Inkster named US captain for 2015 Solheim Cup

Phoenix: Juli Inkster, a seven-time major champion with 31 LPGA triumphs, will captain the United States team at the 2015 Solheim Cup biennial women`s golf matches against Europe, the LPGA announced.

Inkster, a nine-time Solheim Cup player, will try to help the Americans reclaim the trophy after Europe`s 18-10 triumph last August at Colorado Golf Club, the first European victory on US soil. The Americans, losers of two in a row, still own an 8-5 edge in the all-time rivalry entering next year`s edition of the event at St. Leon-Rot in Germany on September 18-20. "Team USA is going to work hard to bring the Cup back home," Inkster said. "The European team has played really well these last two times and deserved to be holding the Cup. "I`m sure the US players are hungry for a win and we will have to play our best to do that. I have a lot of confidence that they will be ready to compete in Germany in 2015. We will look forward to the challenge." "I will do my best to uphold the honor and tradition that the previous captains have set and I am really looking forward to the opportunity," Inkster added. Inkster is the all-time US Solheim points leader with 18.5 and all-time singles points leader with seven. Her overall Cup record in 15-12 with seven halved and in 2011 she became the oldest player in Solheim Cup history, three months beyond her 51st birthday.