Georgia freshman Bailey Tardy has been selected to represent the U.S. in the 2016 Curtis Cup, which will be held June 10-12 at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club in Enniskerry, Ireland. Tardy is one of four Americans currently in the top-10 of the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings named to the team, which was announced Tuesday by the United States Golf Association.

“This is just a great and well-deserved honor for Bailey,” Georgia coach Josh Brewer said. “This is something she has worked hard for. I’m happy for Bailey, her family, her coach (Chan Reeves) and everyone who has helped her get to this point in her career.”
 
The Curtis Cup is a biennial contest between amateur women golfers from the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland. The U.S. won two years ago at St. Louis (Mo.) Country Club to extend the Americans’ overall lead in the competition to 28-7-3.
 
“Playing in the Curtis Cup has been a golf of mine for a long time,” Tardy said. “Two years ago, the GB&I team practiced at my home course (Atlanta Athletic Club) before they went up to St. Louis. Seeing those girls – and I was fortunate enough to play with some of them – that made playing in the Curtis Cup one of the goals I really wanted to accomplish.”
 
Tardy, who is No. 7 in the in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings, will be joined by Hannah O’Sullivan (No. 2), Sierra Brooks (No. 4) and Mariel Galdiano (No. 6). Other U.S. representatives will be Andrea Lee, Mika Liu, Monica Vaughn and Bethany Wu.

“I think it’s everyone’s goal to compete on the national level,” Tardy said. “To be able to go over to Ireland and compete on their soil is one of the things I’m most excited about. I know all the girls on the U.S. team, and I know it’s going to be so much fun playing with them against Great Britain & Ireland.”
 
A native of Peachtree Corners, Ga., and a graduate of Norcross High School, Tardy has enjoyed a stellar freshman season at Georgia. In the fall, she shot 12-under to break the Bulldogs’ 54-hole tournament record and capture medalist honors at the Windy City Collegiate Classic. Tardy is a combined 15-under over her last four team tournament appearances. She has 11 par-or-better scores in 16 rounds this season, including six in the 60s. Tardy has five top-10 and six top-20 finishes in six events this season.
 
“It’s exciting to have the team announced,” said Robin Burke, a member of the 1998 Curtis Cup team who will serve this year as captain. “This is a remarkable group of players – all very talented, all proud to represent the United States.”
 
Tardy will be Georgia Golf’s seventh representative in the Curtis Cup, following Americans Terri Moody (1980), Cindy Schreyer (1986), Vicki Goetze (1992 and 1994), Angela Jerman (2002) and Taylor Leon (2006). In addition, former Bulldog Krystle Caithness played for the GB&I in the 2008 Curtis Cup.