Solheim Cup Team USA - As It Stands Ahead Of Finca Cortesin 2023

Team USA take on Suzann Pettersen’s Team Europe in the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Spain between 22 and 24 September for their chance to win the trophy for the first time since 2017 in Des Moines.

The US has lost two editions since then, most recently when Pat Hurst’s team was narrowly beaten by Catriona Matthew’s Team Europe in Ohio in 2021.

Could this be the year when momentum begins swinging back the way of the US? Here are the key facts on Team USA as the 2023 match draws near.

Team USA Captain

Following the defeat under Hurst two years ago, the USA has turned to Stacy Lewis to turn its fortunes around.

Like Lewis’s Team Europe counterpart Suzann Pettersen, she has already been entrusted with the role for the 2024 edition, too, with continuity clearly being seen as a vital component in returning the best results for the US.

The 38-year-old has an impressive CV, including a playing career that has included two Major titles from 14 professional wins.

She played in four editions of the Solheim Cup between 2011 and 2017, too, and emerged on the winning team twice.

After being named the youngest ever US captain in 2022, Lewis said: “To be named captain for the USA Solheim Cup Team is an incredible honour, and I’m beyond grateful to the committee for choosing me. I absolutely love the Solheim Cup, and I want 2023 to be as great an experience for my team as my years wearing Red, White and Blue have been for me.”

Vice Captains: 

• Natalie Gulbis
• Morgan Pressel
• Angela Stanford

Team USA Players

Allisen Corpuz

Corpuz secured her place in the 2023 Solheim Cup after her maiden Major title in the US Women’s Open and runner-up finish in the Dana Open the following week.

Those tournaments ensured her debut in the biennial match became a mathematical certainty, automatically qualifying as one of seven in the US Solheim Cup points list.

Despite the 25-year-old’s win at Pebble Beach being her only professional victory to date, there are plenty of signs there is a lot more to come for Corpuz, including a T6 in the final Major of the year, the AIG Women’s Open.

Nelly Korda

Korda's third appearance in the Solheim Cup was never really in doubt, and confirmation came after she claimed the necessary points following her T64 at the US Women’s Open.

Korda is likely to be one of Lewis’s key players in the match given her experience in it and overall record of 5-2-1. 

She has also enjoyed spells at the top of the world rankings in 2023, and won the Aramco Team Series London event in July.

Lilia Vu

If 2023 began well for Vu with a T3 in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International and victory in the Honda LPGA Thailand later in February, it got even better as the year progressed.

She claimed her maiden Major title in The Chevron Championship, and despite missing the cut at the US Women’s Open, it was after that event her automatic qualification for her maiden Solheim Cup appearance was confirmed.

As if to prove that she will likely be a force to be reckoned with at Finca Cortesin, Vu claimed her second Major win of the year in the AIG Women’s Open, easing home by six shots over Charley Hull, and moved to the top of the world rankings as a result.

Megan Khang

Khang will make her third appearance in the Solheim Cup after her automatic qualification was confirmed after a run in the near two-year qualifying period that included 11 top-10 finishes, including victory in the CPKC Women's Open, and an additional four finishes in the top-15.

That’s been enough to ensure she finishes in the top seven of the US Solheim Cup points team to take her place in Stacy Lewis’s team.

She’ll be hoping to improve on a patchy overall record of 1-3-2 in the match as Team USA strive to take the trophy back across the Atlantic.

Jennifer Kupcho

Kupcho will make her second appearance in the match having competed in the USA's defeat to Europe in 2021. Back then, she emerged with an overall record of 2-1-1. 

While Kupcho has not had the best of years, she finished runner-up to Rose Zhang in June's Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National and will be looking to reproduce that form in Spain.

Danielle Kang

Kang made her Solheim Cup debut the last time the US won the match, in 2017, and Lewis will be looking to her experience to get the team over the line again in her fourth appearance. 

The 2017 KPMG Women's PGA Champion has had a mixed year so far, but among the high spots have been a runner-up spot in the Aramco Team Series Singapore and a tie for 10th at the Mizuho Americas Open.

Andrea Lee

Andrea Lee has one LPGA Tour win to her name, the 2022 Portland Classic, after a tricky start to her professional career. 

However, she has once again shown in recent weeks that she has what it takes to compete with the best following T9s in both the Freed Group Women's Scottish Open and the AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath.

Lee is making her debut in the tournament but, given that form, there will be an expectation that she is heading into the match at a good time. 

Lexi Thompson

Still aged just 28, Thompson nevertheless brings vast Solheim Cup experience to the team. Indeed, this will be her sixth successive appearance in the match after making her debut a decade ago. 

Since then, she has emerged on the winning team twice with an overall record of 6-6-7. 

Thompson has been out of sorts in 2023 so far with a T3 in the Saudi Ladies International her only top-10 finish to date. However, Lewis will hope Thompson can draw on that vast experience to help return the cup to the US.

Rose Zhang

Zhang has wasted little time making a big impact on the professional game. As well as winning her first tournament as a pro, the Mizuho Americas Open, the 20-year-old also carded top 10 finishes in three Majors. 

The fact she's qualified automatically less than three months after leaving the amateur game behind speaks volumes about her start to life as a pro.

With an abundance of matchplay experience as an amateur, including as a winner twice in the Junior Solheim Cup and twice in the Curtis Cup, there's every reason to believe she will bring her best game to Finca Cortesin too. 

Ally Ewing

Despite two Solheim Cup appearances, Ewing has yet to experience a US win, and has an overall record of 2-5-1. However, she will be determined to rectify that this year and repay the faith put in her by Lewis as one of her three wildcards.

Ewing has shown some solid recent form, too, including a tie for sixth at the AIG Women's Open. Will it be a case of third time lucky for the 30-year-old?

Angel Yin

Yin has a 3-2-1 overall record from her two Solheim Cup appearances, and she will be hopeful of adding more to the wins column in 2023, particularly during a year that has seen her recover much of her best form. 

That included a runner-up finish in the Chevron Championship and a T6 at the AIG Women's Open. Despite those strong performances, Yin will be hoping the best is yet to come at Finca Cortesin.

Cheyenne Knight

Knight hit a consistent run of form with six successive top-20 finishes earlier in the year. Not long after, in July, she got her first win of the year in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, and that's been enough to persuade Lewis that she is worth her place in the team. 

Knight has yet to appear in the Solheim Cup but, given that consistency, there will be high hopes she will prove a dependable figure in the 12-player team. 

How They Qualified

Team USA Points List

• 1. Lilia Vu (Q)
• 2. Nelly Korda (Q)
• 3. Allisen Corpuz (Q)
• 4. Megan Khang (Q)
• 5. Jennifer Kupcho (Q)
• 6. Danielle Kang (Q)
• 7. Andrea Lee (Q)
• 8. Lexi Thompson
• 9. Ally Ewing
• 10. Alison Lee
  

Women's World Golf Rankings

• 1. Lexi Thompson - World No.21
• 2.Rose Zhang - World No.31

Captain's Picks

• Ally Ewing
• Angel Yin
• Cheyenne Knight