Anne Van Dam, the PING Junior Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe, is confident that her young squad has a realistic shot at reclaiming the trophy from the United States at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Van Dam emphasized that her players possess a relentless competitive spirit, promising they will "fight to the last putt" in pursuit of the win. The event gathers the top twelve European junior golfers, aged between 12 and 18, who will face off against their American counterparts on September 7 and 8. This junior competition is scheduled just three days before the senior Solheim Cup kicks off on September 11, with both tournaments being broadcast live on Sky Sports.
For the first time, the PING Junior Solheim Cup and the Solheim Cup will share the same venue and the same week, creating a historic back‑to‑back showcase of women’s golf. The 2026 edition also marks a notable first in the tournament’s history: the junior captain will simultaneously serve as a vice‑captain for the senior Solheim Cup team. Van Dam will sit alongside Anna Nordqvist, who will act as one of Nordqvist’s vice‑captains, linking the junior and senior squads in a unique mentorship role.
Adding to the leadership team, Van Dam’s former junior teammate Bronte Law has been appointed as her vice‑captain, bringing additional experience and continuity. Across the Atlantic, former professional Morgan Pressel leads Team USA. Pressel’s side enters the competition as the defending champions, having captured the title in 2024 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 nature of her European players.
"My team are all fighters," Van Dam said. "They all have big personalities and a feisty attitude. I know they will battle hard right to the final putt.
That kind of tenacity isn’t something you can teach; you either have it or you don’t, and every player on our roster has it." Van Dam added that Europe currently trails the United States in the overall standings—an all‑time record of 8‑4‑1 in favor of the Americans—but she believes her squad can close the gap. "Europe may be a little behind in the total tally, but I would love to see us catch up," she said. The most recent meeting on European soil was in 2023, when Team Europe turned the tables in Spain, winning 15‑9 over the United States.
That victory remains fresh in the minds of the current European players, many of whom view the upcoming competition as an opportunity to repeat that success. Van Dam expressed excitement about watching her players develop over the next two days and beyond. "There are a lot of future superstars on this team," she noted.
"From the moment I started speaking with them, I could feel how eager they are to learn from me and from Bronte. Playing on the same course that will host the Solheim Cup is a groundbreaking experience for them." Selection for Team Europe was based largely on performance in the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings, which are updated after the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship in August. The top six European players in those rankings earned automatic spots.
In addition, Van Dam made six captain’s picks to round out the roster. Among the automatic qualifiers, Spain’s Marta Muñoz secured her place by winning the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship, defeating fellow Spaniard Adriana García Terol in a 36‑hole final.
García Terol also qualified via the rankings, as did Switzerland’s Lana Guyot, who reached the semi‑finals of the same amateur event. England contributed two players: Lauren Crump, who captured the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden, earned her spot through the rankings, while Annabel Peaford was selected as a captain’s pick. These selections reflect a blend of proven tournament winners and rising talents. Team USA’s roster features Asterisk Talley, a two‑time junior participant (2023, 2024) who currently tops the Rolex American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings and recently triumphed at the U.S.
Women’s Amateur Championship. Amelie Zalsman has been in strong form throughout 2026, posting top‑five finishes in every AGJA event she entered and finishing runner‑up at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. Anna Fang, who helped the United States win the 2024 Junior Solheim Cup, has risen to 52nd in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings after a standout year that included a runner‑up finish at the Rolex Tournament of Champions in 2025.
Both captains bring a wealth of personal experience to the competition. Van Dam and Law both played in the 2013 PING Junior Solheim Cup, giving them firsthand insight into the pressures and excitement of the event. Their veteran perspective is expected to guide the European youngsters through the intense two‑day format.
The United States also boasts a lineage of former junior participants who have become major‑tour stars, including Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, and Alison Lee. On the European side, past junior alumni such as Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, and future 2026 Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist have transitioned to successful professional careers, underscoring the junior cup’s role as a pipeline for elite talent.
The competition format is straightforward: on Monday, September 7, the teams will contest six four‑ball matches and six foursomes matches. The following day, Tuesday, September 8, will feature twelve singles matches, determining the final score. Fans eager to see whether Europe can dethrone the United States should tune in to Sky Sports, which will broadcast the junior event live and continue with comprehensive coverage of the senior Solheim Cup from September 11‑13. The back‑to‑back scheduling offers a unique opportunity for viewers to witness the next generation of women’s golf stars compete on the same hallowed fairways that will soon host the senior showdown.
Beyond the competition itself, the event highlights the growing depth of junior women's golf in Europe and the United States. It showcases how national golf federations are investing in youth development, providing pathways from amateur championships to international team events, and ultimately to professional tours. The shared venue at Bernardus Golf serves as a symbolic bridge, linking the aspirations of teenage golfers with the storied legacy of the Solheim Cup. As the two teams prepare to line up on the first tee, the narrative is clear: Europe’s young warriors, under Van Dam’s spirited leadership, are ready to battle every shot, every hole, and every putt until the final green.
Whether they can overturn the historical record and bring the Junior Solheim Cup back to Europe remains to be seen, but the determination and enthusiasm on display promise a thrilling contest for players and fans alike.