Following a remarkable second-place achievement in the US Kids Golf World Teen Championship, Ananyaa Sood, a resident of Dubai, is eagerly preparing to participate in the esteemed Van Horn Cup at Pinehurst, USA, scheduled for Sunday, 4th August.
The competition, a one-day best-ball event held at Pinehurst No. 4, invites the top eight boys and top four girls from each age category who excelled during the three-day World Teen Championship. This golf course, renowned as one of North Carolina's most stunning, promises a challenging yet exhilarating experience.
Ananyaa, aged 13 and a member of The Els Club in Dubai, shared with Khaleej Times her excitement: “This marks my second encounter with the Van Horn Cup, having previously competed in the European edition earlier this year.” She recounted her victory with her partner for the Blue team, where they scored a 67 (-5) at Pinehurst No. 4, attributing part of their success to a remarkable streak of five consecutive birdies on the back nine.
The final tally saw the Blue Team and Red Team tied at 4.5 points each. Ananyaa explained the format: “It's team best ball stroke play; each player uses their own ball, and the best score per hole determines the team's score.” She further detailed the pairing system: “After 36 holes, players are paired based on their positions, with the first and fourth, and second and third, being matched together.”
Ananyaa's subsequent tournament is the Babygrande Stanford Junior All-Star at Stanford Golf Club, California, set to take place from the 6th to the 8th of August. The US Kids Golf World Teen Championship annually gathers golfers aged 13 to 18 across seven championship courses in the Pinehurst area, offering a platform for the sport's emerging talents.
The event's itinerary includes a parent/child tournament, a skills challenge night, three rounds of championship play, and a closing ceremony. Post the three-day championship, the Van Horn Cup, a one-day best ball tournament featuring the top players from each age group, is held at Pinehurst No. 4. The U.S. Kids Golf World Teen Championship is recognized by Junior Golf Scoreboard, AJGA, and the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as a ranked event.
Result: Match #2 – Girls 13: Addison Hammett (MS) & Ananyaa Sood (India) defeated Caroline Lankford (KY) & Lilly Parker (FL) with scores of 67 (-5) to 75 (+3).
