The biennial event, the Solheim Cup, will return to Europe in September after two years. Last year, Carlota Ciganda emerged as the hometown hero and was tied with Nelly Korda with just three holes remaining. The score was 13-13, and the European team had already won the last two trophies. The atmosphere was filled with nervousness and competition. All the European team needed was one more point to secure a third consecutive victory.

Both players settled for pars on the 16th hole. However, on the 17th, while Nelly Korda made another par, Carlota Ciganda carded a birdie, securing yet another win for Team Europe. This time, though, Team USA seems ready for a comeback. Led by Stacy Lewis, some of the best American golfers will head to Robert Trent Jones to reclaim the trophy!

As the team captain, Stacy Lewis had three spots to fill at her discretion, with no questions asked. For her picks, she chose Lexi Thompson and Jennifer Kupcho, both of whom had previously played alongside her. However, she also gave a chance to a newcomer, 30-year-old rookie Sarah Schmelzel.

On one hand, Thompson holds a Solheim Cup record of 9-7-7 and has been on the winning USA team twice (in 2015 and 2017) out of her six appearances. Meanwhile, Jennifer Kupcho has been part of the team during their last two outings, both losses, with a record of 2-3-2.

The remaining nine spots were given to automatic qualifiers based on their 2024 performance. From Nelly Korda to Lauren Coughlin, the top American pros were included in the team.

Picks from the Rolex Rankings

The first player, of course, was Nelly Korda, ranked No. 1 on the Rolex Rankings. Although she boasts a Solheim Cup record of 7-4-1, she has not experienced the team lifting the trophy. She was practically the one who almost led the team to victory last year but fell short. Lilia Vu made the team solely based on her performance on the LPGA Tour this year. She has only appeared once at the biennial event and has a record of 1-3-0. Had she not been in the second position on the list, there could have been a better selection.

Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee, and Rose Zhang were part of the team last year, each boasting records of 2-1-1, 1-2-1, and 0-2-1, respectively. Meanwhile, Ally Ewing (3-8-1) and Megan Khang (4-3-3) have each played on the team three times, always on the losing side. However, both have an impressive personal record in team performance, which will surely make them an asset to the team.

Alison Lee was part of the team back in 2015 and has a disappointing record of 1-3-0. She is currently in the 25th position on the Rolex ranking, and once again, there might have been a better opportunity to fill this spot. Lastly, there is another rookie, Lauren Coughlin, who ranks 14th on the list and might bring about the change Team USA needs!

With a perfect blend of experience and rookies kept to a minimum, Team USA has a strong chance of finally reclaiming the trophy after three editions. However, the outcome might have been more certain if not for the constraints of the Rolex Rankings. Only time will tell what unfolds in Europe this year!