Judy Rankin - September 20, 2011

World Golf Hall of Fame Member Judy Rankin was Captain of the 1996 and 1998 U.S. Solheim Cup Teams. She is impressed by how much the Solheim Cup has come to mean to both sides since she was Captain in 1996 and 1998 especially considering the fact that in a world and a sport that is so consumed by money, the Solheim Cup is not about money but instead it is about pride and team. She fully expected Rosie Jones to come up with wild cards for her Captain’s Picks but it was unfortunate that #11 in points Katie Futcher was left out this year. Futcher is a great player but seems to lack the fire that O’Toole has. O’Toole is a bit of an unknown but she may rise to the occasion while Hurst, who is immensely talented, could see her career launch to a new level with a great Solheim Cup and feels that she has not reached her potential yet. She wishes that the LPGA Tour had been out in front of the Lexi Thompson issue since her rise in competition did not happen overnight. The Commissioner is bound by the LPGA Tour Constitution which places an age limit on membership barring an exemption given by the Commissioner but when he gave Lexi the permission to compete in Q-School, he was saying that he felt that she was mature enough to play on the LPGA Tour as a member despite not being 18 years old. But since Lexi has now won on the LPGA Tour, it is only a matter of paperwork and not time until she becomes a full-fledged member of the LPGA Tour.