LPGA Tour players excited to play for 2015 U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inkster

Juli Inkster will take her long-time experience as a Solheim Cup contestant to the next level as the captain of the 2015 U.S. team.

Inkster, a nine-time team player, made her official debut as the U.S. skipper Tuesday night in Phoenix, Ariz., ahead of the JTBC Founders Cup, the first domestic event on the LPGA Tour’s 2014 schedule. The 31-time tour victor and winner of seven major championships will have her work cut out for her as she will try to get her squad to overcome a disappointing loss to the Europeans last year in Colorado.

“I’m so honored to be selected as the 2015 U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain,” said Inkster, the all-time points leader (18.5) among U.S. Cup players. “I have been very fortunate to play for a lot of great captains. Each one had their own uniqueness but all had one common goal of representing USA and the Cup. I will do my best to uphold the honor and tradition that the previous captains have set and I am really looking forward to the opportunity to lead the U.S. Team in Germany.”

Player reaction was effusive, with Cup hopefuls taking to Twitter to welcome Inkster to her new post, some before the news was official.

The Hall of Famer, who holds another record -- the oldest player to compete in a Solheim Cup, at 51, brings a 15-12-7 record with her to the captaincy. The 53-year-old hopes to secure the trophy following back-to-back losses to Europe, which routed captain Meg Mallon’s 2013 troops 18-10 in Colorado -- the first time the Americans lost on home turf.

Former world No. 1 Stacy Lewis, a member of last year’s losing team, believes Inkster’s status as an active tour player should be a big boost.

“Unlike the last few captains, Juli’s been around the tour the last few years,” Lewis told Randall Mell prior to the official announcement of Inkster’s appointment. “She knows us really well. So, I think that’s going to help her and help everybody kind of going forward.”

Inkster, an intense competitor, expected her players to work hard but put less pressure on themselves.

“The girls played tight, and I’d like to see them play a little looser, because on paper we have a great team,” Inkster said in a teleconference with reporters on Monday, according to reports. “Last year they had a great team. But you don’t play on paper, you play out there.

“I’d just like the girls to kind of loosen up a little bit, not worry about whether they win or lose and just go out there and play their games,” she said, “because if they play their games, I’m pretty confident that they’re going to win.”

Inkster named six-time tour winner Pat Hurst as her assistant captain. The games are slated to take place September 18-20 at Golf Course St. Leon-Rot in Germany.