Former World No. 1 Stacy Lewis played an enormous role in getting the Solheim Cup to her native Toledo, Ohio, but she won’t be on the team. She will instead serve as an assistant captain, joining Angela Stanford and Michelle Wie. Captain Pat Hurst selected rookies Mina Harigae, Yealimi Noh and Brittany Altomare, who made her Solheim debut in 2019.
“I mean, it was a little tough,” said Lewis, “but I also didn’t play good enough. I mean, if you want to be on the team, you can’t rely on a pick.”
Altomare and Harigae were next in line on the Solheim Cup points list, and Noh was next in line off the Rolex Rankings at No. 31. The top seven players off the points list automatically qualified: Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Ally Ewing, Lexi Thompson, Austin Ernst, Jessica Korda and Megan Khang. Lizette Salas (14th) and Jennifer Kupcho (28th) qualified off the rankings.
Lewis was 14th on the points list and 57th in the world.
Harigae found herself holding a share of the lead at the AIG Women’s British Open after two rounds but stumbled on Saturday with a 76. The 31-year-old’s game came on strong after the LPGA’s long break during the COVID-19 pandemic. She tied for second at the rain-shortened Marathon LPGA Classic and ISPS Handa World Invitational. She’s recorded four top-10s in her last 10 starts.
One year ago, Harigae ranked 231st in the world. She’s now 61st.
Mina Harigae of United States plays her tee shot to the 9th hole during the third round of the 2021 AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Hurst said Harigae first came on her radar after she won four Cactus Tour events during the tour’s pandemic hiatus.
“I kind of went out on a limb and invited her to one of our team bonding deals,” said Hurst, “and she was all-in for that. It was a lot of fun. She was totally a part of the team and that was great to see. I think once we did that, she kind of took off after that.”
Rookie Noh contended at the Amundi Evian Championship and led for a time during the third round at the British Open before stumbling at the finish on Saturday. She has six top-15 finishes in her last eight starts.
Altomare, known for her touch on the greens, has seven top-25 finishes this season and put together a 2-1-1 record two years ago at Gleneagles.
When asked if the fact that two of her three picks had no wins and no Solheim Cup experience was an obstacle, Hurst said the writing was on the wall when it came to looking who the hottest players were down the stretch.
“In 2019, we had six rookies,” said Hurst, “so I didn’t really have to worry about if we were going to be – if we had enough experience or not. Or if we needed more experience on the team, because everyone’s pretty much played.
“So with that being said, it made it a lot easier to pick those two.”
Stacy Lewis poses after winning the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open. Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
It was during a round of golf four years ago with then-CEO Gary Heminger of Marathon that the idea of bringing the Solheim Cup to Toledo first came up. Lewis, who had Marathon as a personal sponsor, had been lobbying Heminger to move the LPGA’s regular season event to Inverness when Heminger said, how about a Solheim Cup?
“I knew I didn’t play the way I wanted to,” said Lewis, “but to still just to be a part of it, and it’s going to be so cool in Toledo, and just to know I was part of why we’re there. I basically got us to that point, so to be a part of it is still going to be a lot of fun.”