U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacey Lewis selected Lexi Thompson, Jennifer Kupcho and Sarah Schmelzel as captain’s picks to finalize her team Tuesday.
This year marks Thompson’s seventh consecutive time representing the U.S. at the Solheim Cup, but it will also be her last. In May, the 29-year-old announced her plans to retire from full-time professional golf at the end of 2024.
Thompson, a major champion and 11-time LPGA Tour winner, broke out onto the women’s golf scene at just 12 years old when she became the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. She turned pro at 15 and has seen many ups and downs throughout her career, including nearly losing her LPGA Tour card in 2023 while recovering from a lingering wrist injury.
Last season, Thompson put together a late-season push to save her status and find form just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup.
“It means the world to me. To be able to represent my country, it’s the highest honor that you can possibly have,” Thompson said in a statement about being selected to the 2024 team. “To be there again this year, especially stateside, it’s a dream come true. To be able to play alongside my teammates and under my captains and assistant captains, it’s everything I could ask for.”
Our 2024 @SolheimCupUSA Captain’s Picks!
Lexi Thompson 🇺🇸
Jennifer Kupcho 🇺🇸
Sarah Schmelzel 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JX7VrxnBxa— Solheim Cup Team USA 🇺🇸 (@SolheimCupUSA) August 27, 2024
Thompson, Schmelzel and Kupcho are Lewis’ wild-card picks and join the team’s automatic qualifiers: Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Alison Lee. Kupcho will participate in her third Solheim Cup for the U.S., while Schmelzel and Coughlin will make their rookie debuts.
The Solheim Cup will be played at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., from Sept. 13-15.
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(Photo: John Jones / USA Today)
