When the cut moved early Friday evening at the CP Women’s Open, the American Solheim Cup picture changed with it.
A late shift bumping the cut to 1 under knocked Stacy Lewis and Morgan Pressel out of the tournament. They both missed the cut by a shot and can no longer qualify for the team via the U.S. Solheim Cup points list or the Rolex Rankings.
Lewis needed to win to have a chance to make it on points, and Pressel needed a high finish to have a chance to make it via the world rankings. Lewis also could have made it off the world rankings with a win or second-place finish.
If Lewis and Pressel are going to make the team now, they will have to do so as one of Juli Inkster’s captain’s picks.
So will Cristie Kerr, the most prolific American Solheim Cup player in team history.
Kerr followed an opening round 76 with a 74 to miss her fourth consecutive cut in a stroke play event.
Kerr, whose 21 points are most by an American in the history of the Solheim Cup, needed to win to make the team on points.
The American team’s 10 automatic qualifying spots will be decided with Sunday’s finish of the CP Women’s Open. Inkster will announce her captain’s picks on Monday. The Solheim Cup is scheduled Sept. 13-15 at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Three automatic qualifying spots are still open.
Full-field scores from the CP Women’s Open
Brittany Altomare is holding down the eighth and final spot on the U.S. points list. She had a terrific day Friday, holing out twice for eagle to shoot 6-under 66 and move into a tie for seventh. Only two players, Ally McDonald and Angel Yin, and can now knock Altomare out of the top eight in points.
McDonald shot 73 Friday and fell off the pace, down into a tie for 59th. She needed a tie for 17th or better coming into the event to have a chance to pass Altomare, who leads McDonald by 7.5 points.
American players earn Solheim Cup points with top-20 finishes, with a victory worth 60 points, second place worth 30, with points awarded down to 3 for 20th place.
Yin must win to have a chance to pass Altomare in points, and she’s giving herself a chance. She shot 68 and now sits tied for seventh with Altomare.
Yin and Altomare are both in good position to earn their way on the team via points or the world rankings.
There are two roster spots off the world rankings available to the highest ranked Americans who don’t make the team on points.
Yin holds down the first world-rankings spot at No. 32 in the world.
Austin Ernst holds the second spot at No. 41, but she missed the cut.
Altomare is ranked No. 40 and can take one of the two world-ranking spots if she fails to make the team on points.
Annie Park (No. 42), Amy Olson (No. 50), McDonald (No. 60) and Kristen Gillman (No. 65) also remain in the running for those two spots off the world rankings.
Olson made a big move Friday, posting a 68 to move into sixth place. Park faltered with a 76 but is still alive, sitting in a tie for 38th. McDonald is in a tie for 59th. Gillman is tied for 38th and needs to win to have a chance to make the team off the world rankings, though even a victory might not be enough for her.