Connelly Eiswerth earns medalist honors; U.S. team wins by 12 over Team Canada
SUNRIVER, Oregon – PGA of America President and United States Team Captain John Lindert had been praising the depth of the U.S. Team all week at the 2024 Women’s PGA Cup at Sunriver Resort.
The five PGA of America Golf Professionals from across the country backed up their Captain’s claims, winning the third consecutive Women’s PGA Cup for the U.S. with a team total of 14-under 625.
Canada (637) finished runner-up, Australia (653) third, Great Britain & Ireland (665) fourth, Sweden (693) fifth and South Africa (701) sixth.
“As a team today, with all five players, we were 8-under, which is really incredible,” said Lindert, PGA Director of Golf at the Country Club of Lansing (Mich.) “Once again the team performed from top to bottom. I just kept telling the girls to keep playing their game and they did a fabulous job.
“This is probably beyond my wildest dreams,” Lindert said of being Captain for the U.S. Team. “You want to make sure that you’re helping the team where you can but also have to know when to stay out of the way; hopefully I did that this week.”
North Florida PGA Section Member Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth, PGA Teaching Professional at San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla., took command of the lead for the U.S. Team, and the field, with a final round 5-under 66, leading to Medalist Honors and a 6-under 207 for the week.
Connelly Eiswerth recorded five birdies on the day, including on the first two holes of her round, with no bogies. She closed out the front nine with a 20-foot birdie on the par-four 9th, followed by birdies on holes 13 and 17 to cement her place atop the individual leaderboard.
“I knew if I had a good day, the team could have a good day,” said Connelly Eiswerth.
Medalist Honors this week were given in remembrance of PGA of America Golf Professional Brittany Kelly, the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup Medalist in 2019, who led the U.S. Team to victory in the first playing of the Women’s PGA Cup. Kelly passed away following a courageous battle with cancer in August 2021.
“It’s pretty incredible to have the honor of ‘B.K.’s’ Medalist,” said Connelly Eiswerth. “She was a great example of a fighting spirit. I just hope I can represent her name well. It’s amazing playing for your country as well, a complete honor to have these couple of days with these girls.”
PGA of America Golf Professional Allie Knight, a Tennessee PGA Section Member, finished runner-up at 3-under 210 for the week.
“I was nervous, but I played great today,” said Knight. “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done; what an honor to represent the USA and to win.”
Rounding out the U.S. Team in the final round was Ashley Grier, who carded a 1-under 70 competing in her third Women’s PGA Cup; Sandra Changkija, also recording a 1-under 70; and Joanna Coe with a 3-over 74, finishing in fourth overall at even par.
Team Canada, finishing 2-under par as a team for the week, was once again led by Christine Wong, the PGA Teaching Professional at University Golf Club in Vancouver. She finished in third place individually, 3-under for the tournament.
Canada’s Playing Captain Emma de Groot was proud of the team’s performance.
“I think everybody played their hearts out,” said de Groot. “You can’t control the result, you can only control how you prepare and how you play. America is a great team, a deep team. The Women’s PGA Cup brings a lot of awareness to the quality of players in the PGA of Canada, and I’m sure it’s the same for all the other associations.”
The conclusion of the 2024 Women’s PGA Cup is the bookend of three PGA of America championships contested at Sunriver Resort throughout September and October, following the PGA Cup and the Senior PGA Professional Championship.
For Sunriver Resort Vice President of Operations Josh Willis, PGA, it was a special moment.
“It was an incredibly exciting 45 days to have the PGA of America here at Sunriver Resort. To have the PGA Cup and then the Seniors and now five other countries represented this week with the women, it was a great way to continue our championship history with the PGA of America. It was an honor for myself, a PGA Member, and our almost 20 PGA Professionals on staff, to expose this beautiful place that we call home.”
For more additional information on the Women’s PGA Cup, click here.
