The recent Solheim Cup match‑ups have shown just how evenly matched Team Europe and Team USA have become, and there is little reason to believe this year’s showdown will break that pattern. Anna Nordqvist’s European squad is set to chase the coveted trophy on familiar ground at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, with the event being broadcast live on Sky Sports. This follows a 15.5‑12.5 defeat in Virginia two years earlier—a loss that marked Europe’s first setback in the biennial contest since 2017. While the Ryder Cup has often produced decisive margins in recent editions—save for the dramatic comeback by the United States at Bethpage Black last year—the Solheim Cup has tended to deliver nail‑biting finishes.
The last three Solheim Cups staged in Europe have produced the three closest outcomes in the event’s history. In 2015 and 2019 the competition was decided by a single point, and the 2023 edition ended in an unprecedented 14‑14 tie. Each of those tournaments supplied its own brand of drama.
In 2015, Team USA staged a record‑breaking singles rally to clinch the cup, while four years later Suzann Pettersen sank the decisive putt on the 18th green to hand Europe a victory at Gleneagles. The Spanish edition added another thrilling climax: after being swept in Friday’s opening session, Pettersen’s side clawed back in the singles to reach the 14‑point threshold needed to retain the cup. Even earlier, the 2011 Dublin contest was decided by a narrow two‑point margin after Cristie Kerr withdrew from the singles due to injury. Altogether, the four most recent contests on European soil have produced a combined winning margin of just six points.
Given the similarity of the current line‑ups in terms of recent form, world rankings, and Solheim Cup experience, predicting a clear favorite is as difficult as ever. Historically, Europe has often been cast as the underdog because the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings typically feature more American players in the top echelons. This year, however, Europe boasts a larger contingent inside the world’s top ten than the United States. Charley Hull is making her eighth consecutive appearance for Europe, and world No.
7 Lottie Woad, though technically a rookie, has already secured two LPGA Tour victories within just over a year of turning professional. Nordqvist can draw on five players ranked inside the world’s top 35: Esther Henseleit, who surged after a runner‑up finish at the AIG Women’s Open, as well as Maja Stark and Celine Boutier, both regular contenders on the LPGA Tour. Team USA is not short on depth either. Nine Americans sit inside the world’s top 50, with the lowest‑ranked rookie Lindy Duncan positioned at No.
66. In contrast, five European players—including all four of the captain’s picks—are ranked outside the top 50, highlighting a slight disparity in ranking depth. "I firmly believe it will come down to home advantage," veteran 12‑time Solheim Cup participant Dame Laura Davies told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. "It’s going to be a very loud week with our girls playing in front of a huge audience.
On paper, the Americans will probably be favourites because they always are—they all play on the LPGA Tour. I just think that home advantage makes such a difference." Beyond the rankings, recent individual performances have been mixed. While Nelly Korda has enjoyed an astonishing start to the LPGA season—winning four events and never finishing lower than eighth in a ten‑tournament stretch—few other players from either side have captured titles this year. Lauren Coughlin’s triumph at the Aramco Championship remains the sole American Solheim Cup player victory on the LPGA Tour so far, while Boutier and Woad are the only Europeans to have won stateside.
Hull, who captured the PIF Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour in February, entered the competition with the confidence of a seasoned Solheim Cup veteran. She famously defeated Korda 6&4 in the Sunday singles two years ago, and she now holds a record 15 Solheim Cup match wins—more than any player before turning 30. Only Annika Sörenstam boasts a higher winning‑points percentage among those who have represented Europe as frequently as Hull.
Davies urged Hull to "step up and lead" Europe again, citing her powerful tee shots and relaxed demeanor. Nordqvist echoed that sentiment, noting that the world No.
8’s presence in the lineup could be pivotal for Europe’s title bid. "You’ve just got to let Charley be Charley," Nordqvist said to Sky Sports. "It was really nice to see how much she really enjoyed the Solheim Cup last time—she lights up the team room just with her personality. I can’t wait to see her tee it up." There was speculation earlier in the season about whether Nordqvist might name herself a captain’s pick after a strong summer, but she dismissed the idea and instead selected four younger players to round out her roster.
A tied‑seventh finish at the Evian Championship sparked some debate, as did subsequent top‑30 finishes, while veteran Georgia Hall missed the cut for the first time since 2015 and Madelene Sagström sat out due to childbirth. The squad also includes Leona Maguire, the heroine of Europe’s 2021 triumph on foreign soil, and rising talents Julia Lopez Ramírez, Nastasia Nadaud, and Mimi Rhodes, all eager to test themselves on golf’s biggest stage.
Nordqvist summed up the team’s outlook: "We have some great power in there and I think we’re going to be really strong this year. It’s going to be a big change, but also I feel like we have such a good core group of girls that’s going to make the other players very comfortable and confident." Historically, Europe’s decisions to include three rookie captain’s picks—in 2011 and again in 2021—have paid off with victories.
Nordqvist hopes to complete a hat‑trick of such successes this time around. Who will ultimately lift the Solheim Cup? Fans can watch Team Europe’s quest to reclaim the trophy live on Sky Sports, with all three days of action—September 11‑13—broadcast on Sky Sports Golf.
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