The 2013 Solheim Cup may serve as a ‘changing of the guards’ for both the United States and European teams in Parker, Colorado this week, as a total of 10 players will be making their first appearance at the biennial event. A group of four dynamic and exciting rookies will be playing for the United States and as fresh faces show up on one of golf’s biggest stages, so do the question marks.

How will they respond to the massive crowds? Will they fit in with the rest of team? Will they be able to manage the pressure while they play under one of the brightest spotlights in women’s golf?

Jessica Korda, Lexi Thompson, Lizette Salas and Gerina Piller will be taking in the spectacle that is the Solheim Cup for the first time. These four players are ready to be contributing members to Team U.S.A. in its quest to reclaim the Cup on home soil. Korda, who has some experience as an amateur competing in red, white and blue, had the chance to watch the 2009 Solheim Cup in person at Rich Harvest Farms when she was a member of victorious U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team that year.

“It was so amazing and electric,” said Korda. “There was good golf and bad golf. Just the whole experience is incredible and you gain a lot of confidence out of it because the shots are being hit that are not normally hit.”

Korda went 2-0-1 at the Junior Solheim Cup in 2009 and posted a 3-1-1 record at the 2010 Curtis Cup when she represented the United States in team competition for the second time. The 20-year old Clearwater, Fla. native says she handles the big stage well and knows how to channel the positive energy that players often produce at team events.

“When it comes to pressure situations, I tend to stay really calm and don’t panic,” said Korda. “Like they say, it’s not over until the fat lady sings. So you got to keep fighting.”

Korda will be reunited this week with her Curtis Cup and Junior Solheim Cup teammate, Lexi Thompson. The duo was successful in the amateur competitions going 3-0-1 in the matches they were paired together. Thompson said she cherishes any time she gets to team up with other players.

“Golf is such an individual sport and we don’t get too many opportunities to bond with the girls so much when we play,” said Thompson. “So just to get to know my teammates a little bit better and just to have fun out there and represent our country well. That is what I’m most looking forward to.”

Fellow Solheim Cup rookie Lizette Salas has been hungry to get the chance to represent the United States in competition and earned her spot on this year’s squad through the Rolex Rankings criteria, coming in at No. 19 in world. Salas, who was overlooked as an amateur for team events, will bring a competitive fire and plenty of fist pumps to the American squad this week. The Azusa, Calif. native will be arriving to Colorado full of confidence and sense of belonging. She’s coming off a sixth-place finish at the RICOH Women’s British Open, her best finish at an LPGA major by nine spots.

“With time and working hard and learning things about myself I feel like this is a sweeter moment mostly because I didn’t get picked, but working my way on the team and saying that I earned a spot because I worked for it,” said Salas. “It’s been a nerve wracking experience but a very beautiful experience just trying to make the team.”

Gerina Piller rounds out the group of rookies and joins the team for the first time as one of Meg Mallon’s two Captain’s picks. Piller, who is known for her length off the tee, will bring some driving power to team U.S.A. Her strength will be an asset at Colorado Golf Club, which will play as the longest course in Solheim Cup history at 7,066 yards.

Piller currently ranks fourth on the LPGA Tour in driving distance (268.526 yards) and has been playing solid golf in 2013. The Roswell, N.M. native has recorded five top-10 finishes including a season-best tie for fifth at the ShopRite Classic Presented by Acer. At 28 years old, Piller will be one of the older members of the American contingent, but she sounded like a kid on Christmas Day when Mallon broke the good news of her selection.

“I was just honored to be considered and now to have been chosen it’s an absolute dream come true,” said Piller. “Just really seeing the hard work paying off, it’s always been a huge dream of mine. Just even getting the opportunity to play on the LPGA Tour, and now here I am three years later representing my country on the biggest stage. I’m speechless. I’m probably going to be sleeping with a smile all week.”

Solheim Cup: Welcome Rookies

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