Seoul Gazette - US captain Lewis unveils Solheim Cup roster

World number one Lilia Vu, second-ranked Nelly Korda, eighth-ranked Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang, who won her first LPGA title Sunday at Vancouver, were among nine automatic qualifiers confirmed Monday morning for the US lineup in the biennial match-play 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," Lewis 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 dropped the past two meetings. 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 on September 22-24.

"I've gotten to know all the US players incredibly well and I'm honored to be their captain," Lewis said. "We're going to have an incredible week at Finca Cortesin."

Others in the US lineup 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 year, taking the Chevron Championship in April and the British Women's Open two weeks ago, after her first LPGA victory in February at Thailand.

Korda is the reigning Olympic champion and won the 2021 Women's PGA Championship while Corpuz won her first LPGA title and first major last month at the US Women's Open.

Kupcho won last year's Chevron title while Kang won the 2017 Women's PGA 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 age 20, turned professional in May after winning the past two US college individual crowns for Stanford.

"It's an honor to be on this team, for me to be with the best players in the world," she said.

D.Sunwoo--SG