2013 Solheim Cup: Catch the Rising Stars at the PING Junior Solheim Cup
The PING Junior Solheim Cup previews the future of golf in the U.S. and Europe.
Four years from now, when the American and European Solheimers again square off on this side of the ocean, it’s likely one or two phenoms will be making their Solheim debuts. There’s also a good chance you’ll already have seen them play in person this August.
Two teams of 12 players between the ages of 12 and 18 will be competing in the PING Junior Solheim Cup August 13-14 at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood. Founded by PING in 2002, the event has featured such players as Paula Creamer, Azahara Muñoz, Brittany Lincicome, Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson, Anna Nordqvist, Morgan Pressel and Brittany Lang—all of whom are competing in this year’s main event at Colorado Golf Club.
Alison Lee
The first 10 players named to the U.S. Team reflect a combination of the American Junior Golf Association’s Polo Golf Rankings and the Golfweek/ Sagarin Junior Girls Rankings as of July 15. The team will consist of Karen Chung (Livingston, N.J.), Amy Lee (Brea, Calif.), Andrea Lee (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), Samantha Wagner (Windermere, Fla.), Bethany Wu (Diamond Bar, Calif ), Casey Danielson (Osceola, Wis.), Alison Lee (Valencia, Calif.), Nicole Morales (South Salem, N.Y.), and Ashlan Ramsey (Milledgeville, Ga.)
LPGA Hall of Famer Kathy Whitworth, who captained the first two U.S. Solheim Cup Teams and will captain the 2013 U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup Team, selected Alexandra Kaui of Las Vegas, and Krystal Quihuis of Tucson as the final two captain’s picks.
Despite winning the Kathy Whitworth Invitational—one of the country’s elite girls events—in Texas this March, Arapahoe High’s Hannah Wood, (No. 23 in the AJGA/Polo Golf Rankings) was not selected.
Europe will send players from eight different nations: Emily Pedersen (Denmark), Linnea Ström and Jessica Vasilic (Sweden), Karolin Lampert (Germany), Shannon Aubert and Anyssia Herbaut (France), Virginia Elena Carta (Italy), Harang Lee (Spain), Anne van Dam (The Netherlands) and Georgia Hall, Bronte Law and Amber Ratcliffe (England).
Nicole Morales
“I know how much the Solheim Cup has meant to me and I know the PING Junior Solheim Cup is at the top of the list for these players,” Whitworth says. “I want this to be a lot of fun for theplayers and I know this is going to be fun for me.”
Fun is also on the mind of European captain Janice Moodie. “My goal is to get the girls to inspire each other, become a team even if it is just for one week,” explains the Scot, who competed in 2000, 2003 and 2009. “I want them to have fun, meet new people and experience new things. We are all in this together and willing to help each other. We are going to create friends and forever lasting memories. We are going to have fun.”
The Junior format will mimic that of the adult Solheim Cup, taking place over two days, with six fourball and six foursomes matches the first day, and twelve singles matches the second day.
Inverness, a Press Maxwell parkland classic that hosted the Colorado Open between 1992 and 1997, will challenge players with its deep bunkers, tree-lined fairways and small sloping greens.
“The Inverness Hotel & Golf Club is excited to host this special event,” says David Steinmetz, Director of Golf. “Our membership and staff look forward to a great week featuring these talented young female players from the United States and Europe.”
The 2013 event will mark the seventh PING Junior Solheim Cup. Team USA leads the all-time series, 3-2-1, with the draw coming two years ago in Ireland. PING owns and hosts the event, which is operated by the American Junior Golf Association with assistance from the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the Ladies European Tour.
The Inverness
Admission and parking is free, but the chance to see the future of golf is priceless. For more information, visit ajga.org.
For full online coverage of the 2013 Solheim Cup, check out the links below:
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