Ford, Greaser To Represent USA In 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup

Senior Austin Greaser and sophomore David Ford will represent the University of North Carolina on Team United States in the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup, an annual international golf tournament which will be played June 8-10 at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa., outside of Pittsburgh.

UNC associate head coach Matt Clark is a member of Team USA's coaching staff in this year's tournament, in which 24 men's and women's amateur golfers from the United States compete against 24 international amateurs in a Ryder Cup-style format.

The pair of Tar Heel players are currently reigning champions in three of amateur golf's major tournaments – Ford won the 2022 Southern Amateur and 2023 Jones Cup; Greaser won the 2022 Western Amateur.

"Getting the chance to represent the United States is rare in our sport," says UNC head coach Andrew DiBitetto. "We are thrilled David and Austin will have this opportunity, one they have earned with great play over an extended period. Both are incredible players and even better people. They will proudly represent our country the right way. It's exciting to have three Tar Heels part of Team USA at this year's Palmer Cup, which honors the legacy of Mr. Arnold Palmer, one of the best ambassadors ever for golf and sportsmanship."

Ford and Greaser are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and two of 10 semifinalists for the Ben Hogan National Player of the Year Award. They have helped lead UNC to five team titles this season. UNC is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation (Golfstat).

Greaser won the 2022 Western Amateur, was a U.S. Amateur finalist in 2021 and finished third in a 211-player field in the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship near Paris, France. Greaser led Team USA at 15-under 271 and was one of only two players to shoot all four rounds in the 60s. He teamed with Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent and Stanford's Michael Thorbjornsen to lead Team USA to third place in the WATC. Sargent and Thorbjornsen will also be competing in the Palmer Cup.

"I love my country and respect everybody that's laid their life on the line for this country and puts everybody else in a position to do what they want to do," Greaser said following the WATC. "For me, that's golf. There have been a lot of sacrifices made for this country to be as good as it is, and for me to go out there and represent the red, white and blue was an honor."

The Vandalia, Ohio, native is 1-0-1 in match play in NCAA Championships, tying Arizona State's Cameron Sisk in 2021 and defeating Pepperdine's William Mouw in 2022, and he defeated 2021 Hogan/Haskins/Nicklaus Award winner John Pak of Florida State 4&3 in the 2021 ACC semifinals.

Greaser is a two-time collegiate medalist (Olympia Fields Invitational and NCAA Yale Regional). He received a sponsor's exemption to play next week in the PGA Tour's Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

Ford won his first collegiate title in the fall at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup at Seminole Golf Club, shooting 16-under 200. The Peachtree Corners, Ga., native made eight consecutive birdies as part of a second-round 62.

Ford is Carolina's single-season and career stroke average leader, averaging 69.67 in 10 tournaments this season and 70.15 in 22 starts over his first two seasons as a Tar Heel. Ford is 74 under par in 67 collegiate rounds, the best cumulative score to par in Carolina history.

Greaser is second in UNC history in both stroke average (71.32 in 37 events) and cumulative score to par (5 over in 113 rounds).

Ford has finished under par in eight of his 10 collegiate tournaments this season. In addition to winning the Stephens Cup, he finished second in a playoff at Notre Dame, tied for second at the Williams Cup and the Valspar Collegiate Invitational and has four other top 10s.

Greaser has finished in the top 10 four times this season and 16 times as a Tar Heel.

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to represent my country at this year's Arnold Palmer Cup," says Ford, who went 4-0 in match play in the 2021 AJGA Wyndham Cup. "It's truly an honor to have earned a spot on the team and I'm looking forward to competing alongside some of the best collegiate men and women in the world."

The Arnold Palmer Cup began in 1997. Tar Heel senior Dylan Menante played for Team USA in 2021 and 2022.

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

David Ford

Austin Greaser

Dylan Menante

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