Juli Inkster selects Morgan Pressel, Stacy Lewis as captain’s picks for upcoming Solheim Cup

Team USA is finally complete. American team captain Juli Inkster announced her two captain’s picks on Monday morning, and they are familiar names for fans of women’s golf: Stacy Lewis and Morgan Pressel.

Lewis is a former No. 1-ranked player who has 12 career victories on her resume, including two majors. She has been on every Solheim Cup team since 2011.

Pressel is also a Solheim veteran, with five previous appearances dating back to 2007.

“I feel great about my team,” Inkster said in a press conference on Monday. “Morgan and Stacy bring a lot of experience, a lot of great play. Both really good short games, very consistent players, and I think they can bring a little calming factor to my team, to our team. I mean, another real big thing about that was the players wanted them. The other 10 players all talked about that, and, you know, that’s huge for me. I’m not playing. It’s what my players want. To have your peers want you I think is a big compliment to both.”

Lewis and Pressel will join automatic qualifiers Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Megan Khang, Marina Alex, Brittany Altomare, Angel Yin, and Annie Park.

A notable omission from this year’s roster is longtime Team USA stalwart Cristie Kerr, who has played on the last nine teams, and boasts an impressive 18-14-6 record, making her the winningest American in Solheim Cup history. But Kerr did not automatically qualify this year, and missed the cut in her last three LPGA events.

“She’s kind of struggled this year,” Inkster said of Kerr on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive. “If I saw any light at the end of the tunnel, I probably would have picked her in a heartbeat. She handled it like a champion. She said. ‘I’ll work on my game and I’ll be back.’”

Team USA will face Carlota Ciganda, Anne Van Dam, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Masson, Anna Nordqvist, Celine Boutier, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Bronte Law and Suzann Pettersen of Team Europe.

The 2019 Solheim cup will be played at Gleneagles in Scotland on September 9-15. Of the 15 matches that have been played since 1990, Team USA has won 10, including the last two.

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