Golfers Who Played in the Most Curtis Cups

Being selected to play in the Curtis Cup is one of the highest achievements for amateur women golfers who are American, British or Irish. The Ryder Cup-style competition is played every other year, with two, 10-player teams, one representing Great Britain & Ireland, the other the United States.

Which golfers have received the honor of playing the Curtis Cup most often? Only five golfers in Curtis Cup history have reached seven playing appearances.

The recordholder is Carol Semple Thompson, who played on Team USA 12 times. She first played in the 1974 Curtis Cup, and last appeared in the 2002 Curtis Cup. And Thompson's record appears very unlikely to ever be broken, since so few top golfers today remain lifelong amateurs. Since the year 2000, no golfer has made as many as four appearances in the Curtis Cup, and only a handful have played in three Cups.

Most Times Playing in the Curtis Cup

• 12 — Carol Semple Thompson, Team USA, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002
• 9 — Mary McKenna, Team GB&I, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986
• 8 — Anne Quast Sander, Team USA, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1974, 1984, 1990
• 7 — Jessie Anderson Valentine, Team GB&I, 1936, 1938, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958
• 7 — Belle McCorkindale Robertson, Team GB&I, 1960, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1982, 1986

In addition, another handful of golfers made six playing appearances in the Curtis Cup. For Team Great Britain & Ireland, Philomena Garvey, Elizabeth Price, Frances Stephens Smith and Angela Ward Bonallack all played in the Curtis Cup six times. For the United States team, Polly Riley and Barbara McIntire were both 6-time participants as players.

In her 12 appearances, Thompson played 37 matches with an overall record of 18 wins, 15 losses and four halves. McKenna played 30 matches total, with an overall record of 10 wins, 16 losses and four ties. Thompson was 9-7-3 in foursomes, 9-8-1 in singles. McKenna was 5-8-4 in foursomes, 5-8-0 in singles.

Thompson holds the Team USA and overall Curtis Cup records for most combined wins (18) and most points won (20). McKenna holds the Team GB&I records for both, as well, with 10 match wins and 12 total points earned.

Thompson and McKenna both went on to captain their respective sides, Thompson in 2006 and 2008, McKenna in 2008 and 2010.

Related articles:

• Largest margins of victory in Curtis Cup
• Who is the Curtis Cup named for?
• Results of all Curtis Cup matches

Sources:
United States Golf Association. Curtis Cup Match 44th Record Book, 2026, All-Time Records, Most Appearances.