20th August 2026

The 49th Jacques Léglise Trophy match between Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) and Continent of Europe will take place at The Island Golf Club in Ireland on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd August. 

This annual match is contested by two nine-player under 18 boys’ teams. It is essentially a junior equivalent of the biennial men’s St. Andrews Trophy match also played between these two regions.

Having been dominated in the early years by GB&I the Continent of Europe have now won eight of the last nine matches played since 2016.

Following consecutive wins at Aldeburgh G.C., England (2019), Falsterbo G.C., Sweden (2021), Blairgowrie G.C., Scotland (2022), Golf de Chantilly, France (2023), West Lancashire, England (2024) and R.G.C. Belgium (2025) Europe will start as strong favourites to make it seven wins-in-a-row.

The  Jacques Léglise Trophy (Photo: European Golf Association) 

Teams

The R&A have selected the following players to represent GB&I (WAGR’s at 19th August): –

Adam FAHEY (18) – Portmarnock, Ireland (WAGR #2,029)
Aidan LAWSON (17) – Bruntsfield Links, Scotland (WAGR #1,077)
Aaron MOODY (17) – Burhill, England (WAGR #984)
Harry O’HARA (17), Clandeboye, Ireland (WAGR #2,208)
Isaac OLIVER (18) – Glasson, Ireland (WAGR #1,517)
Charlie RUSBRIDGE (18) – Colne Valley, England (WAGR #1,166)
Cole SELF (18) – Ringway, England (WAGR #847)
Ben SESSIONS (18) – Bishops Stortford, England (WAGR #1,431)
George WHITEHEAD (16) – Hillside, England (WAGR #2,568)

GB&I have no returning players this year.

Ireland’s Niall MACSWEENEY will captain the team for the first time. Appointed in October 2025 Athenry’s MacSweeney was Ireland’s Men’s Team Captain from 2022 to 2024 and was previously an Irish Men’s Selector from 2012.

The 2026 GB&I Jacques Léglise Trophy Team (Graphic: The R&A)

The 2026 Continent of Europe team, selected by the European Golf Association, consists of: –

Mathias AASE – Norway (WAGR #431)
Gonzalo BAÑOS RAMOS – Spain (WAGR #478)
Óliver ELÍ BJÖRNSSON (16) – Iceland (WAGR #1,243)
Giampaolo GAGLIARDI – Italy (WAGR #860)
Louis KLEIN – Czechia (WAGR #67)
Samuel LOVE LI – Spain (WAGR #669)
Youp ORSEL – Netherlands (WAGR #833)
Tao PEMERIKA (16) – France (WAGR #366)
Václav ŠVUB – Czechia (WAGR #460)

Václav Švub returns for the Europeans having played last year in Belgium.

Europe will be led for the third time by Non-Playing Captain Pierre RELECOM of Belgium. During his career Relecom won all of Belgium’s national amateur championships; U14, U16, U18, U21, Men’s, Foursomes and Inter-Club. He also represented Europe in this match. The Belgian played professionally for nine years, with a Challenge Tour victory and multiple European Tour seasons on his golfing CV before regaining his amateur status in 2019.

Format

The Jacques Léglise Trophy match is played over two days.

Four foursomes games are played each morning.

Singles are then played in the afternoon; eight on Day 1 and nine on Day 2.

As there will be 25.0 points to play for each team will require 13.0 points to claim an outright victory.

Tee Times / Results

Click here to view – The R&A Jacques Léglise Trophy Day 1 Draw

Venue

The Island G.C. was founded in 1890 and as its name suggests was originally only accessible by ferry boat.

During the winter of 2019-20 the front 9 holes were updated and lengthened by architects Ebert & McKenzie with the plan being to bring them up to the standard of the already much admired back 9.

With the course bordered by sea on three sides it now plays to 7,257 yards from the back tees and has a testing par of 72. There are twelve par 4’s, three par 3’s and three par 5’s.

This is the first time The Island G.C. has hosted the match. It is the fourth time for Ireland with Lahinch G.C. (2003), Portmarnock G.C. (2012) and Ballybunion G.C. – Old (2017) all previously awarded it by The R&A.

Weather

The forecast suggests the weather will be largely dry with only light breezes expected.

Friday 21st August – Light Rain Showers / Wind 11 mph N / Temp. Min. 8°C, Max. 18°C.
Saturday 22nd August – Sunny Intervals / Wind 9 mph NW / Temp. Min. 9°C, Max. 19°C

The 2025 Jacques Léglise Trophy Match

Continent of Europe beat Great Britain & Ireland 15.0-10.0 to win the 48th Jacques Léglise Trophy match at Royal Golf Club of Belgium.

Continent of Europe (Photo: EGA)

Europe’s Guus LAFEBER (NED) was the only player on either side to win all four games. Having been rested in the opening foursomes series Tom DE HERRYPON (FRA) won the three games that he contested for Europe thereafter.

Whilst there was little for GB&I to celebrate Toby PETERS (ENG) was unbeaten securing one win and three ties. 

Click here to view the – 2025 Jacques Léglise Trophy Results

Previous Matches

An international junior match was first played between 1958 and 1966 with GB&I winning all nine of them.

After a break it was re-instated to the amateur calendar in 1977 as the Jacques Léglise Trophy. Jean-Louis Dupont donated the new trophy in memory of Jacques Léglise, a former President of both the French Golf Association and the European Golf Association. Léglise was also a past French amateur champion and national team captain.

Since becoming the Jacques Léglise Trophy GB&I have won 29 of the matches with the Continent of Europe claiming 18 victories with the 2015 match tied. Twelve of Europe’s wins have been in away matches.

Originally played in a single day the match moved to two in 1996.

Click here to view all of the – Jaques Léglise Trophy Historic Results

ME.

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