It is a well-trodden path and one that Kuehn will be confident of negotiating. She has compiled an enviable amateur record, both as an individual and as a team player.

A four-time All-American at Wake Forest, she has given her all for the Stars and Stripes in a record five Arnold Palmer Cups and in two World Amateur Team Championships; she appeared in another, alongside her mother, for the Dominican Republic.

Then there are the numerous collegiate and amateur wins, four Augusta National Women's Amateur appearances, leading amateur at this year's Evian Championship and, topping them all, the 2023 NCAA Championship with her beloved Deacons. 

You could argue that Rachel Kuehn was made to play big time golf. Her mother, Brenda Corrie Kuehn, starred for Wake Forest before making her Curtis Cup debut in 1996.Brenda was picked again two years later for the matches at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, going 4 and 0 and nailing the winning point in the process.

You could argue that Rachel Kuehn was made to play big time golf

In the 1998 matches Brenda played both foursomes sessions with Kellee Booth, who was making history as the first golfer to emulate her mother by playing in the Curtis Cup. This coming weekend, Brenda's daughter will become the second.

Brenda famously competed in the 2001 US Open, her ninth, whilst eight months pregnant with Rachel. Their bond has been unbreakable ever since. Earlier this summer, they both at the US Women’s Amateur Championship, Brenda qualifying for her 15th appearance at the age of 59.

Brenda Corrie Kuehn will be at Sunningdale to support Rachel and the other members of Meghan Stasi’s team, who are are hot favorites to retain the Cup for a third time.

Ahead of her departure for London, Rachel Kuehn spoke candidly about the highlights of her amateur career, what it takes to be a good teammate, her mother’s guiding influence, the state of women’s golf, and why it will be hard to hold back the tears once it’s all over on Sunday.

You are the lone returning player from the 2022 team that won in style at Merion. Why do you think that is?

Rachel Kuehn: A lot of the girls that I played with at Conwy and at Merion have now graduated into the pro ranks and got their cards. The reason I've had the opportunity to play a third Curtis Cup is I was able to use my COVID year and stay amateur and play an extra year of college golf. Otherwise, I would have hoped to have been on the LPGA. I'm so glad that I made the decision to come back for that extra year because once amateur golf is gone, you don't get it back.

And after the Curtis Cup?

Rachel Kuehn: Post-Curtis Cup, I'm going to turn pro. Luckily I'm exempt through the first stage of Q school so I get to go straight into second stage and hopefully I’ll get my LPGA status. I'm looking forward to that. I've loved amateur golf, but I'm excited for what lies ahead.

Of all your many achievements in amateur golf which ones stand out?

Rachel Kuehn: I've really cherished all of my team selections, my (now) three Curtis Cups, my World Amateur Teams, my Arnold Palmer Cups. Those are really special to me but at the end of the day, what really, really stands out is winning an NCAA Championship with my team. I would trade it all to just have that moment. It was really special. You never really know when you're going to be in that situation because so many things have to go right in match play. To have the week that we did at Grayhawk was infinitely special.

In such an individual sport, what makes for a good team player?

Rachel Kuehn: Team golf is really interesting because we're so used to focusing on what we do and controlling what we can control. I think the way to be the best teammate you can be in golf is by doing two things. The first is taking care of your business, so making sure that you're in the right headspace on the golf course and doing everything you can to produce the best golf shot you can. That doesn't always happen but you can't beat yourself up on the golf course and let things spiral because in hurting your own golf, you're hurting your teammates as well.

In girls' golf you have these really strong bonds so you can pull for each other

The second aspect is showing your teammates that you care, not just about how they play on the golf course but showing them that you care about them as a person and as an individual. I think specifically in girls' golf you have these really strong bonds so you can pull for each other. It's just another reason to keep going. When you combine those two things, caring about each other but also taking care of your individual business, it sets you up for a really great team environment.

As a pro, you’ll be out on your own. How much will you miss team golf? 

Rachel Kuehn: I'm definitely going to miss team golf. I loved my five years at Wake, but it's the stuff outside of college, too. It's the Palmer Cups, the Curtis Cups, the World Ams, all these things. You don't get them back. It's the reason that I stayed amateur for one more year, and I've been so fortunate to make these teams.

There’s just nothing really like it in pro golf unless you make a Solheim Cup team. Obviously that's the goal but you never really know when that's going to happen, so I've never taken these opportunities for granted. They have been such a privilege to be a part of so I'm going into this last Curtis Cup week hoping to play some really great golf, but also really wanting to just soak it in and enjoy this last week of team golf.

Tell us a bit more about the Kuehn golfing dynasty...

Rachel Kuehn: My grandfather was an American citizen but moved to Dominican Republic where he met my grandmother. They lived for a short while in Venezuela and he represented Venezuela at a bunch of World Ams. After that he represented the Dominican Republic. Really, he's kind of the grandfather of golf in Dominican Republic, which I think is cool.

He taught my Mom and her sister to play. Mom went on to have an unbelievable amateur career. She turned pro for a very brief period but got her amateur status back and the majority of the high level amateur golf that she played was after being reinstated as an amateur.

My Mom has played in something like 60 USGA events and she's still playing in them

We have this wall in our house with these two big frames and in these frames are all of Mom’s USGA bag tags and player pins. It's almost overwhelming. She's played in something like 60 USGA events and she's still playing in them. What’s great is that she's got back into competitive golf because having three kids kind of ruined her career!

I've had such a great mentor and really just a friend and confidant in my Mom. She really understands what I'm going through. There are not many people that can say that they have a parent who really understands exactly the struggles, the successes, all of these emotions that you’re feeling. She’s been through all of it so it's been really fun to be on this ride with her.

And my Dad too. My parents would drop anything for my brothers and I. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have that, so I'm incredibly appreciative of them.

What advice did your mother give you before your first Curtis Cup at Conwy in 2021?

Rachel Kuehn: My parents both gave me a lot of advice. They were really big on just soaking in the moment. They both made the trip out to Conwy. It was during COVID, so no one really came. Mom jokes that she was going to get there even if she had to swim.  I just remember walking down the fairways, getting pumped up with my teammates and Mom looking over and being like, 'Are you having fun?' The  answer was always yes.

Team golf is competitive and it's fiery but at the end of the day, it's supposed to be fun. Golf in general is supposed to be fun. Mom has always been really big on that. You don't want to get so wrapped up in the moment and the emotions and then really miss out on the experience that you're having as a team. 

The other thing she's given me is match play advice. Little things like how to keep your body language positive, how to stay in the moment and how when you're up, how to keep winning holes to close that door. Stuff that a 12, 13, 14 year old would never have thought of. I credit it all to her, really.

The US will be fielding another very young team, including 15-year-old Asterisk Talley, who was runner-up at the US Amateur. Why do you think golfers are getting better younger?

Rachel Kuehn: I don't know if I have an answer. I played in the stroke play rounds with Rianne [Malixi], who ended up winning the US Amateur. Her golf game at 17 is incredibly mature. It was unbelievable to watch her hit those golf shots and make those putts. And her emotions were just so in check. She played like she was a 25 year old.

I think it's probably a combination of a couple of things. Kids are probably focusing on one sport at a younger age. I was raised in a household where I played pretty much everything until about 14, which is when I decided to focus on golf. So I think people are getting more serious about a single sport at younger ages.

The future of golf is in really great hands. I'm excited to get a front row seat to watch it all

I also think there's just so much information available now. Information in the weight room, information with technology, information on equipment and information through performance stats. I didn't really get exposed to any of this until I went to college. It’s crazy now to see 13, 14, 15 year olds have their act together and to play at these incredible levels and make Curtis Cup teams and be runner-up at the US Am or win the US Am.

It makes me excited for the future of women's golf. I think that the future of golf is in really great hands for years and years to come. I'm excited to get a front row seat to watch it all.

What's your favorite part of representing your country in the Curtis Cup?

Hands down, and it's not even close, the moment that is always the most special to me about the Curtis Cup is the opening ceremony. When they play the national anthem and raise the flag. I cry instinctively every single time. I wish I wouldn't because I'm all made up. It's just really special. Not many people get the chance to represent their country and it just gets me so emotional.

I hope that I get the chance to do that in the Solheim Cup someday. I hope this won't be my last one.

How emotional do you feel about this being the end of your amateur career and an amazing chapter in your life?

Rachel Kuehn: I don't think the emotions have quite hit me yet. I think right now it's more excitement. It's excitement to get there. I do think that come next Monday morning, after the event is done, there will be a lot of emotions. I'm guessing there's going to be a lot of tears, happy and sad all at the same time.