PING and the American Junior Golf Association have named AJGA Communications Director Angela Ding as Assistant Captain to assist Morgan Pressel with the 2026 PING Junior Solheim Cup United States team.
Modeled after the Solheim Cup, the PING Junior Solheim Cup is a biennial event featuring the 12 best female junior golfers (ages 12–18) from the United States against their European counterparts. The team match-play competition includes foursomes, four-ball, and singles matches over two days and rotates between U.S. and European host sites, coinciding with the Solheim Cup. The fourteenth edition of the event will be held September 7–8, 2026, at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, Netherlands, immediately prior to the Solheim Cup.
Ding developed her competitive golf career through the AJGA, competing in four AJGA events and gaining experience on a national stage. She represented the United States at the 2016 Euro Junior Cup and San Diego at the 2016 Girls’ Junior America’s Cup, highlighting her accomplishments in elite junior competition. Building on this foundation, she continued her success at Lehigh University, earning Second Team All-Patriot League honors as a sophomore. Ding’s journey from aspiring junior golfer to mentor and leader reflects a full-circle moment: her early AJGA experiences and prior work as a communications official for junior tournaments have prepared her to guide the next generation of players while continuing to contribute to the game that shaped her career.
Since joining the AJGA full-time in 2022 as a Communications Coordinator, Ding has advanced to Communications Director and has served as the media official for more than 35 AJGA events, amplifying many of them through the organization’s social media platforms. She previously served as Assistant Captain for Team West at the 2025 Wyndham Cup and now brings that experience to the PING Junior Solheim Cup.
“This role represents a full-circle moment in my golf journey. Growing up playing AJGA events, I dreamed of opportunities like this, and now having the chance to give back to the game while serving as Assistant Captain is incredibly meaningful. Working alongside leaders I’ve long admired makes it even more special, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support and guide the next generation of players,” said Ding.
The championship course will host the two-day competition at the start of Solheim Cup week, marking the first time the same course has staged both the PING Junior Solheim Cup and Solheim Cup. Twelve of Europe’s top female junior golfers, aged 18 and under, will compete for the trophy against the U.S. team. The European team will include six automatic selections from the PING Junior Solheim Cup Rankings and six captain’s picks by Captain Anne van Dam, with the aid of Vice Captain Bronte Law.
Pressel, who captains the American side, competed in both the PING Junior Solheim Cup (2002, 2005) and Solheim Cup (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019). Other AJGA alumnae who have advanced from the PING Junior Solheim Cup to the Solheim Cup include Brittany Lang, Paula Creamer, Alison Lee, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Angel Yin, and Lexi Thompson. Team Europe alumnae making the same transition include Carlota Ciganda, Georgia Hall, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Caroline Masson, Azahara Munoz, Anna Nordqvist, Florentyna Parker, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Beatriz Recari, and Melissa Reid.
