U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis finalized her team on Tuesday with three wildcard picks.
Lewis selected Lexi Thompson, Jennifer Kupcho and Sarah Schmelzel.
Thompson will compete in her seventh consecutive Solheim Cup, which could be her final appearance as a player as she said earlier this season that she will stop playing full-time after this year.
Thompson, 29, has a 9-7-7 career record in the matches. Lewis, when revealing the picks live on social media, noted Thompson’s experience as a huge factor in her inclusion. Thompson is one of only two U.S. players (Alison Lee, 2015) who have been part of a winning Solheim Cup team.
Kupcho, 27, will be making her third straight cup appearance. She has a 2-3-2 record from 2021 and ’23.
Schmelzel, 30, will be a Solheim Cup rookie, joining automatic qualifier Lauren Coughlin as U.S. first-timers. Schmelzel had four straight top-10s earlier this season, including a runner-up finish at the Blue Bay LPGA in China.
Schmelzel has never won on tour while Kupcho’s last victory came in a three-win 2022 and Thompson last won in 2019.
Kupcho, however, has three top-5s since May, including a runner-up showing in the Dow Championship team event with fellow U.S. Solheim Cup member Ally Ewing. Thompson has three top-10s since the U.S. Women’s Open in June.
Angel Yin, who played on the 2023 U.S. team and was ahead of all three players in the final points standings, was among those passed up. As was Cheyenne Knight, also a ’23 team member who was ahead of Thompson in the standings.
Here is a look at the full U.S. roster:
-
Nelly Korda
-
Lilia Vu
-
Lauren Coughlin
-
Ally Ewing
-
Allisen Corpuz
-
Megan Khang
-
Andrea Lee
-
Rose Zhang
-
Alison Lee
-
Sarah Schmelzel (captain’s pick)
-
Jennifer Kupcho (captain’s pick)
-
Lexi Thompson (captain’s pick)
European Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen finalized her team on Monday.
The 19th Solheim Cup will be held Sept. 13-15 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Europe has claimed the cup each of the last three competitions, having earned a tie last year in Spain to retain possession.
The Solheim Cup is being contested in back-to-back years in an effort to get on an even-year schedule.
Source Agencies
