2024 Solheim Cup: Ranking the Rookies in Team USA & Europe by Wins, GIR, Driving Distance, & More

Let the excitement begin! The Solheim Cup 2024 is just around the corner, and the fans are over the edge with the building excitement. The world’s top female golfers will gather at the picturesque Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, from September 13–15 to battle it out for the ultimate prize. This year, Americans will be fighting hard, after all, they have the last two defeats to avenge.

Every two years the best of the best golfers from the USA and Europe come together to show who is boss by their exceptional skills and take home the coveted trophy. However, this year, along with the pros, both teams have a few rookies as well, and the fans are excited to know which one of them is the best.

There are three rookie golfers in the patriotic showdown this year: Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel from Team USA and Esther Henseleit from Europe. So, we’ve brought to you the top categories to figure out which rookie golfer is going to prove herself an asset in the 2024 Solheim Cup!

Wins in 2024

Team USA is winning this one with not one but two golfers making the path. Lauren Coughlin is leading the pack of rookie golfers at the 2024 Solheim Cup with 2 wins this year. She won the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and CPKC Women’s Open with a score of 15 under par and 13 under par, respectively. Hot on her heels is Sarah Schmelzel.

Although the golfer has not won any competition this year, she has finished 7 times among the top 10 players, which included the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where the golfer finished at T9 with a score of under par. And the last on this list is Esther Henseleit, who didn’t win any tournaments this year but had five top-10 finishes, which included the Aramco Ladies International, the Amundi Evian Championship, and the ISPS HANDA Scottish Open.

Greens in regulations in 2024

Greens in Regulation, or GIR, is a statistic that measures a player’s performance on the greens. It refers to the number of times a player hits the green with their approach shot, which gives them a chance to make a birdie or par putt, and Team Europe’s Esther Henseleit is taking the lead in this category. Henseleit’s current GIR is a whopping 77.41%, which makes her the ultimate asset to her team.

Lauren Coughlin has a GIR of 74.05%, per the official LPGA website, while Schmelzel is holding the last place in this category with a decent GIR of 70.75%.

Driving distance in 2024

When it comes to driving distance, Hensleit tops the rookie list. Her average distance is an impressive 263.38 yards, and it sure is a testament to her powerful shot. Next on the list are Schmelzel and Lauren Coughlin. They lag behind Henseleit by the small margins of 0.22 and 0.84 yards, respectively.

Ball striking in 2024

Golf’s ultimate secret sauce is having a good ball strike, and it looks like Henseleit knows that all too well. She has it nailed with a whopping 87 yards. Talk about a game-changer! Schmelzel’s putting is in the work as well. With a solid 42 yards, she is right behind Henseleit. But Coughlin’s statistics tell a completely different story at just 6 yards.

Career earnings in 2024

This season alone Coughlin has been raking in a whopping $1.9 million in winnings with her impressive performance at the Chevron Championship, which earned her a decent $429k. Not to be outdone, Henseliet has consistently performed well and has made $929.2K in earnings. Additionally, Schemelzel has also had a strong season and has brought home $816.2K.

However, all eyes are now on the upcoming showdown in Virginia, and regardless of these statistics, it will only matter how the golfers play at the upcoming showdown. The Solheim Cup is known to be the make-or-break point of a player’s performance in that year. So who do you think will help their team emerge victorious? Let us know in the comment section below!