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Morgan Pressel, Stacy Lewis round out the 2019 U.S. Solheim Cup team as captain's picks
Veteran LPGA pros and former major winners Morgan Pressel and Stacy Lewis have been picked by captain Juli Inkster to fill the final two spots on the U.S. Solheim Cup team. This will be Lewis' fifth Solheim Cup and Pressel's sixth. On a 12-woman team that has five rookies, adding veterans makes complete sense. The team leaves for Scotland to compete at Gleneagles in less than three weeks.
"I wanted to know what my team was thinking, I asked them what they think the team needs," Inkster said. "They said we need some veteran leadership."
There are a lot of veterans beyond Pressel and Lewis to consider -- like Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer. But there were also some impressive would-be rookies to think about -- like Augusta National Women's Amateur champion and Evian Championship runner-up Jennifer Kupcho.
"It was kind of unanimous around the board," Inkster said. "That makes it easier for Stacy and Morgan, knowing that the team wanted them."
The previous four times Lewis has played in the Solheim Cup, she has qualified outright. Part of the reason the 34-year-old needed a captain's pick to make the team this year is because she missed several tournaments while on maternity leave in 2018. Since coming back to the tour in January 2019, she's had three top-10 finishes.
Pressel, 31, has had four top-10s in 2019, notably a fourth-place finish at the AIG Women's British Open. It will be her first Solheim Cup since 2015. Both Pressel and Lewis missed the cut in the final qualifying event this past weekend, the CP Women's Open.
"It was a tremendous disappointment missing the Solheim Cup two years ago," Pressel said. "It was a realization of where I was with my game. To make it this year, I'm super excited. I feel good about where my game is, and I'm grateful for Juli for believing in me. The whole team has been supportive."
Inkster, overseeing the U.S. squad for the third time, has said that the captain's picks are the hardest part of the job. Before the CP Women's Open, Inkster lamented that she had too many players worthy of a the two spots she had. Among the veteran players that Inkster had to pass over are Cristie Kerr, who had been on every U.S. team dating back to 2002, and Paula Creamer, a member of the past seven Solheim Cup squads.
With both teams complete, here are the final rosters for Team USA and Team Europe for the 2019 Solheim Cup:
Team USA:
Marina Alex (rookie)
Brittany Altomare (rookie)
Danielle Kang
Megan Khang (rookie)
Jessica Korda
Nelly Korda (rookie)
Stacy Lewis
Annie Park (rookie)
Morgan Pressel
Lizette Salas
Lexi Thompson
Angel Yin
Team Europe:
Celine Boutier (rookie)
Carlota Ciganda
Georgia Hall
Caroline Hedwall
Charley Hull
Bronte Law (rookie)
Caroline Masson
Azahara Munoz
Anna Nordqvist
Suzann Pettersen
Jodi Ewart Shadoff
Anne Van Dam (rookie)