatter the single-season scoring average (73.16) set by Leonie Bettel during her three-championship run last season.
Castle has finished in the top 20 in all four of her first college tournaments with two top-10 showings. In her first appearance for Kentucky, at the Minnesota Invitational, she clinched the team championship with a series of birdies late in the final round. She tied for third in Woodbury, Minnesota.
Eight of Castle’s 11 rounds so far have been par or better. Not only are the eight a team high, Castle is just six rounds short of tying Bettel’s single-season record of 14 set last season.
She’s ranked No. 25 in the latest Golfstat individual national rankings.
Castle arrived at UK as one of the most decorated high school golfers in program history. Her high school career was recently capped with 2019 Rolex Junior All-America First Team honors by the American Junior Golf Association. The first-team honors were awarded to just 12 golfers from around the world.
Among a number of highlights that earned Castle All-America honors – all of which pre-date her success at Kentucky – she tied for second at the ANNIKA Invitational USA in January, posted a 2-1-1 record as a member of the victorious Wyndham Cup East Team in June, finished second at the Girls Junior PGA Championship later in June and placed third at the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship in March.
Castle was a two-time individual state champion in high school, winning once at the 3A level and once at 5A. In 2018, she dominated the South Carolina Class 3A state championship with a 137, winning by 10 shots while setting the two-day state tournament record.
She also won the South Carolina 5A state title in 2016 at White Knoll High School, where she led the team to a state runner-up finish. Castle owns the nine- 18- and 36-hole school records at White Knoll, was a five-time All-State selection, a five-time All-Region pick (including one year on the boys’ team) and a three-time member of the Can-Am Junior Team.
Kentucky is currently in the middle of a four-month midseason break between the fall season and the spring. UK will resume its 2019-20 campaign Feb. 9-11 in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
