Washington (AFP) – United States Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis named Lexi Thompson among her three wildcards on Tuesday as she rounded out her 12-strong line-up for next month’s team clash against Europe. Thompson was picked alongside Jennifer Kupcho and Sarah Schmelzel for the September 13-15 showpiece at Gainesville, Florida.
Thompson’s selection marks her seventh consecutive Solheim Cup appearance, and could well be her last given that she has announced she plans to retire at the end of the year. “I know what Lexi can do at a Solheim Cup and that definitely helped her get a pick,” Lewis said of her decision to pick Thompson. “She’s somebody who is going to help the team out a lot, on the golf course and also off. With her experience, everybody on the team’s going to be watching what she does to try to learn from her. I am very happy to have Lexi back.”
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Thompson meanwhile said representing the US once again was “the highest honor that you can possibly have.” “To be there again this year, especially stateside, it’s a dream come true,” Thompson said. “To be able to play alongside my teammates and under my captains and assistant captains, it’s everything I could ask for.”
Thompson, 29, has a 9-7-7 record in Solheim Cup play, and is one of only two US players in this year’s line-up to have been part of a winning US team in the biennial tournament. The Americans will be attempting to win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017. Europe, winners in 2019 and 2021, retained the title last year after a thrilling 14-14 draw with the US at Finca Cortesin in Malaga.
Kupcho, 27, is making her third consecutive Solheim Cup appearance. Although her last tournament win came in 2022, Kupcho has been in consistent form in 2024, with three top-five finishes since May. The 30-year-old Schmelzel, meanwhile, will be a Solheim Cup rookie after posting four top-10 finishes this season.
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