By: Max Bechtoldt
Team USA at the Solheim Cup already has three spots locked up. Nelly Korda, Ally Ewing and Lilia Vu have officially punched their tickets to the 2024 edition of the event, but who will join them? I give my predictions here:
Megan Khang
After her 3-0-1 2023 Solheim Cup, Khang is as easy of a lock to make the 2024 team as there is. While she hasn’t continued the momentum of her strong 2023 season, she still has five top-15 events while playing a relatively limited schedule. Khang pairs easily with everyone, including Lexi Thompson who she formed a strong partnership with in Spain.
Rose Zhang
Obviously, Zhang is very likely to make the team after winning the Founders Cup this year. The 21-year-old is set to make her first Olympic appearance this month and has risen into the top 10 of the Rolex Rankings. While she isn’t a strong match play performer, she does represent the future of the team.
Allisen Corpuz
While Corpuz has had an extremely quiet and disappointing season in 2024, she is still likely to be making the United States team. Corpuz has just two top-10 finishes this season, but she also just won a major in 2023, and paired well with Nelly Korda at the last Solheim Cup.
Lexi Thompson
Thompson has been all but confirmed to make the Solheim Cup in her last season on tour, and she has actually earned it in 2024. Thompson has had a solid bounceback season, and is peaking at the right time. Lexi has six top-20 finishes on the season, including in her last four events. The six-time Solheim Cup member is almost assuredly making another team.
Lauren Coughlin
Coughlin will almost definitely qualify on points, but even if she doesn’t, it is tough to ignore her 2024 resumé. Coughlin has four top-10 finishes on tour this season, including two top-five major finishes. While she’s still looking for her first win, she has put herself in contention as much as anyone. She also brings the hometown favorite energy, having gone to school at Virginia, near the playing of this cup.
Alison Lee
Alison Lee seemed like a lock about a month ago, but her game has cooled considerably, putting her spot more in jeopardy. Still, Lee ranks No. 9 in the Solheim Cup standings and ranks No. 24 in the Rolex Rankings. This season she has three top-10 finishes and put herself in strong position to win at Palos Verdes. The above names all feel like locks, and while Lee is probably a tier down, she still seems like a solid bet.
Jennifer Kupcho
My confidence in Jennifer Kupcho raised significantly for one particular reason, her partnership with Ally Ewing at the Dow Championship. It seems clear the two have great chemistry both in their games and personalities. The two finished in second place as partners, playing the same formats as the Solheim Cup. In addition, Kupcho has four top-15 finishes aside from the Dow Championship in 2024. Kupcho has done just enough to earn a spot on a third consecutive Solheim Cup team.
Andrea Lee
Andrea Lee played just solidly enough in 2023 to earn the benefit for this new playing. Lee went a very misleading 1-2-1 in Spain, but anyone who watched knows the record doesn’t properly reflect her performance. This year, Lee has quietly had four top-10 finishes, including a third place spot at the U.S. Women’s Open. I think she’s done just enough to get on this roster.
Angel Yin
This last spot is tough to pick. Cheyenne Knight performed well in 2023 at the Solheim Cup, and Sarah Schmelzel has had a breakout season with good results, but gut feeling says captain Stacy Lewis will want Yin on this team. Yin had an injury early that she has had significant trouble recovering from. Yin has only one good finish this season, in her first event at the T-Mobile Match Play. I acknowledge this is purely a pick based on chemistry and gut feeling for who would be best rounding out this team. But that is the type of choice that Europe has made, leading to three consecutive Cup wins.
