Smith Selected to Represent U.S. at Arnold Palmer Cup

Minnesota

 
 LINCOLN, Neb. – Following her three-stroke victory at the Big Ten Championship to conclude her final regular season at the University of Nebraska last week, former Detroit Lakes high school star Kate Smith received another honor Tuesday when she was selected as a member of Team USA for the Arnold Palmer Cup next month.
 
Founded by the legendary Arnold Palmer, as well as the Golf Coaches Association of America, The Arnold Palmer Cup consists of the top 12 men’s and women’s collegiate golfers competing against the top 12 men’s and women’s international players in a Ryder Cup-style format.
 
This year’s championship will be contested June 11-13 at Rich Harvest Farms near Chicago.
 
 "I am so honored to be selected to represent the United States on this year's Palmer Cup team," Smith said. "It should be an amazing experience, and I am excited to compete for my country at a high level."
 
Smith, who holds a Minnesota state high school record with five consecutive individual titles, opted for a fifth season with the Huskers earlier this year and claimed Big Ten Championship medalist honors April 25 by carding a 9-under 207, leading Nebraska to a second-place finish at TPC River’s Ben in Maineville, Ohio.
 
In her five seasons as a Husker, Smith collected two victories and claimed over 20 top-10 finishes. She was named Big Ten Golfer of the Week five times and owns the school record with a 73.30 scoring average in her 122 rounds at Nebraska.
 
Smith was named the Big Ten Mary Fossum Award winner in 2020 and earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors in each of her final two seasons.
 
"This is a tremendous honor for Kate and she certainly earned it," Nebraska women’s head coach Lisa Johnson said. "Kate will represent Nebraska well among the elite college players in the country at the Palmer Cup. It has been so exciting to watch her receive all the recognition that she has earned this year because of the amazing work she has put into becoming one of the nation's best collegiate golfers."
 
Thanks to her impressive fifth-year performance at Nebraska this spring, Smith was invited to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship in late March.
 
The United States holds a slim advantage entering this season’s event, 12-11-1, but the international team claimed the most recent championship, which was played in December at Bay Hill Lodge in Orlando.
 
More than 100 Arnold Palmer Cup alumni have gone on to earn status on the PGA, European or LPGA Tours and combined for more than 250 professional victories.
 
 
                                                                                                          ###