'Big Mama' to Captain U.S. Junior Solheim Cup Team


When the 12-member U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team travels to Germany in 2015 to seek to retain the cup, JoAnne Carner will be leading the squad. The LPGA Hall of Famer will captain the squad during the matches at St. Leon-Rot Golf Club near Heidelberg, Germany.

"To be selected for this is a real thrill," said the colorful Carner, nicknamed "Big Mama" for her prodigious drives as an amateur and touring professional. "The Ping Junior Solheim Cup is a neat opportunity for these young girls and I am so honored to be a part of it for 2015. It will be great to get an opportunity to see what our future holds."

For the eighth edition of the Junior Solheim Cup, the event will played for the first time at the same venue as the Solheim Cup. In 2015, the U.S. junion squad will look to earn its second victory on foreign soil and fourth consecutive win in the all-time series, currently split 4-2-1. Team Europe claimed victory in both 2003 and 2007 when the competitions were held in Sweden.

"The choice of JoAnne Carner as the 2015 Ping Junior Solheim Cup captain is especially meaningful for us because our relationship with her dates back to when we first became involved with the LPGA," said John Solheim, Ping Chairman and CEO.

With 43 wins, including two majors, over her 36-year professional career Carner is eighth on the LPGA Tour' all-time win list. She may be even more widely known for her astounding accomplishments as an amateur.

A five-time U.S. Women's Amateur champion and four-time U.S. Curtis Cup Team member, Carner's match-play success is unrivaled. The Seattle native is the only female player in history to win the U.S. Junior, U.S. Women's Amateur and U.S. Women's Open.