Team Europe leader Anna Nordqvist has opened up about the unexpected difficulty of managing her responsibilities as both a player and the Solheim Cup captain during the qualification stretch. The Swedish veteran chose not to assume a playing‑captain role for the AIG Women’s Open, the final qualifying tournament, even though she entered the event in solid form heading into the season’s last major. Nordqvist was the highest‑placed European at the Amundi Evian Championship the month before and was hoping to cap her major campaign with a strong finish, especially after many of the golfers she is considering for the Solheim Cup missed the cut. A top‑30 finish at the Open would be a remarkable achievement for someone whose attention was split between two demanding jobs, and Nordqvist expressed satisfaction with how she managed to juggle the captaincy duties while still delivering a respectable major performance.
"It’s almost impossible to describe how tough this has been," Nordqvist told Sky Sports. "The moment I walked off the course I was bombarded with Solheim Cup matters, and that made it hard for me to simply enjoy the week." She added that the practicalities of the captain role turned out to be far more time‑consuming than she had anticipated.
"Looking back, it was always going to be a tough task to do both, but I’m proud of how I handled it." The 39‑year‑old spent about ninety minutes on Friday evening phoning potential European wildcard candidates, trying to gauge their status before she herself posted a disappointing third‑round 77. She managed to rebound with a much better final‑round 68, a swing that illustrated both her resilience and the mental strain of balancing two high‑pressure roles. When asked about the third round, Nordqvist admitted, "I was completely crushed. I made eight calls that night, talking to players who had qualified and others who hadn’t.
I knew it would be a rough weekend for me." She noted that the timing of good or bad news is rarely convenient in her dual position, and that week proved especially taxing. "I felt off on the first day, but I fought my way back. I played well on day two, and although my third‑round score wasn’t terrible, I was mentally exhausted after everything on Friday." Nordqvist also reflected on her personal mindset, saying, "I care a lot about the other players and sometimes forget about myself.
I know my golf is good enough to compete with the best, and I’m excited to shift my focus fully onto the team once my own round is finished." She remained uncertain about the final 12‑player roster after her round, waiting to see whether Chiara Tamburlini would keep the second automatic spot allocated through the Ladies European Tour Solheim Cup rankings. Two other contenders, Esther Henseleit and Lottie Woad, still had a chance on the final day to overtake Tamburlini, which would have opened a place for Nanna Koerstz Madsen via the world rankings and potentially freed up an additional captain’s pick. Nordqvist planned to lock in her selections on Sunday evening, with the official announcement slated for Monday afternoon on Sky Sports News at 3 p.m. To avoid bias, she deliberately limited how much she watched the AIG Women’s Open leaderboard during the tournament.
"I tried not to worry too much about other scores," she explained. "After Friday I had to call some of the girls playing the weekend, but I can’t spend Sunday talking to 12 or 16 players—that wouldn’t be fair." She added that the final picks would largely reflect the players’ performances throughout the year. "If you’ve played well this season, you’re likely to get a pick.
The only real control I have is my own play, which could earn me a spot as well," Nordqvist said. The Solheim Cup showdown, where Team Europe aims to reclaim the trophy from the United States, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf from September 11‑13.
Fans can follow the drama of the three‑day contest, watch the newly‑selected team in action, and see whether Nordqvist’s difficult balancing act pays off for Europe on the biggest stage in women’s team golf.