Solheim Cup Teams Set After Lewis’s British Open Win

Neal Reid

ST. ANDREWS, FIFE, SCOTLAND, Aug. 4, 2013 – Meg Mallon revealed Gerina Piller and Michelle Wie as captain’s picks for the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team at a press conference tonight following the RICOH Women’s British Open at the Old Course. Led by British Open winner and runaway U.S. points leader Stacy Lewis, Mallon’s 12-player squad includes eight Solheim Cup veterans and four rookies.

The 13th edition of The Solheim Cup will be played August 16-18, 2013 at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colorado. The U.S. Team seeks to keep their undefeated record on home soil intact when the biennial match-play competition.
Based on the final U.S. Solheim Cup standings, the top-eight players who automatically qualified for the team via a points race that began at the 2011 CN Canadian Women’s Open are (listed in order of points ranking): Stacy Lewis, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lincicome, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda and Brittany Lang. The two highest ranked players not in the top-8 spots on the points list who qualified via the Rolex Rankings are No. 19 Lizette Salas and No. 41 Morgan Pressel.

“I’m just thrilled to finally have my team announced,” Mallon said. “I have 12 players who I am very excited to have on this team. They have all played their hearts out over the last two years.”

Wie will make her third appearance on the U.S. Solheim Cup Team with a 4-3-1 all-time record in the event.

“I am so happy and so honored and so grateful to be a captain’s pick,” Wie said. “To play under Meg and be with all the girls again, it’s a dream come true.”

Piller is making her first appearance in The Solheim Cup.

“I feel a thousand emotions, but I’m just honored to be considered and ecstatic to be picked,” Piller said.

Qualifying points for the U.S. Team are awarded weekly to the top-20 finishers and ties at official LPGA tournaments. Points are doubled at the four major championships every year. Points during a Solheim Cup year are weighted with 60 points for a win, 30 for second, 28.5 for third, 27 for fourth, 25.5 for fifth, 24 for sixth, 22.5 for seventh, 21 for eighth, 19.5 for ninth, 18 for 10th, 16.5 for 11th, 15 for 12th, 13.5 for 13th, 12 for 14th, 10.5 for 15th, 9 for 16th, 7.5 for 17th, 6 for 18th, 4.5 for 19th and 3 for 20th.

The European Solheim Cup Team, led by Captain Liselotte Neumann, was also announced at St. Andrews this evening. Based on the final European Solheim Cup standings, the top-4 players who automatically qualified for the team are: Suzann Pettersen (Norway), Carlota Ciganda (Spain), Catriona Matthew (Scotland) and Caroline Masson (Germany). Based on the Rolex Rankings, the four highest-ranked players not in the top-4 spots on the points list who qualified are: No. 20 Beatriz Recari (Spain), No. 22 Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), No. 24 Karine Icher (France) and No. 27 Azahara Munoz (Spain). Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England), Caroline Hedwall (Sweden), Giulia Sergas (Italy), and Charley Hull (England) – who will be the youngest competitor in Solheim Cup history at 17 – round out the European Team as captain’s picks.

For full online coverage of the 2013 Solheim Cup, check out the links below:

• Click here to read what Jon Rizzi has to say about the Solheim Cup
• Click here for a full schedule of events
• Insider Tips: Read what you should know before the 2013 Solheim Cup
• Solheim Style: Read about the outfits at this year's event
• Meet the U.S. Team
• Meet Team Europe
• Catch the Rising Stars at the PING Junior Solheim Cup

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