Men's golf rising senior Jonathan McEwen has won national player of the year honors, rewritten Washington and Lee's record book and has established himself as one of the most decorated golfers in NCAA Division III.

But none of these accomplishments compare to the week he spent representing Team USA at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup. The opportunity to compete alongside the world's top collegiate golfers on Ireland's most iconic links courses was the culmination of three years of remarkable success at W&L and an experience McEwen says he'll never forget.

McEwen has built one of the most accomplished resumes in Division III golf history. After earning the NCAA Division III Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award in 2024, he has gone on to claim back-to-back Jack Nicklaus Awards, becoming just the 11th player across all collegiate divisions to earn the prestigious honor multiple times. 

He has spent each of the past two seasons as the nation's best golfer in Division III while earning three First Team All-America honors, three GCAA/Ping All-Region selections and three First Team All-ODAC accolades. McEwen is a two-time ODAC Golfer of the Year and was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 2024.

In just three seasons, McEwen has claimed 19 of the program’s 22 individual records and is tied with Nathaniel James ’08, ’11L for the most tournament victories in school history. Nearly every time he tees it up, another piece of program history follows.

McEwen owns school records with a low round of 64 (8-under) at the 2025-26 Gate City Invitational, a 36-hole total of 134 (10-under) at the 2024 Capital City Classic, a 54-hole score of 202 (14-under) at the 2025-26 Jekyll Island Collegiate and a 72-hole total of 278 (9-under) at the 2026 NCAA Championship.

His sophomore season produced a program-record scoring average of 69.5 (2.38 under par) while tying the school record with five tournament victories. As a junior, he established single-season records with 22 rounds at par or better, a 97.3% head-to-head winning percentage against 1,013 opponents, 121 birdies, eight eagles and scoring averages of 3.02 on par-3s, 3.91 on par-4s and 4.55 on par-5s. He also counted in all 28 team rounds.

For his career, McEwen is tied for the program record with eight tournament victories and owns school records with 58 rounds of par or better, a 93.7% career head-to-head winning percentage, 324 birdies and 17 eagles.

As the eighth-ranked Generals prepared for the 2026 NCAA Division III National Championship in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., McEwen received a phone call from Golf Coaches Association of America CEO, Dustin Roberts. Roberts informed McEwen that Team USA co-head coaches Trey Jones and Laura Ianello had selected him to represent the United States at this year's Palmer Cup.

With his selection, he became just the fourth Division III golfer to compete in the event, joining Anthony Maccaglia (Oglethorpe, 2014), Alex Price (Christopher Newport, 2023) and Jackson Klutznick (Emory, 2024).

Before turning his attention to Ireland, McEwen and the Generals headed to the Sunshine State to cap off another season. They capped off the year with their fifth consecutive top-10 finish at the NCAA Championship, placing sixth with a 72-hole total of 290-280-290-295—1,155 (+7). McEwen paced the Blue and White with a national runner-up finish after shooting nine-under par over the four-day championship, marking his second consecutive top-two finish and his third-straight top-10 finish at the NCAA Championship.

The Ryder Cup-style event was contested at one of Ireland’s premier championship links courses, Tralee Golf Club. Perched on the Atlantic cliffs at West Barrow in County Kerry, the course was designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer and offers a world-class test that seamlessly blends breathtaking scenery with championship-caliber golf.

As the first European course designed by Palmer, Tralee holds a special place in his legacy. Upon first seeing the property, Palmer famously remarked, “I may have designed the first nine, but surely God designed the back nine.” Consistently ranked among the world’s finest links courses, Tralee captivates players with its spectacular setting, unforgettable holes and rugged coastal beauty. For golfers traveling to Ireland, it remains a bucket-list destination and one of the country’s true championship gems.

"Everything was in perfect condition. In the fairways, there wasn't a blade of grass kind of out of place and the greens were perfect. They took care of us and offered us a lot of support and all the members were really nice to us. It was almost treated like a PGA tour event with the way they ran it and the amenities they offered us. It just felt super special there. You felt like you were like playing on the biggest stage that you could. It was just the little things that they did as a club and as the Arnold Palmer Cup like having on your name on the range, you'd have a name plate and you put it down behind you and you're hitting.”

Heading into the final week of June, McEwen geared up to leave the country for the first time in his life, making the 3,500-mile trip across the Atlantic Ocean to compete alongside some of the best amateurs in the world. The week began with Team USA and Team International hosting a junior clinic for children from the Tralee community. Players worked alongside the young golfers, teaching them the fundamentals of the game while also signing autographs, taking photos and spending time getting to know the next generation of players.

The next morning, McEwen and Rianne Malixi (Duke University) of Team International were paired with two members of the club to play a round for the College Am. “It was good exposure, Rianne and I played with two important people from the club and the tournament. It was fun to get two know the two members as well as Rianne during this round. During matches, you didn't really talk to the players on Team International, you talked to your caddy or your playing partner” said McEwen. “I had a few conversations during the matches but nothing extensive. Rianne and I had good conversations throughout that day which taught me a lot about her and her game.”

Both teams came together that evening for the Opening Ceremony to officially kick off the event while announcing the pairings for the opening round of the tournament. McEwen was paired up with Amely Bochaton of Wingate University, the other non-Division I selection, to take on Daniel Bennett (University of Texas) and Veronika Kedronova (Kent State University) in Mixed Four Ball.

McEwen and Bochaton faced an early deficit in the opening round of mixed four-ball play, falling three down through the first eight holes. The duo responded by claiming its first hole of the match with a birdie on the par-4 ninth. After halving the next four holes, Bochaton birdied the 14th to trim the deficit to one. Two holes later, McEwen drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to square the match. The pair halved each of the final two holes to earn a hard-fought halve and secure a half point for Team USA.

“We definitely both showed a little bit of nerves on the first hole, we both missed some short putts for par. Amely made a par putt on the second hole and then we settled in” McEwen said. "We thought a lot better about going into the back nine, where we continued to battle. We got up-and-down from some difficult spots to save par and keep our momentum. We were really happy to get that match back all square."

Saturday featured 36 holes of action, with McEwen teaming up with Connor Williams of Arizona State University during the morning round. The duo fell four down through the first five holes before winning three of the final four holes on the front nine to trim the deficit to one.

Team International’s George Cannon (University of Stirling) and Nguyen Anh Minh (Oregon State University) extended their lead to 4 up with four holes remaining after winning Nos. 12-14. However, McEwen and Williams responded by taking the next three holes to cut the deficit to one. Cannon and Anh Minh ultimately secured a 1-up victory after the teams halved the final hole of the match.

“We were down early and we both knew that we could get in the match. We supported each other a lot throughout that whole round” said McEwen. “We set it up to where he would hit the tee shots since he hits the ball a little farther than I do while I was hitting the approach shots. We had a really good strategy coming into this morning. We just kept having around and making them work to win the holes. After we walked off five down four, I looked at Connor and said that we could come back and tie this match. Ultimately we didn't but we put up a hell of a fight and had a chance on the last hole. I was proud of the way we fought.” 

In the afternoon, McEwen reunited with Bochaton for mixed foursomes. The pair jumped out to a 2-up lead through the first six holes after winning Nos. 10, 14 and 15. Team International’s Patience Rhodes (Arizona State University) and Tim Wiedemeyer (Texas Tech University) answered by winning back-to-back holes to square the match heading into the final nine. McEwen and Bochaton regained a 1-up advantage with a win on the first hole of the back nine, but Rhodes and Wiedemeyer captured four of the next eight holes to claim a 3-and-1 victory.

Sunday’s final round featured singles play, with McEwen taking on George Cannon. Cannon claimed the 10th hole to take an early lead before McEwen answered with a birdie on the 13th to even the match. Cannon responded by winning the next two holes to move two up, but McEwen once again battled back, taking the final two holes of the front nine to send the match to the back nine all square. After the pair halved the next two holes, Cannon won Nos. 3, 4 and 5 to build a 3-up advantage. As he had throughout the week, McEwen refused to back down, winning two of the next three holes to cut the deficit to one. However, Cannon held on over the closing stretch to secure a 1-up victory.

Team USA fell just one point shy of reclaiming the Palmer Cup, dropping a narrow 30.5-29.5 decision to Team International. The victory marked Team International’s second consecutive Palmer Cup title and its first back-to-back triumphs since 2008 and 2009.

Despite being one of two non-Division I selections, McEwen never felt left out. “We definitely had a really good relationship as a team. Just becasue I was the only Division III player, there wasn't anything that made me the odd man out. Everybody was amazing and we all treated each other as equals.”

Co-Head coaches Trey Jones and Laura Ianello crafted this year's team based on who was going to fight to win, not just selecting the top amateurs. This was a big sticking point to McEwen as he sat through team meetings between rounds. “Coach Jones was super optimistic and there was no doubt in his mind that we could win, he was fully confident in us then entire time.” 

For most of Team USA, it was their first experience playing a links style course. Going through the practice rounds and learning together helped build relationships and trust prior to the start of the tournament. “There were a couple days of an adjustment period when we got over there. I talked to a lot of my teammates and some of their experiences as the first time playing a links course, so it was nice to talk to them about how they kind of plan on adjusting their game plan and strategy when they play on this type of course.”

McEwen did not make the trip across the Atlantic alone. His parents, Patricia and Ron, Thomas R. Wall IV, Head Men's Golf Coach Pete Gyscek, PGA, and his wife Michelle and former teammate Elias Malakoff '25 made the trip to the Emerald Isle to support him. “ I was obviously super thankful that everybody who could make the trip was able to. While my matches weren't as followed as some people with bigger names, having my family, Coach Pete and Michelle there was super special.”

When McEwen called Malakoff, who moved to Germany following his graduation from W&L last spring, to tell him that he made the team and was going to be playing the Palmer Cup, he wasted no time in booking a flight to support him. “I remember when I called him to tell him I made the team. He called me back and said that he just booked his flights and said he was coming. It was awesome reuniting with him. We got to hang out a little bit on Sunday after the last round, we went out to dinner together and watched golf together while the other matches were finishing.”

McEwen has one goal in mind heading into his final season with the Blue and White. National Champion, both as an individual and as a team. As a unit, the Generals return their entire lineup from last season while bringing in three talented first-years. The squad has put together three impressive seasons, finishing top ten at the National Championship each season while bringing home a team trophy to Lexington with a fourth place finish in Rochester, N.Y. in 2025. 

McEwen plans to emphasize battling this year and the importance of keeping yourself in the moment during a tournament.“College golf is a grind, especially in those 36 hole days. It's long and you never know what your teammates are going to do. They could make an eleven on a hole and you're back in the scoring four even though you didn't expect it to count that day. I think that's the biggest thing for the team to take away is that you can't give up, you have to keep grinding and fighting. We're always reiterating that within the team before every tournament and then just staying motivated even when things might not be going our way.”

McEwen and the Generals kick off the fall portion of their season on Sept. 21 & 22 as they head to Williamsburg, Va. for the NCAA Division III Championship Preview at the Kingsmill Resort. To check out their fall schedule, click here.

Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.