Stacy Lewis will once again captain Team USA at the Spirit International Amateur this week. The Spirit features 80 competitors from 20 countries, with two men and two women representing each side. Rose Zhang, Rachel Heck, Sam Bennett, and James Piot will represent Team USA Nov. 4-6 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas.
With Lewis back at the helm at The Spirit, it seems an ideal time to look ahead to another leadership role she seems destined to fill – U.S. Solheim Cup captain.
Given the Americans’ loss at Inverness, it seems unlikely that Pat Hurst will be given another chance at the helm. The committee that makes such decisions will likely meet in the coming weeks.
Here are five reasons why Lewis should be the next captain:
1. Lewis is a born leader – Few current players have made a bigger impact on the LPGA as a whole than the former No. 1. Her relationships with personal sponsors have led directly to title sponsorships and even the overhaul of a major in the KPMG Women’s PGA. She’s outspoken on important issues and encourages players to find their own voice. One of the rare big-picture thinkers in the game.
2. Her style is right for the moment – Lewis is a straightforward communicator. Players will know where they stand, and what she expects at all times. Players respect transparency. She’s also the kind of person who is willing to listen and adjust when necessary. At a time when Team USA seems to be finding its new identity post Juli Inkster and American stalwarts like Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel, Lewis seems like the ideal candidate to offer a blend of old and new.
3. Her resume – Lewis has won 13 times on the LPGA, including major victories at the 2011 ANA Inspiration and the 2013 AIG Women’s British Open. A two-time LPGA Rolex Player of the Year winner, Lewis became the first American to win the award since Beth Daniel in 1994. She also won the Vare Trophy in 2013 and 2014. Her Solheim Cup record of 5-10-1 is certainly lacking, but that doesn’t take away from her zeal for the event. If anything, she probably wanted it too much.
4. Equipped to handle back-to-back years – It wouldn’t be at all surprising if the next Solheim Cup captains (for both sides) ended up having the job both in 2023 and 2024. With the Solheim Cup moving back to even years, it wouldn’t seem fair to name a new captain in 2024 and give her less than a year to prepare. Given Lewis’ previous experience assisting the team in both 2019 (after withdrawing due to injury) and 2021 (after not getting picked), she’s well-versed in what it takes to run the show. A disciplined and structured player by nature who handles the press as well as anyone on tour, Lewis is best equipped to manage the chaos of two Solheims in two years.
5. No one else seems ready – Lewis will be 38 years old by the time the next Solheim Cup rolls around. The youngest U.S. captain to date was Patty Sheehan in 2002 at age 45. A couple of older players come to mind for the job: Angela Stanford (43) and Cristie Kerr (44). Both should be captains in due time. Stanford, who served as an assistant captain to Hurst this year, has said that she still wants to learn more before taking on the role. She’d also like to play in one more Solheim. Kerr didn’t make the team in 2021 and has yet to be an assistant captain. Previous assistant captain experience seems more crucial than ever given the back-to-back Cups.
And there’s plenty of time for Michelle Wie West, Creamer, and Pressel to have a turn. Does Dottie Pepper fit into the captain equation at some point? Perhaps.
But the time is right for Lewis.
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