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Tahara named PING Junior Solheim Cup Assistant Captain

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BRASELTON, Ga. — The American Junior Golf Association announced that Katie Tahara, AJGA Director of Major Championships, will serve as the Assistant Captain for the 2015 U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team, led by LPGA Tour Hall of Famer JoAnne Carner.

Tahara obtained a business degree with a concentration in sports management from Florida Southern College, where she was a member of the women’s golf team. In her seven years with the AJGA, Tahara has both operated and witnessed junior golf’s best events. She was the Tournament Director of the 2013 PING Junior Solheim Cup in Englewood, Colorado, and in 2014, she served as the Assistant Captain of the Wyndham Cup East Team. The Wyndham Cup is a team match play event held annually in the United States, and the format is similar to the PING Junior Solheim Cup.

“I am really excited to travel overseas with the team,” Tahara said. “I know the talents and abilities of the girls from watching them compete in many AJGA tournaments. It is going to be hard for all of us to get a win overseas, but, hopefully, JoAnne and I can help coach them to victory.”

The United States leads the all-time series 4-2-1 and will look to earn its second victory on foreign soil and retain the Cup for the fourth consecutive time. Team Europe claimed victory in both 2003 and 2007 when the competitions were held in Sweden.

Between college golf and the Wyndham Cup, Tahara has witnessed the impact and camaraderie of the team experience.

“When the juniors are out on the course, they know that they are not just playing for themselves. They are playing for their team,” Tahara said. “I am excited to cheer on my country. The U.S. team will bring a lot to the table and being able to play against the best in the world is an incredible experience.”

Modeled after the Solheim Cup, the PING Junior Solheim Cup biennially features the 12 best female junior golfers (ages 12-18) from the United States against the top 12 junior girls from Europe. The PING Junior Solheim Cup will be played Sept. 14-15, 2015, and the event will feature three sessions of match play: foursomes, four-ball and singles.

St. Leon-Rot Golf Club near Heidelberg, Germany, will host the 2015 Solheim Cup and PING Junior Solheim Cup, marking the first year both events will be played at the same venue. The U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team will be selected in August 2015 based on the AJGA’s Polo Golf Rankings.

About the PING Junior Solheim Cup
The PING Junior Solheim Cup is owned and hosted by PING and will be operated by St. Leon-Rot Golf Club and the Ladies European Tour with assistance from the American Junior Golf Association and the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Founded by Karsten and Louise Solheim, the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation is a long-time sponsor of the LPGA and AJGA. As the makers of PING golf equipment, the Solheim family continues to ensure the same superior workmanship today that was built into their original clubs more than 55 years ago. Now under the direction of John Solheim, Karsten and Louise’s youngest son, the company continues in its efforts to manufacture the highest quality golf equipment. The PING name is known world over. Besides its presence in the United States, PING markets custom-fit and custom-built equipment to more than 70 countries.