Auburn University announced on May 5 that Anna Davis, Josiah Gilbert, and Cayden Pope have been chosen to represent the United States in the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup. The tournament will take place from July 3 to July 5 at Tralee Golf Links in Barrow, Ireland. Freshman Jake Albert has also been named as an alternate for Team USA.
The Arnold Palmer Cup is a Ryder Cup-style event featuring top men’s and women’s college golfers from the United States against international players. This year marks continued representation by Auburn athletes, with eight players and three coaches having participated across eight different editions of the Palmer Cup. Gilbert will make his second consecutive appearance after competing last summer at Congaree Golf Club, while Pope joins as a first-time team member.
Davis’ selection is her third straight invitation to Team USA for the Palmer Cup, making her the most-selected player in Auburn women’s golf history. She has won two events this season—the Tar Heel Invitational and The Nanea Invitational—and maintains a scoring average of 71.03 through 29 rounds during the current campaign. Davis was named second team All-SEC this season and appeared on both fall and spring ANNIKA Award watch lists.
Gilbert has established himself as one of Auburn’s top male golfers this season with a scoring average of 70.53, six top-20 finishes, two wins, and twenty-one rounds at par or better. Pope matches these achievements closely with a scoring average of 70.50, twenty-two rounds at par or better, eight top-20s, and serves as team captain.
The Arnold Palmer Cup began in 1997 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando and was co-founded by Arnold Palmer along with the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The United States currently leads the series against international teams by a margin of fourteen wins to thirteen losses with one tie.
The event is supported by the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation to promote youth character development and amateur golf growth.
