Wie in US Solheim Cup team

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  • August 3, 2009

Michelle Wie, who has yet to win a pro tournament, has been named as one of America’s two wild cards for the Solheim Cup.

Michelle Wie, the girl wonder who has yet to win a professional tournament, was on Sunday night named as one of America’s two wild cards for the Solheim Cup.
The 19-year-old, who first shot to stardom when she played on the men’s US Tour at 14 and missed the halfway cut by only one shot, was given the news after finishing 11th in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham.
Captain Beth Daniel announced Wie and 49-year-old Juli Inkster, a seven-time major winner and seven-time cup player, as her two picks for the match at Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois, on August 21-23.
European captain Alison Nicholas, meanwhile, had three wild cards to hand out and gave them to 22-year-old Swede Anna Nordqvist, who won her first major in June, Wales’ Becky Brewerton and Scot Janice Moodie.
Wie signed contracts worth millions of dollars on turning professional at 16, but then suffered a wrist injury and a dramatic loss of form.
This season, however, she has had a runners-up finish and two third places and came 16th in the cup table. That was despite the fact that she did not become eligible for points until this season and the race had been going for over a year.
The Americans lead the series 7-3, have won the last two matches – and have yet to be beaten at home. They will start strong odds-on favourites again.
THE TEAMS ARE

EUROPE
Gwladys Nocera (Fra)
Tania Elosegui (Spa)
Diana Luna (Ita)
Laura Davies (Eng)
Sophie Gustafson (Swe)
Suzann Pettersen (Nor)
Helen Alfredsson (Swe)
Catriona Matthew (Sco)
Maria Hjorth (Swe)
Wild cards:
Becky Brewerton (Wal)
Janice Moodie (Sco)
Anna Nordqvist (Swe)
Non-playing captain: Alison Nicholas

UNITED STATES
Paula CreamerCristie Kerr
Angela Stanford
Kristy McPherson
Nicole Castrale
Brittany Lang
Christina Kim
Morgan Pressel
Brittany Lincicome
Natalie Gulbis
Wild cards:
Juli Inkster
Michelle Wie
Non-playing captain: Beth Daniels

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