STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. - U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain Nancy Lopez named Rosie Jones as her assistant captain for the 2005 Solheim Cup, Sept. 9-11, at Crooked Stick Country Club in Carmel, Ind. Jones, a 23-year veteran of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, has competed on six Solheim Cup teams (1990, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003) and has a 10-9-0 record in Solheim Cup competition. In her role, Jones will assist in the monitoring of potential team members throughout the season and the selection of the two captain's picks on Aug. 28. During The Solheim Cup week, Jones will support Lopez in team strategy, as well assist in the implementation of team functions.
"I am so excited to have Rosie serve as my assistant captain for the 2005 Solheim Cup," said Lopez. "Rosie has been an integral part of the team throughout the years and deserves to be a part of the event, and I wanted to ensure her participation. She has played with a bad back and a sore neck recently and I know she is trying to play her way onto the team, but I wanted to guarantee she would be with us in September one way or another. If her neck is healthy enough and she can play instead of serve as assistant captain, then Rosie will be one of the best players on the team."
"I am thrilled to be named assistant captain," said Jones. "It is an honor and a privilege to work with Nancy and The Solheim Cup team and to help lead them to victory. I hope to be playing, but if not then I will be there in a different capacity and I am looking forward to it."
Jones suffered from a herniated disc in her back last year and now endures some neck pain. She has, however, continued to play well and has posted four top-10 finishes in five starts this season. Jones currently is ranked third in U.S. Solheim Cup points standings and is a virtual lock to make the team and play her way out of the assistant captain's duties.
With this in mind, Lopez broke with Solheim Cup tradition and also announced a contingency plan for the assistant captain's role. Should Jones qualify to compete for the U.S. Team and be healthy enough to compete, LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Famer Donna Caponi will serve as Lopez's assistant captain.
"In this unique situation, having the support of Donna Caponi to possibly serve as assistant captain is so reassuring for me. Donna has been a longtime friend of mine, has the respect of all of the players and her enthusiasm and energy will be so beneficial for the team. Even if we don't activate her as assistant captain, Donna will serve as one of my volunteer helpers throughout the competition."
The 2005 U.S. Solheim Cup Team will be announced on Aug. 28 at the conclusion of the Wendy's Championship for Children in Dublin, Ohio.
About The Solheim Cup
Sponsored by PING golf equipment, The Solheim Cup is named in honor of the company's founder, Karsten Solheim, and his family. The Solheim Cup is the most prestigious team event in women's professional golf. It is a biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best U.S.-born players from the LPGA and the best European-born players from the Robe di Kappa Ladies European Tour (LET). The U.S. Team leads the competition, 5-3, but Europe has won three of the four events held overseas and in 2003 regained the Cup they lost in 2002. The U.S. Team has never lost on home soil and will be looking to bring the Cup home in 2005. The 2005 Solheim Cup will be played Sept. 9-11 at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. For more information, log on to www.SolheimCup.com
In addition to title sponsor PING, supporting the 2005 event as official partners are Indiana-based ACES Power Marketing, Cummins Inc. and St. Vincent Health; and associate partners are DSW, The Indianapolis Star, Merrill Lynch, Rolex and WISH-TV Channel 8.
The 2005 Solheim Cup is a joint venture between the LPGA and the Indiana Sports Corporation (ISC). ISC is a private, not-for-profit organization that represents Indianapolis in the national and international sports marketplace.
Media Contact:
Connie Wilson
LPGA
386-274-6271
