Maynooth University's Stuart Grehan has been named in the European Palmer Cup team to face the USA at Atlanta Athletic Cup from June 9-11.

There was no captain's pick for Wake Forest's Paul McBride but Grehan (Tullamore) will be making his second appearance in the Ryder Cup-style event for college golfers following last year's 18½-11½ win for Europe at Formby.

The teams were announced during the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge with Grehan the only European returning from last year.

Texas Tech and Sweden’s Hannes Ronneblad and Fredrik Nilehn, Kristoffer Ventura of Oklahoma State (Norway), Jacksonville’s David Wicks (England) Harry Ellis of Florida State (England) and Missouri’s Rory Fransson (Scotland) qualified for Team Europe by finishing in the top six of the Arnold Palmer Cup Player Ranking.

The late Arnold Palmer with the Palmer Cup trophy

Grehan and Viktor Hovland of Oklahoma State (Norway) were committee selections while Richard Mansell of Nova Southeastern (England) was David Inglis’ coach’s pick.

The final member of the team will be the winner of The R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament, which will be played at St Andrews from April 3-4.

Wicks is the first Arnold Palmer Cup participant from Jacksonville while Fransson is the first representative from Missouri. Team Europe represents only five countries in 2017, the fewest since 2011.

The six United States players determined by the ranking included Sam Burns of LSU, Texas A&M’s Chandler Phillips, Collin Morikawa of California, Virginia’s Jimmy Stanger, Stanford’s Maverick McNealy and Oregon’s Norman Xiong. John Coultas of Florida Southern, Southern California’s Sean Crocker and Illinois’ Nick Hardy were committee selections. Coultas was the designated non-Division I player. Doug Ghim of Texas was John Fields' coach’s pick.

Six players on each side qualified via a rankings system based on their college performances. Three Americans and two Europeans were chosen by selection committees, and each coach got to pick a player. The final European roster spot will go to the winner of April’s R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament.

The USA has a 10-8-1 advantage overall in the competition with Europe winning last year’s match, 18½-11½.

US Open champion Graeme McDowell with the winning American Palmer Cup team at Royal Portrush in 2010

No team has been a repeat winner since the US claimed the cup in 2011 and 2010. And no team has won on foreign soil since the US victory at Royal Portrush in 2010.

This year’s Arnold Palmer Cup will be the last that will include only men and pit the U.S. against Europe. In 2018, the competition will be expanded to mixed teams of men and women, and be Americans versus the rest of the world.

In 2020, the Palmer Cup will be played at Lahinch.

TEAM USA

Ranking Selections

Sam Burns, LSU
Chandler Phillips, Texas A&M
Collin Morikawa, California
Jimmy Stanger, Virginia
Maverick McNealy Stanford
Norman Xiong, Oregon

Committee Selections

John Coultas, Florida Southern
Sean Crocker, Southern California
Nick Hardy, Illinois

Coach’s Pick

Doug Ghim, Texas

Coaches

Head Coach - John Fields, Texas
Assistant Coach - Andrew DiBitetto, North Carolina

TEAM EUROPE

Ranking Selections

Hannes Ronneblad, Texas Tech - Sweden
Fredrik Nilehn, Texas Tech - Sweden
Kristoffer Ventura, Oklahoma State - Norway
David Wicks, Jacksonville - England
Harry Elllis, Florida State - England
Rory Franssen, Missouri - Scotland

Committee Selections

Stuart Grehan, Maynooth - Ireland
Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State - Norway

Coach’s Pick

Richard Mansell, Nova Southeastern - England

*Last spot goes to winner of the R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament, April 3-4 at St. Andrews

Coaches

Head Coach - David Inglis, Northwestern - Scotland
Assistant Coach - Alan Murray, Washington - Ireland

Atlanta Athletic Club will host the 2017 Palmer Cup from June 9-11

Palmer Cup - Past winners

1997 Bay Hill Club & Lodge USA beat Great Britain & Ireland 19-5
1998 St. Andrews (Old & New), Great Britain & Ireland and USA tie 12-12
1999 Honors Course, Tennessee USA beat Great Britain & Ireland 17.5-6.5
2000 Royal Liverpool, Hoylake Great Britain & Ireland beat USA 12.5-11.5
2001 Baltusrol Golf Club, New Jersey USA beat Great Britain & Ireland 18-6
2002 Doonbeg, Ireland, USA beat Great Britain & Ireland 15.5-8.5
2003 Cassique, Kiawah Island, Europe beat USA 14-10
2004 Ballybunion, Ireland Europe beat USA 14.5-9.5
2005 Whistling Straits, Wisconsin USA beat Europe 14-10
2006 Prestwick, Scotland Europe beat USA 19.5-4.5
2007 Caves Valley, Maryland USA beat Europe 18-6
2008 Glasgow Gailes, Scotland Europe beat USA 14-10
2009 Cherry Hills, Colorado Europe beat USA 13-11
2010 Royal Portrush, N Ireland USA beat Europe 13-11
2011 The Stanwich Club, Connecticut USA beat Europe 9-11
2012 Royal County Down, N Ireland Europe defeats USA 13.5-10.5
2013 Wilmington Country Club, Delaware USA beat Europe 20.5-9.5
2014 Walton Heath, England Europe beat USA 18.5-11.5
2015 Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois USA beat Europe 18-12
2016 Formby, England Europe beat USA 18.5-11.5
2017 Atlanta Athletic Club, Georgia TBD
2018 Evian Resort Golf Club, France TBD
2019 The Alotian Club, Arkansas TBD
2020 Lahinch, Ireland TBD