US captain Stacy Lewis unveils Solheim Cup roster after making hard choices
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
World No. 1 Lilia Vu headlines the Americans' Solheim Cup line-up for their clash against the Europeans in September.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
WASHINGTON – United States captain Stacy Lewis admitted to difficult decisions, as she unveiled the complete American roster for September’s Solheim Cup on Monday by adding Angel Yin, Cheyenne Knight and Ally Ewing to complete the 12-woman line-up.
World No. 1 Lilia Vu, second-ranked Nelly Korda, eighth-ranked Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang, who won her first LPGA title on Sunday in Vancouver, were among nine automatic qualifiers confirmed on Monday morning for the US line-up in the biennial matchplay golf showdown against Europe.
Just hours later, Lewis rounded out the squad with her captain’s picks.
“These final days were definitely some of the hardest ones of my career, but I’m so proud to have Ally, Cheyenne and Angel on the US Solheim Cup team,” she said.
“These three women earned their spots on this team, putting themselves into contention both with their play on the course and their teamwork off the course.”
The Americans lead the all-time rivalry 10-7 but have lost the past two meetings.
In 2019, Team Europe earned a 14½-13½ victory at Gleneagles in Scotland, a breathtaking win that saw Suzann Pettersen knock in the winning putt on the final hole of the final match.
The Europeans will try to win three in a row for the first time when they host the US squad at Finca Cortesin Golf Club near Malaga in Spain from Sept 22 to 24.
“I’ve gotten to know all the US players incredibly well and I’m honoured to be their captain,” Lewis added. “We’re going to have an incredible week at Finca Cortesin.”
Others in the US line-up include Jennifer Kupcho, Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee on points, plus rookie Rose Zhang and Lexi Thompson based on world rankings.
Vu won her first two Major titles this season,
Korda is the reigning Olympic champion and won the 2021 Women’s PGA Championship, while Corpuz clinched her first LPGA title and first Major at the US Women’s Open in July.
Kupcho won last season’s Chevron title while Kang won the 2017 Women’s PGA Championship and Thompson took the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Major crown.
It will be Thompson’s sixth time in the Solheim Cup and the fourth start for Kang. Ewing, Khang, Korda and Yin will make their third Solheim appearances and Kupcho her second with the other five making their US debuts.
“To have these players locked in has me pumped for the week in Spain,” Lewis said.
“Even the rookies aren’t true rookies in my eyes.
“Over the last two years, they have proven to be great competitors and I have no doubt that they won’t be overwhelmed by the experience.
“This is definitely going to be a very strong team.”
Zhang, the youngest player on the team at 20, turned professional in May after winning the past two US college individual crowns for Stanford.
“It’s an honour to be on this team, for me to be with the best players in the world,” she said.
“I can’t wait to go to Spain and tee it up with these amazing girls, and at the same time represent the Red, White and Blue.” AFP, REUTERS
