HAVING achieved one of her main ambitions in golf, the winning of a major championship, Karen Stupples can now confidently look forward to ticking off another next year: playing for Europe in the Solheim Cup.

There is more than a year until the tournament, where holders Europe take on the USA at Crooked Stick GC in Indianapolis, but with her victory at the Weetabix Women's British Open the Deal professional has jumped into contention for one of the seven automatic spots in the team.

Stupples is currently in second place on 64.50 points behind world number one Annika Sorenstam, and will have a huge head start when she returns to playing European golf next season.

Double points are available for next season's run-in to the Solheim Cup and with Stupples playing all four majors and a fair chunk of next year's Ladies' European Tour, not many bookmakers would give you odds on her failing to make the side.

Even if she does not play her way into the top seven automatic spots, Stupples' brilliant performance at Sunningdale should guarantee one of Catrin Nilsmark's five "wild card" picks.

Stupples, who is in action again in the Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio, said: "This year I have previous commitments to the LPGA Tour in America, but I will be definitely playing more in Europe next year.

"It's always been a dream of mine to play in The Solheim Cup. I loved playing in the Curtis Cup so it's a natural progression for me. It's my biggest goal for next season, and even if I don't get enough points, I think it would be quite a shock if Catrin didn't pick a major championship winner as one of her wild cards."

After two hectic days of celebrations and media interviews while she was back in Deal this week, Stupples and her caddie Bobby Inman returned to the States, her bank balance boosted by £245,000 in prize money.