Colorado’s Kupcho names to U.S. Solheim Cup team

Jennifer Kupcho will represent U.S. for third time

By Jim Bebbington

Westminster’s Jennifer Kupcho was named to the U.S. Solheim Cup Team on Tuesday as a captain’s pick by Captain Stacy Lewis for the biannual tournament being played Sept. 13 to 15 at the Robert Trent Jones Gold Club in Gainesville, Va.

 

This will be Kupcho’s third stint as a member of the U.S. team.

“I think Jennifer probably more so than anyone is a great fit for this golf course,” Lewis said in announcing the pick. “I love how high and how straight she hits a golf ball. You can see it in how many strokes she gains off the tee and her ball striking is always what carries her.”

“I am so happy to be part of the U.S. Team again, back in the team atmosphere,” said Kupcho. “I’m most excited to be back on U.S. soil and just representing the U.S. in my country is so special to me. I’m so, so excited to do this for my third time and to play under Stacy, who is a great captain.”

Lewis also selected Sarah Schmelzel and Lexi Thompson as her final captain’s picks.

The three join the nine automatic qualifiers for the U.S. Team who were named following the completion of play at the AIG Women’s Open: Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Alison Lee.

The Solheim Cup pits the 12 best U.S. players against the 12 top European women professionals. In 2023 the European team kept the Cup after a 14 to 14 point tie in competition at Finco Cortesin, Spain. The U.S. leads the European team 10-7 and 1 all time.

In 2023 Kupcho lost twice and tied once, winning a half-point for the U.S. In her LPGA season she had four top-10 finishes this year, with her best finish a second-place at the Dow Championship June 27 and a fifth place finish at the Canadian Women’s Open July 25. Last weekend she missed the cut at the AIG Women’s Open, played at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland, undone by a triple-bogie six on the par-3 11th hole that led to a second round score of 77.