ARMORE, PA. – It’s difficult to look at this year’s U.S. Curtis Cup team and think there’s a problem with women’s golf in this country. After all, there are some potential world-beaters on this squad. Just look at world No. 1 Rose Zhang.
If recent history is any indication, however, only one or two players from the eight-player roster at Merion will go on to win on the LPGA. In the past 20 years, 11 out of 69 American Curtis Cup players have won on tour.
USGA CEO Mike Whan had a front-row seat to what the rest of the world has produced in women’s golf as LPGA commissioner. As he championed LPGA-USGA Girls Golf, which exploded under his tenure, only one American, Stacy Lewis, has been LPGA Rolex Player of the Year since the 1990s. Only three Americans – Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr and Lewis – have been No. 1 since the Rolex Rankings debuted in 2006. The last American to win Rookie of the Year: Paula Creamer in 2005.
