Maguire Twins in Junior Solheim Team

Leona Maguire

Europe has assembled a strong team comprising 12 golfers from eight different countries as it bids to wrest the PING Junior Solheim Cup back from the Americans at Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort in Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland, on September 20-21.

The European side will include Irish twins, Leona and Lisa Maguire, who will be performing in front of their home fans after earning two of the six automatic places from the European PING Junior Solheim Cup Ranking. The other four automatic places were claimed by French trio, Céline Boutier, Manon Gidali and Emilie Alonso, plus new British Girls’ champion, Margaux Vanmol from Belgium.

The six Captain’s Picks were awarded to English duo, Charley Hull and Lauren Taylor, Welsh girl Amy Boulden, Sweden’s Emma Nilsson, Spain’s Luna Sabrón and Antonia Scherer from Germany.

"The Solheim family is very excited about the make-up of the European Junior Solheim Cup Team,” said John A. Solheim, CEO of PING. “It reflects a strong mix of players from all over Europe. With the Maguire sisters playing at home, it will certainly add to the challenge the United States team will face in defending their title."

The European team, under its non-playing Captain, former US and British Women’s Open champion Lotta Neumann, is bidding to regain the PING Junior Solheim Cup trophy it lost 8 ½ - 5 ½ at Aurora Golf Club, Illinois, USA, two years ago.

The USA has won three and lost two of the previous matches, which were inaugurated back in 2002. To date, the home side has won on all of the previous five occasions.

The PING Junior Solheim Cup matches feature two teams comprising 12 of the best female golfers, aged between 12 and 18, from Europe and the USA. The juniors play match play in a similar format to The Solheim Cup.

The matches are traditionally played immediately ahead of The Solheim Cup, to be staged at Killeen Castle from September 23-25, and this year local interest is bound to be particularly high now that it has been confirmed the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, will both be making their second appearances in the match.

The 16 year-old twins, from Slieve Russell, made their debuts at Aurora GC back in 2009 and will be hoping to reverse the defeat they suffered on that occasion after an impressive 2011 season during which they finished first and third, respectively, on the European PING Junior Solheim Cup Ranking. The Ranking was calculated from the cumulative results at seven of the most prestigious girls’ and women’s events in Europe.

Leona Maguire headed the Ranking after winning the individual title at the European Ladies’ Amateur Team Championship in Austria, finishing third at the Irish Under-18 Girls’ Championship at Knightsbrook and fourth at the International European Ladies’ Amateur Championship in Holland. Meanwhile, her sister, Lisa, was third on the Ranking after a string of fine results including winning both the European Ladies’ event in Holland and the Spanish International Ladies’ Amateur Championships at Jerez Golf.

The Maguire sisters were separated on the ranking by Celine Boutier, one of three members of the victorious French team at the European Girls’ Team championship who will play at Knightsbrook. She has been a consistently strong performer all season, losing in the final of the Girls’ British Amateur Championship and reaching the semi-finals of the French International Lady Juniors’ Championship and finishing tied sixth at the Irish Girls’ Under-18 Championship at Knightstbrook.

In fourth and fifth place among the automatic qualifiers for the European side were the other two French girls, Manon Gidali, the losing finalist at the French International Lady Juniors’ Amateur Championship and the runner-up at the Irish Girls’ Under-18 Championship, and Emilie Alonso, who lost out to Leona Maguire in the final of the Spanish Girls’ event. The last automatic place went to Belgium’s Margaux Vanmol, who made a late move up the Ranking by defeating Boutier by one hole in the final of the Girls’ British Amateur Championship at Gullane.

A whole host of girls had strong claims to receive one of the six Wild Card picks but, after considerable deliberation, they went to Lauren Taylor, the winner of British Women’s Open Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush; Amy Boulden, who reached the semi-finals of the same event; Charley Hull, who won the 2011 English Women’s Stroke Play Championship and was runner-up in the Match Play equivalent; Emma Nilsson, a semi-finalist at both the Spanish International Ladies’ Championship and the Girls’ British Amateur Championship; Antonia Scherer, a consistent player who was also a semi-finalist in Spain; and Luna Sobrón, another consistent player and last week’s quarter-finalist at the Girls’ British Amateur Championship. 

This is a great team,” said Neumann, who made six appearances in the Solheim Cup and was vice-captain to Alison Nicholas at the 2099 match Illinois.

“It is always something special to represent Europe and is something the girls will never forget.

“We have got a lot of different nationalities in our team and now we are going to have to get our minds set and focus on winning together.”

The PING Junior Solheim Cup was inaugurated by PING in 2002. Previous PING Junior Solheim Cup competitors include Paula Creamer, Anna Nordqvist, Morgan Pressel, Caroline Hedwall, Tania Elosequi, Britanny Lincicome and Melissa Reid. PING is the owner and title sponsor, and for this year the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union is the Official Host, Twenty Eleven IGPL is the Promoter, Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort is the Official Venue and the Ladies European Tour is the Governing Body.

For more information about both the PING Junior Solheim Cup and The Solheim Cup please visit www.solheimcup.com and www.ladieseuropeantour.com. For media enquiries, please contact Colin Callander at Golf Marketing Services on 44 (0)1438 718399.

Teams Representing Europe and the USA at the PING Junior Solheim Cup

TEAM EUROPE

Captain: Lotta Neumann, Sweden 

Vice Captain: Ludivine Kreutz, France

Players

Emilie Alonso, France

Amy Boulden, Wales

Céline Boutier, France

Manon Gidali, France

Charley Hull, England

Emma Nilsson, Sweden

Leona Maguire, Ireland

Lisa Maguire, Ireland

Luna Sabrón, Spain

Antonia Scherer, Germany

Lauren Taylor, England

Margaux Vanmol, Belgium

TEAM USA

Captain: Meg Mallon

Vice Captain: Courtney Jones

Players

Karen Chung

Jaye Marie Green

Kyung Kim

Alison Lee

Esther Lee

Ashlan Ramsey

Summar Roachell

Mariah Stackhouse

McKenzie Talbert

Emma Talley

Gabriella Then

Lindsey Weaver

USA Solheim Cup Team Announced

U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Rosie Jones has revealed the 12-player squad that will represent the U.S in their quest to retain the Solheim Cup at the 12th playing of the international team event at Killeen Castle in Ireland next month. 

The U.S. Team will feature nine players returning from the victorious 2009 team including Rolex Rankings No. 2 and points leader Cristie Kerr, and Solheim Cup veteran and assistant captain Juli Inkster.

Kerr wins U.S. Team points race; Jones names Hurst and O’Toole as captain’s picks

Jones announced the 10 points qualifiers and her two captain’s picks – Vicky Hurst and LPGA Tour rookie Ryann O’Toole – live on Golf Channel.

Based on the final U.S Solheim Cup standings, the top-10 players who automatically qualified for the U.S team are (listed in order of points ranking): Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Brittany Lang, Juli Inkster, and Christina Kim. Hurst and O’Toole round out the U.S. Team as captain’s picks. Lewis is the only automatic qualifier not to have played for the U.S in 2009.

“This has been an extremely exciting and difficult selection process,” said Jones. “I’ve been tracking these players for more than two years and tonight I feel we have built a fantastic team to represent the United States. Vicky and Ryann are two really solid players who will complement our team as we now focus on our strategy and performance next month at The Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle.”

Inkster becomes the oldest player to participate in The Solheim Cup at the age of 51. She will also be the first-ever playing assistant captain from U.S. or Europe.

“I will be a player first and an assistant captain second and Rosie understands that,” Inkster said. “I feel like most of my career I’ve worn two hats as a mom and as a player, but it will be a challenge.”

Qualifying points for the U.S. Team are awarded weekly to the top-20 finishers and ties at official LPGA tournaments. Points are doubled at the four major championships every year. Points during a Solheim Cup year are weighted with 60 points for a win, 30 for second, 28.5 for third, 27 for fourth, 25.5 for fifth, 24 for sixth, 22.5 for seventh, 21 for eighth, 19.5 for ninth, 18 for 10th, 16.5 for 11th, 15 for 12th, 13.5 for 13th, 12 for 14th, 10.5 for 15th, 9 for 16th, 7.5 for 17th, 6 for 18th, 4.5 for 19th and 3 for 20th.

U.S. players started earning 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup points at the 2009 Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore., and ended today at the 2011 Safeway Classic Presented by Coca-Cola. U.S. Players begin earning points toward the 2013 Solheim Cup at the CN Canadian Women’s Open next week.

The European Solheim Cup Team, led by Captain Alison Nicholas, will be named August 29, 2011. Melissa Reid, Laura Davies, Suzann Pettersen and Solheim rookie Christel Boeljon have already secured spots on the team through the LET (Ladies European Tour) point standings.

The Solheim Cup is named in honor of Karsten Solheim, and his family, the makers of PING golf equipment. The Solheim Cup is the most prestigious international team event in women's professional golf. It is a biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best U.S.-born players from the LPGA and the best European-born players from the LET. The U.S. Team leads the competition, 8-3, and has never lost on home soil. The 2011 Solheim Cup will be played at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland. In 2013 the Solheim Cup will move back to U.S. soil and be contested at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colo. In addition to founding sponsor PING, Global Partners of The Solheim Cup include Golf Ireland and Rolex. For more information, log on to www.SolheimCup.com.

Morgan Pressel

“It’s exciting. Every two years, there is nothing more exciting or fun than to play The Solheim Cup. We basically have the same team with a few new faces and we are ready to head across the pond and try to win for the fourth straight time.”

Stacy Lewis

“This is awesome. This was a goal coming into this year. I wanted to make it on points and not worry about being a pick. I am just really looking forward to the event.”

Paula Creamer

“The highlight of my golf career is playing on U.S. Solheim Cup Teams. This will be my fourth one, second overseas, and I’m looking forward to it. I just try to go out and win as many points as I can. We just go out there and play for our country.”

Michelle Wie

“I’m so excited to play. Anytime I can represent my country is an honor. I can’t wait to go abroad and experience Solheim overseas. I’m really looking forward to playing under Rosie, Juli and Sherri.”

Brittany Lincicome

“It’s pretty fantastic to make the team again. This was one of my goals entering the year and now that it’s finally here and our team is all together, it’s really cool.”

Brittany Lang

“This is just as special as 2009 and I feel more confident having already been on one team. Playing for your country is way more fun than playing for yourself.”

Christina Kim

“This has been a very difficult six months or so with a lot of things going on in my life. After 2007, I’m thrilled beyond belief to represent the United States in Europe for the first time. I have two Solheim Cups under my belt and I know this will be an incredible challenge.”

Vicky Hurst, captain’s pick:

“It feels so good to get picked and I’m ready for The Solheim Cup. This has always been a dream for me.”

“I wasn’t standing over putts thinking about making the team this week, but it was definitely on my mind. I wanted to win this week, but I’m happy with my finish and I’m really proud of myself.”

Ryann O’Toole, captain’s pick

“Rosie took a chance on me and that means more than I can explain. It means just as much as winning a tournament. To have someone go against what people might think and go out on a limb with a rookie. She can see what I’m made of. She said she can see my moxy.”

“When I played well at the U.S. Women’s Open, I thought of some new goals. Rosie told me I was on the radar and it’s been on my mind since. I wanted to do whatever it took to get on this team.”

“I’m looking forward to playing with these girls and to representing America. The fact that I get to be amongst these girls is an honor and I know I can partner up with any of them to make a 

great team.”