When the European Solheim Cup team is finalized after this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open the host side in Scotland next month will likely have a much more experienced team than the United States, which determines its players after the CP Women’s Open ends Aug. 25. It truly is a changing of the guard for the Yanks.

Also becoming clear is the importance of the captain’s picks – four by Catriona Matthew for Europe and two by Juli Inkster for the U.S. team. Inkster, especially, will have to decide how much to value experience, which those players who are likely to qualify for the team have in very short supply.

Europe’s team came much more into focus after the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn Golf Club. The three qualifiers as of now off the Ladies European Tour points list are Carlota Ciganda, Caroline Hedwall and Ann Van Dam. The five who qualify off the Rolex Rankings are Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Masson and Anna Nordqvist. 

Those eight players, who appear to be a lock for Europe, have played in a combined 21 Solheim Cups. The 10 Americans currently qualified for the team have played in a combined nine Cups. That’s a startling difference. 

Currently qualified off the points list for the Americans are Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Marina Alex, Megan Khang and Brittany Altomare. Making the team off the Rolex Rankings would be Angel Yin and Austin Ernst. 

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In the opening round of the 2019 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, Jon Rahm turned in a bogey-free, 8-under 62 to take a three-stroke lead over the field into Friday.

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Eric Eshleman, PGA, the Director of Golf at the Country Club of Birmingham (Alabama), is the recipient of the 2019 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Award. This award is the highest annual honor given to a PGA of America Professional, awarded for qualities of leadership, strong moral character and a substantial record of service to the PGA and the game of golf.

A 24-year PGA Member, Eshleman has demonstrated a passion and commitment to training and mentoring fellow PGA Professionals throughout his career and has served in advisory roles on several golf committees. Eshleman currently serves as the Honorary President of the Alabama-NW Florida PGA Section, after a two-year term as President. During his time as a Section Officer, he helped raise the image and status of the Section and established a fundraising program for its foundation, while his stint as president included the approval of the Section name change (formerly the Dixie Section).

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Jason Day expects he’ll be praising Brooks Koepka’s layup game as the pair get closer to the par-5 16th at TPC Southwind this week.

The 530-yard hole will be a pivotal one in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational, but also doubles as the site for a potential $1 million showdown.

The pair are in a battle with Dustin Johnson, and potentially a few others, for the season long Aon Risk Reward Challenge – worth $1 million to the winner.

Paired with Day over the opening two rounds, Koepka laughed that he won’t fall for the Australian’s reverse psychology and has his driver, along with his verbal jab game, warmed up if he needs it.

While Ian Poulter, Jason Kokrak, Justin Thomas, Alex Noren, Gary Woodland and Cameron Smith all have mathematical chances of winning over this week and next, the odds suggest a three-man showdown in Memphis.

The Aon Risk Reward Challenge has seen players on the PGA TOUR (and LPGA Tour) record their best two scores on the designated hole of the week throughout the season and an average-to-par calculated.

Players must have played 40 rounds at the eligible events to qualify, a feat Day and Koepka have already achieved, while Johnson will hit that mark this week.

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The PGA TOUR makes a stop at TPC Southwind for a showdown in Memphis, Tennessee at the 2019 World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. 22 of the top 30 in the FedExCup standings will tee it up including Matt Kuchar, who checks in at number two.

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