ORLANDO – Peter Kuest was named to the United States Arnold Palmer Cup team on Wednesday by the Arnold Palmer Cup Invitational presented by Mastercard at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
"It's a huge honor to be chosen to be on the team," Kuest said. "Mr. Palmer did so much for the game of golf and it's a thrill to play in an event that bears his name and honors his legacy. To have the opportunity to represent BYU and the U.S. in the event is something I'm really excited about and I hope to represent both to the best of my abilities."
Kuest's No. 1 ranking in the Arnold Palmer Cup standings made him one of six U.S. players to automatically qualify for the team. Six other players, chosen by a committee and coaches, round out the team of top collegiate golfers representing the U.S.
"What a fantastic opportunity for Peter to play in such a prestigious event representing the U.S.," BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank said. "It will be a great honor for him to be on a team that represents Arnold Palmer and an experience he'll never forget."
A similar process establishes the international team, which consists of 12 international golfers, typically on U.S. collegiate teams. On June 7-9, the two teams will match up in a Ryder Cup-style event held at the Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas.
Named for and established in partnership with the late legendary Arnold Palmer, the invitational dates back to 1997, when eight U.S. golfers squared off against a team of eight golfers from Great Britain or Ireland. The teams have expanded over the years, and 2018 marked the first year for the international team to include members from any country outside of the U.S.
Past participants on the Arnold Cup team include PGA tour greats such as Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Webb Simpson, Ben Curtis, Justin Thomas, Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler. Two former BYU golfers, All-American Andy Miller (2000) and Pub Links Champion Clay Ogden (2006), both represented the U.S. on past Arnold Palmer Cup teams.
The 2019 United States Arnold Palmer Cup men's team
Automatic picks based on ranking:
Peter Kuest, BYU; Alex Smalley, Duke; Will Gordon, Vanderbilt; Will Grimmer, Ohio State; Cole Hammer, Texas; Brandon Wu, Stanford
Committee picks:
John Augenstein, Vanderbilt; Quade Cummins, Oklahoma; Austin Eckroat, Oklahoma State; Chandler Phillips, Texas A&M; Alex Scott, Grand Valley State
Coach pick:
TBA
The 2019 International Arnold Palmer Cup men's team
Automatic picks based on ranking:
Chun An Yu, Arizona State (Taiwan); Matthias Schmid, Louisville (Germany); Peng Pichaikool, Mississippi State (Thailand); Sandy Scott, Texas Tech (Scotland); Ivan Ramirez, Texas Tech (Colombia); Kengo Aoshima, Wake Forest (Japan)
Committee picks:
Alex Del Rey, Arizona State (Spain); Luis Gagne, LSU (Costa Rica); Takumi Kanaya, Tohoku Fukushi (Japan); Jovan Rebula, Auburn (South Africa)
The R&A Scholar Tournament champion:
TBD
Coach pick:
TBD