x
Skip to main content
Golf Logo
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
Solheim Cup captain’s picks: Here’s who’s in and who’s out
SHARE
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Golf Logo
  • News
    • Latest
      • News
      • Features
      • Shows
      • PGA Tour Schedule
    • Series
      • Tour Confidential
      • Monday Finish
      • Hot Mic
      • Rogers Report
    • Shows
      • The Scoop
      • Subpar
      • Seen & Heard
  • Instruction
    • Game Improvement
      • Driving
      • Approach Shots
      • Bunker Shots
      • Short Game
      • Putting
      • Rules
      • Fitness
    • Series
      • Top 100 Teachers
      • Rules Guy
      • The Etiquetteist
    • Shows
      • Warming Up
      • Play Smart
      • Short Game Chef
      • Pros Teaching Joes
  • Gear
    • Clubs
      • Drivers
      • Irons
      • Hybrids
      • Fairway Woods
      • Wedges
      • Putters
    • Other Gear
      • Balls
      • Shoes
      • Apparel
      • Golf Accessories
    • Series
      • ClubTest
      • Winner’s Bag
    • Shows
      • Fully Equipped
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • Travel
      • Course Finder
      • Courses
      • Resorts
    • Lifestyle
      • Accessories
      • Celebrities
      • Food
      • Style
      • Betting Advice
    • Shows
      • Super Secrets
      • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Shop
      • Clubs
      • Shafts
      • Training Aids
      • Balls
      • Bags
      • Technology
      • Apparel
      • Accessories
      • Our Picks
      • Shop All
    • Collections
      • The GOLF Collection
      • The Birdie Juice Collection
      • The Fully Equipped Collection
      • Shop All
  • Newsletters
    • Sign Up for GOLF’s Newsletters
      • Hot Mic
      • Monday Finish
      • Play Smart
      • Our Picks
      • Top Stories
      • Sign Up for All
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Features
    • Shows
    • PGA Tour Schedule
  • Instruction
    • All Instruction
    • Driving
    • Approach Shots
    • Bunker Shots
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Rules
    • Fitness
  • Gear
    • All Gear
    • Drivers
    • Irons
    • Hybrids
    • Fairway Woods
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Balls
    • Shoes
    • Apparel
    • Golf Accessories
  • Travel & Lifestyle
    • All Travel
    • All Lifestyle
    • Course Finder
    • Courses
    • Resorts
    • Accessories
    • Celebrities
    • Food
    • Style
    • Betting Advice
  • Series
    • Tour Confidential
    • Monday Finish
    • Hot Mic
    • Rogers Report
    • Rules Guy
    • The Etiquetteist
    • ClubTest
    • Winner’s Bag
  • Shows
    • The Scoop
    • Subpar
    • Seen & Heard
    • Warming Up
    • Play Smart
    • Short Game Chef
    • Pros Teaching Joes
    • Fully Equipped
    • Super Secrets
    • Destination Golf
  • Shop
    • Clubs
    • Shafts
    • Training Aids
    • Balls
    • Bags
    • Technology
    • Apparel
    • Accessories
    • The GOLF Collection
    • The Birdie Juice Collection
    • The Fully Equipped Collection
  • Newsletters
    • Hot Mic
    • Monday Finish
    • Play Smart
    • Top Stories
    • Our Picks
    • Sign Up for All
InsideGolf Join Now  / Log In
InsideGolf

InsideGOLF: +$140 value for $39.99

Join Today
News

Solheim Cup captain’s picks: Here’s who’s in and who’s out

By: Sean Zak
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Follow on Instagram
August 27, 2024
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share by Email
Lexi thompson

Lexi Thompson will play her seventh Solheim Cup next month.

Getty Images

For those who think the pro-golf calendar is winding down, buckle up. We’re just getting started on the team golf portion of the schedule, with both the Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup scheduled for the next few weeks. 

Up first is the biennial women’s competition between Europe and the United States, played for the second year in a row (the event is shifting to be played in even-numbered years). It will be difficult to top the excitement from last year’s Cup, where Spaniard Carlota Ciganda toppled Nelly Korda to win in her homeland, in front of the King of Spain, no less

This time around the Americans will be hosting at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, just outside Washington D.C. And now that the major championship season has passed, the qualification period is over, and this week has been all about captain’s picks. 

On Monday morning, European captain Suzann Petersen finalized her roster, selecting Georgia Hall, Anna Nordqvist, Emily Kristine Pedersen and Albane Valenzuela. They’ll join a group of eight automatic qualifiers who have been thriving lately:

Charley Hull, Ester Henseleit, Celine Boutier, Leona Maguire, Carlota Ciganda, Maja Stark, Linn Grant and Madelene Sagstrom. 

The only remaining pieces for the competition needed to come from U.S. captain Stacy Lewis, who took the stage Tuesday in Boston to choose her three captain’s picks. Up first: Jennifer Kupcho, a major champion who will play in her third Solheim Cup. Second was Sarah Schmelzel, a 30-year-old Solheim rookie.

For her final pick, Lewis selected Lexi Thompson, who may come as a slight surprise. Thompson is in the waning stages of her career, having announced her intentions to step away from a full competitive schedule a few months ago. Thompson showed off some good form in the middle of the summer, contending at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, but was ranked 14th in the Solheim Cup standings. She was by no means a shoo-in. But Lewis looked at a roster and saw a need for experience. 

“The Lexi Thompson that shows up at Solheim Cup is even different than week-in and week-out,” Lewis said. “I know that’s what I’m going to get out of her. She’s going to be more prepared than anybody. She’s going to lead this group by her actions and the way she goes about her business and how she prepares. That’s what I want with a young group, to have some experience there.”

Thompson struggled in the lead-up to last year’s Solheim Cup but starred in southern Spain, where she went 3-1. This will be her seventh (and likely final) Solheim Cup appearance as a player. 

As with every captain’s pick, there are always worthy players left on the outside looking in. This year the most surprising absentee is Angel Yin, who was a captain’s pick last year and won two out of three matches. Cheyenne Knight, who was also a captain’s pick last year, also was left out. The automatic qualifiers for Team USA, which includes eight of the top 30 in the world, are as follows:

Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang, Alison Lee and Megan Khang. 

The Solheim Cup will be played Sept. 13-15.

Latest In News

47 minutes ago

In 6 silent minutes, CBS delivered a Masters broadcast masterpiece

1 hour ago

Zurich Classic Subpar picks: 2 teams to watch in New Orleans

3 hours ago

A year ago, she was panicked. Now, Lilia Vu is major threat again

7 hours ago

USGA, Oakmont investing $1 million into public golf, communities

Sean Zak

Golf.com Editor

Sean Zak is a writer at GOLF Magazine and just published his first book, which follows his travels in Scotland during the most pivotal summer in the game’s history.

  • Author Twitter Account
  • Author Instagram Account

Related Articles

News
angela stanford wears team usa uniform during the 2021 solheim cup

Angela Stanford reveals her game plan as the next U.S. Solheim Cup captain

By: Zephyr Melton
News
angela stanford stares up in joy while holding evian championship trophy and wrapped in american flag

U.S. Solheim Cup team announces Angela Stanford as newest captain

By: James Colgan
News
New Europe Solehim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist.

Team Europe has selected its newest Solheim Cup captain 

By: Sean Zak
News
Tiger Woods, Nelly Korda, Charley Hull, Rory McIlroy

Tiger Woods, Charley Hull and foolish mistakes: 24 wishes for the holidays

By: Nick Piastowski
News
Lexi Thompson

Lexi Thompson surprisingly retired in 2024. How should her career be assessed?

By: Nick Piastowski
News
mollie marcoux samaan answers questions at an LPGA press conference in front of blue banner

Months later, Solheim Cup parking fiasco reverberations still felt

By: James Colgan
News
lexi thompson hugs molly marcoux samaan off the 9th green at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Lexi Thompson's NBC complaints raise bigger LPGA TV questions

By: James Colgan
News
lexi thompson has tears in her eyes during post-round press conference

Lexi Thompson's tearful press conference caps complicated career

By: Zephyr Melton
News
charley hull at the 2024 kroger queen city

Charley Hull is ‘shattered.’ After the year she’s had, you can understand why

By: Alan Bastable
Sign up for GOLF's Newsletters
Get the latest news, the hottest instruction tips, new product releases, golf media insider reports and more delivered directly to your inbox. Choose your favorites now.
Sign Up
Categories
  • News
  • Instruction
  • Gear
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
Services
  • Masthead
  • GOLF Media Kit
  • GOLF Magazine Customer Service
  • TERMS OF SERVICE
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • Opt-out of Ads/Sharing
  • Your Privacy Choices
Social
  • facebook
  • x
  • instagram
  • youtube
Membership
InsideGOLF Logo
More than $140 Value for JUST $39.99

INCLUDES 12 SRIXON Z-STAR XV GOLF BALLS, 1 YR OF GOLF MAGAZINE, $20 FAIRWAY JOCKEY CREDIT - AND MUCH MORE!

LEARN MORE

© 2025 EB Golf Media LLC. An 8AM Golf Affiliated Brand. All Rights Reserved. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy a linked product, GOLF.COM may earn a fee. Pricing may vary.