Former UVA star Brittany Altomare earns spot on Solheim Cup team

Former UVA golfer Brittany Altomare (Shrewsbury, Mass.) earned a spot on the 12-woman United States 2019 Solheim Cup Team today following a tie for 13th place on the LPGA’s CP Women’s Open in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. She was one of three players to secure positions on the team this weekend. Altomare was named to the team thanks to her finish in the Solheim Cup points standings over a two-year qualification period.

“I’m really relieved (to make the U.S. team),” said Altomare, who has produced two top-fives and nothing worse than a tie for 29th in her last eight starts on the LPGA Tour, the highlight being a runner-up spot at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. “It’s like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’m so excited to represent the U.S. and be on Team USA. Playing for (U.S. captain) Juli (Inkster), it’s just going to be such an incredible week.”

The U.S. team will face a squad from Europe in the biennial match-play competition. The 16th edition of The Solheim Cup will be played on the world-famous PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Perthshire, Scotland from Sept. 13-15. Team USA will bid to win the trophy for a third successive time under Inkster’s captaincy. Scotland will host the competition for the first time since Loch Lomond Golf Club was the venue in 2000.

In 2015, the Americans staged the biggest come-from-behind victory in the event’s history to beat Europe 14.5-13.5 at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Two years ago, Inkster’s team triumphed over Europe by a commanding margin of 16.5-11.5 at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa.

The U.S. have won 10 of the 15 previous editions of The Solheim Cup, including five of the last seven.

First staged in Florida in 1990 and named after club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was the driving force behind its inception, The Solheim Cup is contested between two teams of 12 players over three days. It follows the same format as The Ryder Cup, with 28 matches – eight foursomes and eight fourballs over the first two days and 12 singles on the final day.

Altomare competed at Virginia from 2009 to 2013. She won the ACC Championship individual title as a senior and went on to be named a first-team All-American. She captured All-America honors four times during her UVA career and was an All-ACC selection each season she competed for the Cavaliers.