US Solheim Cup captain Stacey Lewis selected Lexi Thompson, Jennifer Kupcho and Sarah Schmelzel as captain candidates to complete her team on Tuesday.

This year will be Thompson’s seventh consecutive appearance at the Solheim Cup, but it will also be her last. In May, the 29-year-old announced that she would retire from professional golf at the end of 2024.

Thompson, a major champion and 11-time LPGA Tour winner, broke into the women’s golf scene at age 12 when she became the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open. She turned professional at 15 and has experienced many ups and downs throughout her career, including nearly losing her LPGA Tour card in 2023 while recovering from a lengthy wrist injury.

Last season, Thompson launched a late-season offensive to save her status and get back into shape just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup.

“It means the world to me. To be able to represent my country is the greatest honor one can have,” Thompson said in a statement about his selection for the 2024 team. “To be back this year, especially in the USA, is a dream come true. To be able to play alongside my teammates and under my captains and vice-captains is everything I could ask for.”

Our 2024 @SolheimCupUSA The captain’s selection!

Lexi Thompson 🇺🇸
Jennifer Kupcho 🇺🇸
Sarah Schmelzel 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JX7VrxnBxa

— Solheim Cup Team USA 🇺🇸 (@SolheimCupUSA) 27 August 2024

Thompson, Schmelzel and Kupcho are Lewis’ wildcard picks and join the team’s automatically qualified players: Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Alison Lee. Kupcho will represent the United States in his third Solheim Cup, while Schmelzel and Coughlin will make their rookie debuts.

The Solheim Cup will be played September 13-15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

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(Photo: John Jones / USA Today)