Two Sun Devils (past and future) in Solheim events


Two members of the Arizona State University women's golf program will be participating in this week's Solheim events. Former Sun Devil Anna Nordqvist was a captain's pick for Team Europe for the Solheim Cup. Incoming freshman Jennifer Johnson has been named to Team USA for the PING Junior Solheim Cup. The Junior Solheim Cup will run August 17-19 at the Aurora Country Club in Aurora, Ill., while the Solheim Cup will take place August 17-23 at the Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The Solheim Cup is one of the most prestigious events in women's golf. Team Europe and Team United States compete against each other in a three-day match play competition. The Junior Solheim Cup follows a similar format, except it is two days as opposed to three. Click here for the Solheim Cup's main page. Click here for the Junior Solheim Cup's main page.

Nordqvist, who just turned professional this past January, has had a whirlwind of a year in 2009. A Sun Devil has competed in the Solheim Cup 13 times and the Swede becomes the ninth Sun Devil to be named a Solheim Cup team member. The most recent was Wendy Ward in 2005. Nordqvist, a two-time All-American for ASU, won her first major (and tournament) as she took first at the McDonald's LPGA Championship. She has notched four top 20 finishes since turning professional. Nordqvist was a member of the 2005 Junior Solheim Cup. Click here for Nordqvist's LPGA bio page.

Johnson, who will begin ASU next week, joins former Sun Devil greats Azahara Munoz, Anna Nordqvist and Louise Stahle along with current Sun Devil star Carlota Ciganda as members of a Junior Solheim Team. The La Quinta, Calif., native finished runner-up at the U.S. Women's Amateur and was a quarterfinalist in the Junior PGA Championship. A two-time first-team AJGA All-American, Johnson won the 2008 Rolex Tournament of Champions, the 2007 Mission Hills Desert Junior and the 2007 PING Phoenix Junior. She was also a member of the 2008 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team. Click here for a story on Johnson by Golfweek writer Julie Williams.

Check back at www.thesundevils.com for updates throughout the week.