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DANVILLE, Calif. -- Beth Daniel, a three-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year with 33 victories to her name, has been named captain of the 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup team, LPGA officials have announced. She becomes the eighth LPGA Tour and World Golf Halls of Famer to captain the U.S. squad.

The 2009 Solheim Cup will be played Aug. 17-23 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.

"Having played on the team eight times and served as assistant captain to Betsy (King) just last month, The Solheim Cup holds a very special place in my heart," said Daniel. "And, as I said after we won in Halmstad, there are a lot of very deserving players in position to captain the U.S. team. I am thrilled to be chosen at this time and look forward to helping the 2009 team be the best they can be in representing the LPGA and the United States."

As captain, Daniel will lead a team of 12 U.S.-born players from the LPGA in their quest to win the Solheim Cup for the third consecutive match, and to keep the U.S. team's home winning streak alive. The U.S. team has never lost when the Solheim Cup has been played in the United States.

As the assistant captain to King in 2007, Daniel extended her vast Solheim Cup resume as she has participated, in some way, in nine of 10 Solheim Cup competitions (she did not make the team in 1998, but attended as a spectator). Daniel played in the inaugural event in 1990, was a member of the 1996 U.S. team that became the first to win the Solheim Cup on foreign soil, and has earned 13 1/2 points for the U.S. team

In 1979, Daniel stormed on to the LPGA Tour, recording16 top-10 finishes, which included a win at the Patty Berg Classic, en route to LPGA Rookie of the Year honors. Her one major championship victory came at the 1990 Mazda LPGA Championship, which was one of seven wins that season, for which she was named the 1990 Player of the Year and Vare Trophy winner.

After nearly 30 years on Tour, Daniel has amassed more than $8.7 million in career earnings, placing her seventh all-time on the LPGA. She played a full schedule through 2006 and works as a golf analyst for LPGA events on the Golf Channel and CBS Sports.

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