A tournament always dripping with narratives, the 2019 instalment of the Solheim Cup carries with it new layers of intrigue.
Juli Inkster captains Team USA for the third consecutive time, hoping to guide the Americans to a third straight triumph but will have to do so with a team containing six rookies.
Marina Alex, Brittany Altomare, Megan Khang, Ally McDonald, Nelly Korda and Annie Park all make their Solheim Cup debut, while Morgan Pressel, one of the team’s two wild cards, is the most experienced player on the roster, with five Solheim Cup caps.
World No. 3 Lexi Thompson makes a fourth consecutive appearance at the Solheim Cup, while Jessica Korda makes her first appearance since her debut in 2013.
The world No. 18 missed Team USA’s triumph in Des Moines, Iowa, two years ago because of an injury. Her sister Nelly, the world No. 10, will make her Solheim Cup debut this week.
Catriona Matthews, meanwhile, will take charge of Team Europe for the first time, becoming the first Briton to captain the European team since Alison Nicholas in 2011.
Team Europe features only two rookies—France’s Celine Boutier and England’s Bronte Law, who make up two of the team’s four wildcards.
World No. 12 Carlota Ciganda is Team Europe’s highest ranked player. The Spaniard was part of the team that won the Solheim Cup in 2013, along with England’s Charley Hull, Germany’s Caroline Masson and fellow Spaniard Azahara Munoz.
Swedish duo Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall were also part of Team Europe’s most recent triumph, as were Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and England’s Jodie Ewart Shadoff—the remaining two captain’s picks.
Solheim Cup rosters
Team USA (numbers in brackets denote tournament record in terms of games won, lost or halved)
Juli Inkster—Team CaptainMarina Alex—rookieBrittany Altomare—rookieDanielle Kang—one Solheim Cup cap (3-1-0)Megan Khang—rookieJessica Korda—one Solheim Cup cap (1-2-1)Nelly Korda—rookieAnnie Park—rookieLizette Salas—three Solheim Cup caps (4-4-2)Lexi Thompson—three Solheim Cup caps (5-2-4)Angel Yin—one Solheim Cup cap (1-1-1)
Captain’s picks
Ally McDonald—rookieMorgan Pressel—five Solheim Cup caps (10-7-2)
Team Europe
Catriona Matthews (England)—Team CaptainCarlota Ciganda (Spain)—three Solheim Cup caps (5-4-2)Georgia Hall (England)—one Solheim Cup cap (2-3-0)Charley Hull (England)—three Solheim Cup caps (7-3-1)Caroline Hedwall (Sweden)—three Solheim Cup caps (8-4-1)Caroline Masson (Germany)—three Solheim Cup caps (3-6-2)Azahara Munoz (Spain)—three Solheim Cup caps (4-6-1)Anna Nordqvist (Sweden)—five Solheim Cup caps (11-7-2)Anne Van Dam (Holland)—rookie
Captain’s picks
Celine Boutler (France)—rookieJodie Ewart Shadoff (England)—two Solheim Cup caps (3-4-0)Bronte Law (England)—rookieSuzann Pettersen (Norway)—eight Solheim Cup caps (16-11-6)
