Garrett Runion and Matt Thurmond announced as head coaches for Team USA in 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup

The American team for the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup already has the coaches that will guide it. The coaching staff will have more than seven months to put together the team and prepare it for the most important event in international collegiate golf.

The annual U.S. Collegiate Golf Coaches Convention named Garrett Runion and Matt Thurmond as co-head coaches of the team that will attend the Arnold Palmer Cup on Tuesday, December 5.

Garrett Runion has been the head coach of the Lousiana State University women's golf team for the past six seasons. At the helm of the Tigers, Runion has earned numerous victories, including three consecutive NCAA Division I National Championship berths.

Matt Thurmond, meanwhile, has been the head coach of the Arizona State University men's golf team for the past eight seasons. With the Sun Devils, Thurmond has won 19 tournaments, including two NCAA regionals.

Garrett Runion and Matt Thurmond will be joined as co-assistant coaches by Dudley Hart of the University of Florida and Alexis Rather, Runion's assistant at Louisiana State University.

It has also been announced that Rhyll Brinsmead of Minnesota and Barry Fennelly of Ireland will serve as co-head coaches for the International team. They will be assisted by Stew Burke of Scotland and Ireland's Aaron O'Callaghan.

The 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup will be played from July 5-7, 2024 at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland.

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How does the Arnold Palmer Cup work?

The Arnold Palmer Cup is a team golf competition that has similarities to the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. It is played between a U.S. team and an International team.

The event is played annually and is contested by collegiate/university players. It is also a mixed event, as both teams are composed of 12 male players and 12 female players.

The system to form the teams is similar to the one used for the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. Points' rankings are enabled based on results during the season and head coaches have free selections.

The competitive part of the event includes rounds of four-balls and foursomes during the first two days. Twelve matches are played at a time, so players receive no rest. The matches always involve mixed duos.

The third and decisive day is reserved for individual matches. Twenty-four matches are played, men against men and women against women. Victory is decided by the final tally of points. A team needs at least 31 points to win.

The Arnold Palmer Cup was founded in 1997. It initially pitted the United States against Great Britain and Ireland. It was later expanded to Europe and since 2018, an International team has been playing.

The United States closely leads the all-time record for victories with 14 wins in 27 editions. There has been only one tie (1998).