Juli Inkster’s picks add greater experience to US Solheim Cup team

United States Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster has named Stacy Lewis and Morgan Pressel as her two wild cards for next month’s event at Gleneagles.
Brittany Altomare finished 13th in Ontario. Picture: Getty.Brittany Altomare finished 13th in Ontario. Picture: Getty.
Brittany Altomare finished 13th in Ontario. Picture: Getty.

The pair add some much-needed experience to a team looking to defend the trophy, as half of the automatic qualifiers are rookies and eight have never played a Solheim match overseas. Lewis, a former world No 1 and two-time major winner, has featured in four previous events. Pressel, who has one major victory, will be making her sixth appearance and has won twice as many matches as any of her team-mates.

“I just felt like I needed some veteran leadership and a lot of my team wanted them on the team and so those two picks just kind of helped me out,” said Inkster. “They’ve both been there. They just fit right in.”

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The ten automatic spots went to the leading eight players from the LPGA Solheim Cup points rankings and the top two (outwith that eight) from the Women’s World Golf Rankings. Seven of the spots had already been secured before Sunday’s final round at the CP Women’s Open at Aurora, Ontario, where Brittany Altomare’s joint-13th finish gave her the eighth spot. Angel Yin and Annie Park booked their places with their 32nd and 42nd world-rankings.

Altomare is a debutant along with Marina Alex, Nelly Korda, Megan Khang and Park. Yin, Jessica Korda and Danielle Kang are in their second Cup, while Lexi Thompson and Lizette Salas are competing in their fourth. The three-day tournament starts on 13 September.

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