Lexi Thompson hopes to help U.S. reclaim Solheim Cup in last year as full-time player

Lexi Thompson isn’t sure whether this year’s Solheim Cup will be her last as a player, but she showed her commitment to returning the cup to the United States by making an early visit to the demanding venue where the Americans will take on Europe in September.

Thompson, who announced at the U.S. Women’s Open in May that this year would be her last playing a full LPGA Tour schedule, is currently 14th in the Solheim Cup standings, which means she may need to rely on a captain’s pick. But U.S. captain Stacy Lewis told The Associated Press on Monday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club that Thompson has nothing to worry about.

“She’s right where she needs to be. She’s struggled, but I think making the (retirement) announcement and kind of getting that monkey off her back, you’ve seen some better golf come after that,” Lewis said. “And holds another card that nobody else has. And that’s the experience. And I know she’s one of those players that plays better when she gets here, too.

“I told her, ‘I don’t need you to play 30 events. I just need you to be close.’”

The 29-year-old Thompson, who turned pro at age 15, made her Solheim Cup debut at Colorado Golf Club in 2013 and hasn’t missed it since. This year’s would be her seventh, but she hasn’t been part of a winning team since 2017 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Europe won in 2019 in Scotland and in 2021 in Ohio and retained the cup with a draw last year at Finca Cortesin in Spain. Lewis and European captain Suzann Pettersen are reprising their roles as the cup moves back to even-numbered years, away from the Ryder Cup.

Thompson mas maintained a strong record despite the Americans’ struggles, going 9-7-7 overall and 5-2-1 in the difficult alternate-shot format. She was 3-1 last year, 2-0 in alternate shot.