LPGA rookie Rose Zhang will symbolize america when it performs Europe in subsequent month’s Solheim Cup in Spain.
Zhang and 4 different gamers, Jennifer Kupcho, Danielle Kang, Andrea Lee and Lexi Thompson, had been confirmed Monday as the ultimate automated qualifiers for the U.S. staff that can compete in opposition to Europe at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain, on Sept. 22-24.
World No. 1 golfer Lilia Vu, world No. 2 Nelly Korda, U.S. Ladies’s Open winner Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang had beforehand certified for the squad.
U.S. staff captain Stacy Lewis rounded out the staff with three captain’s picks, choosing Ally Ewing, Cheyenne Knight and Angel Yin.
Zhang, a rookie from Stanford, and Thompson certified for the squad by being the highest-ranked American gamers within the Rolex Ladies’s World Golf Rating not in any other case eligible for the staff.
Zhang, 20, was a two-time NCAA particular person nationwide champion at Stanford and gained the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Beginner in April. On June 4, she gained the Mizuho Americas Open in her first LPGA begin. She turned the primary girl since Beverly Hanson in 1951 to win in her LPGA debut.
Zhang was a part of two successful U.S. Junior Solheim Cup groups as an beginner.
“It may be unbelievable,” Zhang advised ESPN. “I imply, even firstly of the skilled profession that I’ve had within the final three months, I by no means thought that I’d have the ability to have a place on the staff as a result of it’s a must to be a member of the LPGA Tour.
“So the truth that I used to be capable of turn into a member in my first occasion, that actually simply gave me a glimmer of hope to make the Solheim Cup. I performed in two Solheim Cups in my junior golf profession. These weeks have been one of the vital memorable weeks that I’ve ever had as a junior golfer.”
Lee, one other former Stanford participant, grabbed the ultimate automated spot in Solheim Cup factors by tying for thirteenth on the CPKC Ladies’s Open in Canada on Sunday, the precise end she wanted to maneuver from eighth to seventh.
“I used to be fairly careworn coming down the stretch right this moment as a result of I knew I needed to end prime 13 to not need to depend on a captain’s choose,” Lee advised reporters in Canada on Sunday. “I am simply tremendous grateful and honored to symbolize the USA. It has been a dream of mine ever since I used to be a bit lady. I performed on two Junior Solheim Cup groups and have all the time needed to play on the true Solheim Cup staff. I am simply so excited and I am unable to wait to play for Stacy and for Crew USA.”
The People may have at the least 4 Solheim Cup rookies on their staff after they attempt to finish a two-match shedding streak to the Europeans. The U.S. final gained 16½-11½ at Des Moines Golf and Nation Membership in Iowa in 2017. The People’ final victory on overseas soil was a 14 ½-13 ½ win at Golf Membership St. Leon-Rot in Germany in 2015.
“I’m so excited to have these 9 gamers on the staff for the 2023 Solheim Cup,” Lewis mentioned in a press release. “The final 12 months has been thrilling — and difficult — and to have these gamers locked in has me pumped for the week in Spain. Even the rookies aren’t true rookies in my eyes. During the last two years, they’ve confirmed to be nice opponents and I’ve little question that they will not be overwhelmed by the expertise. Once we add within the captain’s picks, that is positively going to be a really sturdy staff.”
