AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn golf’s Anna Davis, Josiah Gilbert and Cayden Pope have all been selected to represent the United States in the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup, which is set for July 3-5 at Tralee Golf Links in Barrow, Ireland.
Freshman Jake Albert has also been tabbed as an alternate for the U.S.
On the men’s side, Auburn has now been represented by eight players and three coaches at eight different Palmer Cups, including each of the last three. Gilbert is set to make his second consecutive appearance on Team USA after competing last summer at Congaree Golf Club. Pope is a first-time team member.
Davis’ selection marks the seventh time that an Auburn women’s player has been invited to the prestigious event. Davis has now been invited to join Team USA at the Palmer Cup for the third consecutive year and now has the most selections by a player in program history.
The Auburn junior has won two events this season at the Tar Heel Invitational (203, -7) and The Nanea Invitational (209, -10). She holds a 71.03 scoring average through 29 rounds during the 2025-26 campaign and was named second team All-SEC this season as well as to the ANNIKA Award watch lists during the fall and spring.
In his junior season on The Plains, Gilbert really hit his stride for the Tigers, cementing himself as one of the top players on the nation’s top team. The Millbrook, Alabama native boasts a 70.53 scoring average along with 21 rounds at par or better, six top 20s and a pair of wins.
Pope, a fellow junior and a team captain, is also in the best form of his collegiate career. The Lexington, Kentucky native has put up nearly identical numbers to teammate Gilbert with a 70.50 scoring average, 22 rounds at par or better and eight top 20s to his credit.
The Arnold Palmer Cup was co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) and began at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Fla., in 1997. The event is a Ryder Cup-style tournament featuring the top men’s and women’s college golfers matching the United States against a team of international players. The United States leads the Palmer Cup series 14-13-1.
The Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation supports the Palmer Cup, which provides a platform for perpetuating Arnold Palmer’s commitment to youth character development and the growth of amateur golf. More information on the event is available at ArnoldPalmerCup.com.