Bend golfer at the helm of Junior Ryder Cup team

In less than a week, 12 golfers will represent Team USA at the Junior Ryder Cup at Blairgowrie Golf club in Scotland. And the man who will captain them hails from right here in Bend.

In 1995, Brian Whitcomb designed and constructed Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend.

Eleven years later, Whitcomb was elected president of the PGA of America.

Now, he is leading 12 golfers over to Scotland to take on Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup.

“I was just excited as I could be,” Whitcomb told us before heading out. “I was humbled by the opportunity. Certainly it’s a privilege, that any time you have the opportunity to represent the United States of America is a privilege indeed.”

The U.S. team is comprised of six girls and six boys aged 16-18.

Notable names such as Jordan Speith, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy have played in the event before.

And a few years from now, Sam burns and Kristen Gillman may become household names in the game.

“They’ll be contesting for tour events in Europe or America or anyplace else in the world,” Whitcomb said. “These are future, certainly great players within our sport.”

Back in 2008, when he was PGA president, Whitcomb worked closely with Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger.

He plans on taking a lot of what he learned from that victorious captaincy of ‘Zinger’s and applying it to this coming week.

“I was watching keenly what Captain Paul Azinger was doing, and I’ve got the deepest respect for him and the way he went about being successful and having his players play at the absolutely peak of their ability,” Whitcomb said.

In fact, Whitcomb solicited Azinger’s help for his team in Scotland, as the former captain sent the team the same message he preached to his ’08 squad.

“There’s no shortcut for success,” Azinger said. “You can’t hope for it or wish for it. You have to prepare. Know the golf course, and come up with a formula or a strategy for how you want to approach every hole.”

Whitcomb will be somewhat limited in what he can do at Blairgowrie, since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis five years ago.

But besides having to use a cart, he says it won’t affect him one bit.

“I’m not going to hit a shot,” he said. “I’m not going to hit a putt. I’m going to rely on all these kids to win our Cup, and I’m just going to do my very best to give them guidance and put them in the right position to win — and that’s my job.”

The United States has won the past three Junior Ryder Cups, and only needs 12 points to retain the cup this year.