KAREN Stupples will make her Solheim Cup debut next week after receiving one of the five wild card picks in the European team to face the United States at Crooked Stick GC in Carmel, Indiana from September 9-11.

Stupples is one of three Solheim Cup rookies in captain Catrin Nilsmark’s 12-strong team and her selection completes a memorable 18 months for the 32-year-old Deal golfer, who last summer won the Women’s British Open title.

Stupples, who also played in two Curtis Cups when she was an amateur, had been vying for the final place in the team with Scotland’s Janice Moodie and Sweden's Liselotte Neumann.

Nilsmark said: "It was one of those hard choices but sometimes a new player deserves a chance.

"We had to dare to try Karen because she has been very steady over the past couple of years."

Stupples’ hopes of earning an automatic place in the team, rather than on relying on a wild card selection, had been ruined by a recent ear infection which forced to miss the final two Solheim qualifying tournaments.

But she was back in action at the weekend, when she finished in equal 20th place in the Wendy’s Championship for Children in Dublin, Ohio.

Afterwards Stupples said: "I knew it was going to be close for the pick, but I had hoped that the fact that I'd won a major and another LPGA tournament would work in my favour.

"I loved playing in my two Curtis Cups, and I'm sure the Solheim will be just as special."