Meg Mallon named 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain

MEG MALLON NAMED 2013 U.S. SOLHEIM CUP TEAM CAPTAIN

Nine-time Solheim Cup participant to lead U.S. Team at Colorado Golf Club

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, Jan. 26, 2012 – Meg Mallon, an 18-time winner on the LPGA who represented the United States as a player in The Solheim Cup on eight different occasions and as assistant captain once, today was officially announced and introduced as U.S. Team Captain at the 2013 Solheim Cup, to be played Aug. 13-18, 2013 at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colo.

The announcement was made at the PGA Merchandise Show. Mallon sat alongside PING Chairman & CEO John A. Solheim at the news conference which took place on the floor’s main stage and was hosted by LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann.

“It’s an absolute honor to be selected as the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain,” said Mallon. “I’ve participated in The Solheim Cup on nine occasions and each has been a proud moment for me, but to represent the United States as team captain definitely caps off my career. I look forward to working hard on getting the Cup back in U.S. hands.”

Mallon’s boasts a 13-9-7 overall record in her eight Solheim Cup appearances with 16.5 points scored and a 5-2-1 record in singles competition. She has been a part of six U.S. Solheim Cup Team victories including 2009, when she served as one of Beth Daniel’s assistant captains alongside Kelly Robbins. Her 16 ½ points scored are second in U.S. history behind Juli Inkster.

The 48-year-old also served as victorious captain of the PING U.S. Junior Solheim Cup Team in 2011, an experience she hopes will benefit her in Denver next year.

“It was exciting to be a part of the future of The Solheim Cup in Ireland last year,” said Mallon. “It was such an interesting experience because I didn’t know the players very well going in, but we really bonded well and it turned out to be such a rewarding week. I really think it will influence my style in 2013.”

Mallon’s 18 career LPGA victories, including four major championships, earned her more than $9 million in a 24-year-career on the Tour. In 1991, she earned her first four titles, including the U.S. Women’s Open and LPGA Championship. She went on to win multiple tournaments in five separate years, including 2004, when she won her second U.S. Women’s Open 13 years after her first and crossed the $1 million in season earnings for the second time in her career.

“As an eight-time Solheim Cup participant and an 18-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Meg Mallon is a wonderful choice to captain the U.S. Solheim Cup Team in 2013,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO.  “She has always displayed a genuine passion for the Solheim Cup and she is one of the most respected and well-liked figures in women’s golf. Meg received high praise as an assistant Solheim Cup captain, and last fall she captained the U.S. PING Junior Solheim Cup team as they retained the Cup after a final day comeback in Ireland. I know the U.S. Team will love playing for Meg on home soil at Colorado Golf Club. She has my congratulations on a position that is well earned.”

The European Team won the most recent Solheim Cup, one of the most thrilling in recent memory, with a Sunday afternoon surge last September at Killeen Castle in Ireland. The U.S. Team leads 8-4 through 12 editions of The Solheim Cup and has never lost on home soil.

“From world-class golfer, to world-class Solheim Cup player, to world-class Solheim Cup assistant captain and PING Junior Solheim Cup captain, Meg has always been well-respected role model that all players can look up to,” said LPGA Commissioner Michael Whan. “I know she loves the Solheim Cup and the players who compete for it. On behalf of everyone at the LPGA, we are both proud and honored to see her as the U.S. Captain.”