With nine qualifying events completed, which have been played over the past 12 months, the team to represent Europe at the PING Junior Solheim Cup in August has been confirmed.
Sweden’s Amanda Linnér, Linn Grant, Frida Kinhult and Beatrice Wallin, along with France’s Mathilde Claisse and Italy’s Letizia Bagnoli, all gained automatic spots on the European team by finishing in the top-six of the PING Junior Solheim Cup European ranking table. They will be joined at Des Moines Golf and Country Club by Austria’s Emma Spitz, Sweden’s Julia Engström and Maja Stark, Germany’s Esther Henseleit and Italy’s Alessia Nobilio and Alessandra Fanali, who were all selected as Wildcard Picks by European Team Captain, Alison Nicholas, following the conclusion of the European Girls Team Championship at St Laurence GC, Finland.
“I am delighted to be the coach for this team,” said Nicholas, an 18-time tour winner, who has played on six European Solheim Cup teams and also captained the team at a further two Solheim Cups. “I really believe this is one of the strongest teams Europe has had for the PING Junior Solheim Cup and we look forward to travelling to Iowa together, with the primary aim of winning the trophy back from Team America. The team we have assembled has a great spirit, which I think will be an important factor that will will help us perform at our best.”
Speaking about the upcoming event, John A. Solheim, CEO of PING, said, “The Solheim family is very excited about this year’s PING Junior Solheim Cup event in Des Moines, Iowa. The competition for places in the European Team has been fierce and we know the matches will be hard-fought and played in fantastic spirit. We are delighted how this event has grown since it was first played in 2002 and how many of the past players are today playing the tours. My mother Louise was very proud.”
The 2017 event in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 15th-16th, marks the ninth time the European PING Junior Solheim Cup team will battle against the US Team, which currently lead the series with five wins, two losses and one tie.
For more information about the PING Junior Solheim Cup, please visit www.solheimcupeurope.com or contact [email protected]
