Anne Van Dam, the PING Junior Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe, is confident that her young squad has a genuine opportunity to wrest the trophy back from the United States when the competition arrives at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Van Dam, herself a former participant, insists that her players possess the tenacity to "fight to the last putt" and will leave nothing on the course in pursuit of victory.
The event brings together the top twelve European female golfers aged 12 to 18 for a two‑day showdown against their American counterparts on September 7 and 8. The Junior Solheim Cup is scheduled just three days before the senior Solheim Cup opens on September 11, and both tournaments will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. This marks the first occasion that the junior and senior versions of the competition share the same venue and week, creating a unique atmosphere for players and fans alike.
2026 also introduces a historic overlap in leadership roles. Van Dam will serve not only as the Junior Solheim Cup captain but also as a vice‑captain for the senior Solheim Cup team, working alongside Anna Nordqvist, who is slated to be the European captain for the main event. Assisting Van Dam in the junior competition is former teammate Bronte Law, who has taken on the vice‑captain duties for Team Europe. Across the Atlantic, former LPGA star Morgan Pressel leads Team USA.
Pressel’s side enters the contest as the defending champions, having secured the 2024 title at the Army‑Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The American team is widely regarded as the favorite, but Van Dam remains optimistic, highlighting the fighting spirit that she believes defines her players.
"All of my girls are fighters," Van Dam said in a pre‑tournament interview. "They each have big personalities and a fierce attitude. I know they will battle right down to the final putt.
That kind of grit isn’t something you can teach – you either have it or you don’t, and every player on our roster has it." She added that Europe currently lags slightly behind the United States in the overall Junior Solheim Cup standings, which sit at 8‑4‑1 in favor of the Americans. However, the last meeting on European soil in 2023 saw Europe dominate with a 15‑9 victory in Spain, giving Van Dam hope that a similar turnaround is possible this year. "I’m thrilled for the next couple of days and to watch these girls grow into the stars they’re destined to become," Van Dam continued. "From the moment I started talking to them, I could sense how eager they are to learn from me and Bronte.
Playing on the same course that will host the senior Solheim Cup is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience for them." Team selection for Europe was based on a combination of automatic qualifiers and captain’s picks. The top six European players in the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings after the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship in August earned automatic spots. Van Dam chose Spain’s Marta Muñoz as one of her captain’s picks after Muñoz triumphed over compatriot Adriana García Terol in the 36‑hole final of that championship. García Terol also qualified automatically, as did Switzerland’s Lana Guyot, who reached the semi‑finals of the R&A Girls’ Amateur.
England contributed two players: Lauren Crump, who secured her place by winning the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden, and Annabel Peaford, who was selected as a captain’s pick. The roster also includes other rising talents who have shown consistent form throughout the season.
Team USA’s lineup features several standout juniors. Asterisk Talley, a two‑time Junior Solheim Cup participant, arrives as the top‑ranked player in the Rolex American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings and recently captured the US Women’s Amateur Championship. Amelie Zalsman has posted a series of top‑five finishes on the AJGA circuit and was runner‑up at the US Girls’ Junior Championship.
Anna Fang, who helped the United States win in 2024, has climbed to 52nd in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings after a strong runner‑up finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2025. Both captains bring a wealth of experience from previous editions of the event. Van Dam and Law both played in the 2013 Junior Solheim Cup, while Pressel’s U.S.
squad includes former participants such as Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee, all of whom have gone on to successful professional careers. On the European side, alumni like Charley Hull, Georgia Hall and future Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist have also worn the Junior Solheim Cup colors. The competition format mirrors the senior event: on Monday, September 7, there will be six four‑ball matches and six foursomes matches, followed by twelve singles matches on Tuesday, September 8.
Each match contributes a point to the team total, and the side that reaches the required number of points first will claim the Junior Solheim Cup. Beyond the immediate stakes, the tournament serves as a showcase for the next generation of elite women’s golfers. Playing on a course that will soon host the senior Solheim Cup gives the juniors a unique glimpse into the pressure and prestige of top‑level team competition. Van Dam believes this exposure will accelerate their development and inspire them to aim for future Solheim Cup appearances.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports, with comprehensive coverage scheduled for the three‑day senior Solheim Cup from September 11 to 13. For those unable to watch via traditional broadcast, Sky Sports Golf offers streaming options with flexible, contract‑free plans. In summary, while Team USA enters as the defending champion and statistical favorite, Team Europe’s captain Anne Van Dam is convinced that her squad’s fighting spirit, combined with the historic advantage of playing on the same venue as the senior event, gives them a realistic shot at reclaiming the Junior Solheim Cup. The upcoming matches promise intense competition, youthful exuberance, and a glimpse of the future stars who will shape women’s golf in the years to come.