Georgetown Prep senior Denny McCarthy helped the U.S. to a victory in the Junior Ryder Cup, Monday-Tuesday, at Gleneagles, Scotland. The U.S. won the competition, which includes male and female players, 13.5-10.5.
On Monday, McCarthy, winner this year of the Junior PGA and the Maryland Open, paired up with reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., for a victory in the foursomes (better ball), 2 and 1, over Thomas Detry of Belgium and Juhana Kokkonen of Finland. Winning five of six matches in foursomes, the U.S. took a big lead that Europe never seriously challenged.
Later in the day, in the missed fourball, an alternate shot competition with a male and female from each team, McCarthy and Cassy Isagawa of Hawaii lost to Detry and Manon Gidalli of France, 3 and 2. In Tuesday’s singles, McCarthy fell to Detry, 2 and 1.
The most valuable players for the U.S. were 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur runner-up Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky. and 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jordan Spieth of Dallas. Both won all three competitions in which they played, helping the U.S. win three points each.
Since the competition began in 1997, each side has won three times with one tie.
The players flew to Celtic Manor on Wednesday to meet the Ryder Cup teams and will play in the Friendship Bowl on Thursday, an alternate shot competition.
