Kupcho ready for her fourth Solheim Cup

Westminster native has played in last four international competitions

By Jim Bebbington

For Jennifer Kupcho, the Solheim Cup competitions have become part of her regular schedule.

Kupcho, who grew up in Westminster and is a leading LPGA pro since 2019, kicks off her fourth Solheim Cup competition this week as the U.S. team takes on a European squad in The Netherlands this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Solheim Cup is the women’s professional tour’s version of the Ryder Cup and while the women players approach the competition slightly differently – more U.S. flag face press-ons and fewer beers thrown in anger from the crowd – the players still bring a deep desire to win.

“I think being part of every Solheim team that you’re a part of is obviously special, but I think just being able to represent your country, wearing the red, white, and blue is so fun,” she said Wednesday. “Being able to be part of a team in golf, such an individual sport, it’s super special. I think also as a Ping player myself, it’s super special to represent the Solheim family, be part of Ping, represent Ping out here. I really enjoy it. So it’s one of my favorite events of the year.”

Kupcho and Angel Yin both qualified for the team in early August after strong runs through the LPGA season. Kupcho’s last win, at the ShopRite LPGA in 2025, occurred just as the qualifying period began and she has since racked up eight top-10 finishes.

“I have watched each of them as they competed for the USA over the past years and both players bring an intensity that our team will need in Europe,” U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Angela Stanford said.

The U.S. squad includes world No. 1 Nelly Korda, Kupcho and Yin, as well as Yealimi Noh, Auston Kim, Lauren Coughlin, Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee, Alison Lee, Lindy Duncan, Megan Khang and Rose Zhang.

In promotional photos released this week Kupcho is seen playing with the Team USA bag modified for her with the Colorado state flag stitched on it.

The Solheim Cup gives the top pros the chance to work alongside each other in the team format, which Kupcho said gives them a rare chance to get to know each other better.

“I feel like in general, you don’t get to see (Nelly Korda’s) personality in a normal week,” Kupcho said. “She’s very much surrounded by her team, which is good for her, so am I. I do the same thing. But when you’re in the team room with her, all she has is her caddie, Jason, also in there. So  just being in the locker room, being in the team room with her, you get to see her personality, talk to her, and get to know her more. It’s definitely a really cool experience, I think, just being around her and seeing she’s also a normal person just like we are.”

Over four competitions Kupcho has a record of 3-4 and 1 : winning 3 matches, losing 4 and tying once. In the last competition, in 2024, she went 1-2 and 0. In her 2024 matches she lost in both the team events she was played in, but won her individual match on Sunday 2 and 1 over Linn Grant. The U.S. won the 2024 Solheim Cup, which was played at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

This year’s competition is being held at Bernardus Golf, near Amsterdam. The last time the U.S. won the Solheim Cup at a European course was 2015. Europe won its last competition in the U.S. in 2013, winning at Colorado Golf Club in Parker.

U.S. teams won the majority of the competitions in the early years as the Solheim Cup series began in 1990, but the European team has won three of the last four and five of the last eight.

How to watch

Friday, Sept. 11:  11:30 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday  (Golf Channel)

Saturday, Sept. 12: 11:30 p.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday  (Golf Channel)

Sunday, Sept. 13: 3 a.m. – 10 a.m. (Golf Channel) 11:30 – 1:30 p.m. Closing Ceremonies

 Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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