- Eight-time Solheim Cup player and 2009 captain set to lead US junior team
The American Junior Golf Association is proud to announce Beth Daniel as the 2024 United States PING Junior Solheim Cup Captain.
Daniel joins a long list of LPGA legends of who have captained the Junior United States Team including Renee Powell, Amy Alcott, Nancy Lopez, the late Kathy Whitworth, and Mary Bea Porter-King.
“I saw John’s name pop up on my phone and I thought to myself why is John Solheim calling me. I was so surprised, I thought those days were behind me. I am so honored that the Solheim Family wanted me to Captain the junior team,” said Beth Daniel.
Daniel has many credits to her name, but the most noteworthy includes captaining the 2009 US Solheim Cup team to a 16 to 12 victory at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois. Members of Daniel’s US 2009 team included AJGA alumnae Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome, and Brittany Lang.
“We’re thrilled to have Beth Daniel as the captain of the 2024 PING Junior Solheim Cup US team,” said John A. Solheim, Chairman of PING. “Beth brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished golfing career to this important role. Her dedication to the sport, coupled with her tremendous success as an 8-time Solheim Cup player and the winning captain in 2009 makes her the ideal leader for this exceptional team of young athletes. We are excited to see her lead the US team on home soil against the European team at Army Navy Golf Club – Arlington this fall”.
Prior to her captaincy, Daniel competed on eight US Solheim Cup teams consecutively from 1990 to 2005. She is tied second all-time for most Solheim Cup appearances for the United States behind Cristie Kerr and Juli Inkster who each played nine times. She earned 13.5 points for Team USA in her eight appearances, with Team USA winning six of those matchups. Daniel is also fifth all-time for most overall matches played by a member of the US Team. In her eight appearances, Daniel competed in 26 Solheim Cup matches.
In 2007, she transitioned over to the Vice Captain role under Captain Betsy King. Team USA beat Team Europe 16-12 on European soil in her Vice Captain role.
Prior to her Solheim Cup Career, Daniel was a 33-time champion on the LPGA Tour. She won her sole Major in 1990 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship played at Bethesda Country Club. Her first victory came in 1979 at the Patty Berg Classic, which later turned into Rookie of the Year honors. Daniel won her first of three Player of the Year titles in 1980, after winning three times that season.
“We are proud to welcome Beth Daniel as the 2024 US PING Junior Solheim Cup team captain. Her legendary career and passion for junior golf make her the perfect leader to inspire and guide the US Team towards success at Army Navy Country Club this fall,” Stephen Hamblin, AJGA Executive Director, said.
Daniel was also an accomplished junior and amateur golfer. The South Carolina native won the U.S. Women’s Open twice as an amateur (1975, 1977). The Furman University graduate earned the school a National Title in 1976. Because of her play her senior year, she was awarded the Broderick Award (now referred to as the ANNIKA Award) as the nation’s top female collegiate golfer. She also represented the United States in the Curtis Cup twice in 1976 and 1978. She went 4-0 in her first appearance in 1976.
Daniel was inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame in 1999 and a year later the World Golf Hall of Fame. Since retiring from professional golf, Daniel has stayed involved in the game. In 2018, she was the Co-Honorary Chairman of the U.S. Women’s Open at Country Club of Charleston where she annually hosts the ‘Beth Daniel Junior Azalea’ tournament. Each year in South Carolina the Best Junior Female Golfer is awarded the ‘Beth Daniel Award’ which is given to the top SCJGA points earner in a year.
Daniel says of the role, “I think any time you are asked to be a Captain it’s an honor and a big responsibility. You have to put the time and effort into it to be successful. I have a passion for junior golf so I couldn’t pass on this opportunity.”
Daniel will look to lead Team USA to their first win since 2019. Team USA currently leads the all-time PING Junior Solheim Cup series 7-4-1. The current US Team Standings can be found here.
Riley Corona, AJGA South Central Regional Manager, will serve as the Vice Captain alongside Daniel. Corona grew up golfing in Arizona and went on to play collegiately at The College of William & Mary. She credits this experience as the reason she choose to pursue a career in junior golf, as she hopes to help the next generation expand their educational opportunities through golf.
