Egan heads Irish in Portugal; Lewis named US Solheim Cup captain
Keith Egan (Carton House) driving at the 10th tee during the Senior Cup Semi-Finals at the 2019 AIG Cups and Shields Finals at Westport Golf Club today (21/09/2019). Picture by Pat Cashman
Carton House’s Keith Egan made five birdies in a three-under 69 to lead the Irish challenge in the 92nd Portuguese International Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort.
He’s tied for fifth, four strokes behind England’s Frank Kennedy, whose seven-under 65 gave him a two-stroke lead over Germany’s Finn Koelle and the Netherlands’ Kiet Van Der Weele.
Athenry’s David Kitt was tied 10th after a 70 with Co Sligo’s TJ Ford (72) 25th, David Shiel (73) 34th, Andrew Hickey (74) 48th, Allan Hill (75) 63rd and Richard Knightly (80) and Jack McDonnell (80) joint 112th.
Meanwhile, the United States has named two-time major winner Stacy Lewis as its Solheim Cup captain for the 2023 matches at Finca Cortesin in Spain.
“To be named captain for the USA Solheim Cup Team is an incredible honour and I’m beyond grateful to the Committee for choosing me,” said Lewis. “I have so many amazing memories from my years on the team and the two opportunities I’ve had to work alongside the team. I absolutely love the Solheim Cup and I want 2023 to be as great an experience for my team as my years wearing Red, White and Blue have been for me.”
Lewis is a 13-time LPGA Tour winner, earning major titles at the 2011 Chevron Championship and the 2013 AIG Women’s Open. She spent 264 consecutive weeks from 2011-16 ranked in the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, including 25 weeks at No. 1, and was the 2012 and 2014 Rolex LPGA Player of the Year. In 2016, Lewis was a member of Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Brazil, finishing tied for fourth.
Stacy Lewis wil captain the US Solheim Cup team in Spain in 2023
Lewis represented the USA on the 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 Solheim Cup Teams. In 2019, Lewis served as an unofficial assistant captain under Juli Inkster after withdrawing from competition due to injury, and she worked in that role in an official capacity under Pat Hurst in 2021.
At 38 years, 7 months and 6 days old on the first day of competition in 2023, she will be the youngest American captain in Solheim Cup history and the second-youngest captain for either side. Patty Sheehan was 45 when she served as USA captain in 2002, while Catrin Nilsmark was 36 when she was the European captain in 2003.
“I have learned so much from the past captains on the Solheim Cup Committee, and the fact that they chose me to lead this team is one of the proudest moments of my career,” said Lewis, who has not ruled out being a playing captain.
“Juli gave me my first taste of captaincy when she asked me to help her with the singles lineup in Germany in 2015. Being an assistant captain for Pat was honestly the most fun week I’ve had at a Solheim Cup. I’m more than ready to step into this role.”
Prior to joining the LPGA Tour, Lewis enjoyed a standout amateur career as a four-time All-American at the University of Arkansas, taking the NCAA Division I national title in 2007 as one of her 12 titles. She graduated in 2008 with a degree in finance and accounting, the same year she became the first player in Curtis Cup history to go 5-0 during a 13-7 USA victory over Great Britain and Ireland on the Old Course at St Andrews.
Lewis is married to Gerrod Chadwell, the head women’s golf coach at Texas A&M University, and has a 3-year-old daughter, Chesnee. She currently serves as a Player Director on the LPGA Board of Directors.
The 2023 Solheim Cup will be held at Finca Cortesin in Spain on Sept. 22-24 — a week before the Ryder Cup in Rome — with Suzann Pettersen serving as captain for Team Europe.
The Solheim Cup is reverting to even-numbered years and will be staged again in 2024, however, Lewis said on Wednesday she has not been asked to do two Solheim Cups in a row.