(Reuters) - Experienced Solheim Cup players Morgan Pressel and Stacy Lewis were captain Juli Inkster's picks for the United States team for next month's matches against Europe in Scotland.
"I just felt like I needed some veteran leadership and a lot of my team wanted them on the team and so those two picks just kind of helped me out," Inkster said on Monday in announcing her captain's selections for the Sept. 11-13 event at Gleneagles.
Lewis has played in four Solheim Cups and Pressel is a five-times member of the U.S. team who did not play in 2017.
"Morgan, I can just put her with anybody. And the same with Stacy," Inkster said. "They just fit right in. With what we are trying to do team-wise, they were just perfect fits."
Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Megan Khang and Marina Alex earned automatic spots in the team.
The final three automatic spots were determined on Sunday after the CP Women's Open. Brittany Altomare locked up the final one from the Solheim Cup points standings while Angel Yin and Annie Park booked their places via the women's world rankings.
“We're young but I think we're good," Inkster said. "We have a lot of players with a lot of heart and I really think they won't be intimidated, which I like."
The U.S. have won five of the last seven Solheim Cups. Europe last won the biennial trophy in 2013.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina, editing by Ed Osmond)
