Solheim Cup watch: Who’s in? And who’s in danger of missing out?
The Solheim Cup begins in less than two months. Here's how the teams are shaking out (and who has work to do) with only a few weeks left to qualify.
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The Solheim Cup begins in just under two months time. Much like the Ryder Cup on the men’s side, the Solheim Cup will feature two teams — one representing the U.S. and one representing Europe — battling it out in a three-day team competition. This year, the competition heads to Andalucia, Spain with Finca Cortesin playing host.
What was once a competition dominated by the Americans has since swung in the European’s favor. They have won four of the last six Solheim Cups, with the latest victory coming two years ago at Inverness.
With just under a month left in qualifying, the teams are starting to take shape — but there’s still plenty that could change. Here’s who’s locked in on their respective teams, and who still has some work to do.
Locks
Team USA
Nelly Korda — Korda leads the U.S. team standings and has clinched her spot on Team USA. She’s fought some swing issues (and injuries) this season and has yet to register a win on the LPGA Tour, but her game has been solid enough to lock in her spot. This will be her third Solheim Cup appearance for Team USA.
Lilia Vu — Much like Korda, Vu has already solidified her spot on Team USA. She started the season on a tear, winning twice — including at the Chevron Championship — and finishing in the top 15 three other times. However, since her win, she’s been in a bit of a slump, without a top 10 since her major triumph. This will be her first Solheim Cup appearance.
Allisen Corpuz — Corpuz locked in her spot on the Solheim Cup roster with a dominant win at the U.S. Women’s Open contested at Pebble Beach — and that performance was no fluke. Corpuz has been solid so far this season, with three top 10s and a major victory. She’ll be a great addition to the U.S. as she makes her first Solheim Cup appearance.
Team Europe
Celine Boutier — While Boutier has not mathematically clinched a qualifying spot on Team Europe (the criteria differs for the two teams), with her win at the Evian Championship, she has risen to No. 4 in the Rolex Rankings. And with Team Europe taking the top six in the Rolex Rankings not qualified via the points list, Boutier has all but locked up her spot on the team. She will be making her third Solheim Cup appearance in Spain.
Leona Maguire — The darling of the 2021 Solheim Cup will be back in Spain to protect her perfect 5-0-0 record in the team competition. Like Boutier, she will qualify via the Rolex Rankings barring some strange happenings over the next few weeks. She’ll be making her second Solheim Cup appearance.
Georgia Hall — Hall has had an up-and-down season, but at No. 15 in the Rolex Rankings, she should have no problem qualifying for the team. She’ll be making her fourth Solheim Cup appearance.
Charley Hull — Hull is one of the most experienced Solheim Cup players in all of Europe. As a five-time Solheim Cupper, she’s one of the stalwarts for the European side and will bring her fiery style to Finca Cortesin, looking to win the cup for Europe for a third consecutive time.
Near locks
Team USA
Megan Khang — Khang is just shy of mathematically clinching her spot on Team USA via the points list, but a strong showing over the next couple of weeks should take care of it. She’s been consistent this season with five top 15s in 13 starts.
Danielle Kang — Kang sits fifth on the current points list and should clinch her spot on the team over the next couple of weeks. If not, she’ll likely be one of two players to qualify via the Rolex Rankings at No. 29.
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Jeniffer Kupcho — Kupcho made her Solheim Cup debut two year ago in Toldeo, and she’s well on her way to making a second straight team. She sits at sixth on the points list and is currently in good position to lock up her spot with some solid showings over the next few weeks. If not, her Rolex Ranking (No. 28) would get her on the team.
Rose Zhang — It’s hard to believe Zhang only turned pro at the beginning of the summer, but even so, she’s basically a shoo-in for a spot on Team USA. Thus far in her young career she already has a win and three major top 10s. No matter if it’s her Rolex Ranking or via a captain’s pick, Zhang will be in Spain.
Team Europe
Linn Grant — Grant played much of her golf on the LET circuit last season and racked up plenty of points in Team Europe’s standings. She’s currently atop the points list and will likely be one of two automatic qualifiers for Team Europe.
Maja Stark — Stark sits just behind her countrywoman on Team Europe’s points list and looks to be in line for the other automatic selection. With four top 10s this season, she’ll be in fine form heading to Spain.
Carlota Ciganda — Ciganda is currently in line to make the team via her Rolex Ranking, but even if she somehow slips outside the magic number, she’d likely garner a captain’s pick in her home country. Plus, with five Solheim Cups under her belt, she’ll be among the most experienced players on Team Europe.
Anna Nordqvist — Nordqvist is another Solheim Cup veteran currently in line to qualify via the Rolex Rankings. But even barring some disaster over the next few weeks, her resume — including three major wins — is the most polished of anyone in contention to make the team. It’s almost inconceivable to think Nordqvist won’t be in Spain.
Madelene Sagstrom — Sagstrom’s world rank of 39th has her in line for the last spot on the team via the Rolex Rankings, but her solid showing as a rookie in 2021 would make her a likely captain’s pick if needed.
Work to do
Team USA
Lexi Thompson — Thompson is a long-time Solheim Cupper and is likely to make the team via the points list, but her play this season has hardly inspired much confidence. She’s missed five cuts in seven starts and has zero top 10s on the season, making her tough to imagine as a captain’s pick should she fail to qualify.
Cheyenne Knight — Knight has been extremely solid so far this season, but she finds herself on the outside looking in on both the points list and Rolex Ranking. She needs to finish out the summer strong to assure herself of a spot on Team USA.
Angel Yin — Yin is currently qualified via the Rolex Ranking, but her spot on the team is far from secure. Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight are right behind her in the Rolex Ranking and could very well jump Yin over the last few weeks of qualifying. She’s had an excellent season, including six top 25s and a close call at the Chevron Championship, but if she wants to secure her place on the team, she needs to continue her strong season.
Ally Ewing — Ewing currently sits 10th on the Team USA points list and isn’t qualified via her Rolex Rank, either. She would bring ample experience to the team room with two Solheim Cups under her belt, but she has a little work left to do in order to make that a certainty.
Team Europe
Gemma Dryburgh — Dryburgh has never played on a Solheim Cup team, but she’s seen her stock skyrocket over the last two seasons. She won for the first time last fall and has put together a solid 2023 campaign to back it up, notching four top 20s so far this season. As a top-50 player in the Rolex Rankings, she’ll garner serious consideration as a captain’s pick if she can play well the next few weeks.
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Jodi Ewart Shadoff — Ewart Shadoff has plenty of experience in the Solheim Cup, appearing three times in the 2010s. She’s just outside of automatic qualification territory, but her experience may just garner her a captain’s pick.
Mel Reid — Reid has seen her Rolex Ranking plummet over the last two seasons, dropping outside the top 200 late last year. She’s battled back a bit in 2023, but is nowhere near qualifying automatically. With four prior Solheim Cup appearances, she’s got plenty of experience, but she’ll need to show some proper form this month if she hopes to make her fifth team.
On the bubble
Team USA
Andrea Lee — Lee is one of the brightest young stars in American women’s golf as a former top-ranked amateur who picked up her first LPGA win last fall. Unfortunately, there’s lots of talent on the American side that’s filling up much of the team room. She needs to bring her A game in August if she wants to get a captain’s pick.
Marina Alex — Alex is a former Solheim Cupper who netted two points in her rookie Cup debut in 2019. She’s long been a top 100 player in the world, but has just two career victories to her credit. These last few weeks will be crucial for her candidacy.
Lizette Salas — Salas has played in every Solheim Cup since 2013, but her streak is dangerously close to coming to an end. She’s yet to register a top 10 this season and has missed two of her last three cuts. Her experience is a big plus, but she’s going to need some solid finishes down the stretch to book her ticket to Spain.
Team Europe
Nanna Koertz Madsen — Koerstz Madsen is another candidate with Solheim Cup experience (2021) that isn’t currently in line for an automatic berth. She’s had just two top 20s this season, the latest being at the U.S. Women’s Open, but that doesn’t mean she’s a lock for a pick.
Albane Valenzuela — Valenzuela, a 25-year-old Stanford product, has yet to make a Solheim Cup team in her young career, but she played in many events representing Europe during her amateur career. She’s missed just one cut this season, so the consistency is there. The question is, has she done enough to merit a captain’s pick?
Matilda Castren — Castren sank the winning putt for the Europeans two years ago at Inverness, but that doesn’t mean her spot on the roster is solidified just yet. She’s not currently in line to qualify automatically, but she has been rounding into form at the right time. With a T12 and solo second in the month of July, she’s making a strong case to be selected to her second Solheim Cup team.
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