Van Dam Says Europe’s Junior Solheim Cup Squad Will Battle to the Final Putt for Victory

Anne Van Dam, the PING Junior Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe, is confident that her youthful contingent has a genuine shot at reclaiming the trophy from the United States at Bernardus Golf this week. The Dutch venue will host twelve of Europe’s top girls‑golfers, aged 12 to 18, as they line up against their American counterparts on September 7‑8 in the highly anticipated junior showdown. The junior event is scheduled just three days before the senior Solheim Cup kicks off on September 11, with live coverage on Sky Sports. 2026 marks a historic moment: for the first time both the PING Junior Soliman Cup and the main Solheim Cup will be contested on the same course during the same week, creating a unique atmosphere for the rising stars and seasoned veterans alike.

Van Dam also makes history herself. While serving as Europe’s junior captain, she will simultaneously act as a vice‑captain for the senior Solheim Cup team under Anna Nordqvist.

Her former junior teammate, Bronte Law, has been appointed as Van Dam’s vice‑captain for the junior side, adding further experience to the leadership group. Across the Atlantic, Morgan Pressel leads Team USA. The American side enters the competition as the defending champions, having captured the 2024 title at the Army‑Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.

Pressel’s squad is widely regarded as the favorite, but Van Dam refuses to be intimidated. "My team are all fighters," Van Dam told the press.

"They each have big personalities and a feisty attitude. I know they will battle hard to the last putt – that kind of grit either comes naturally or it doesn’t, and every player on our roster has it." She added that Europe currently trails in the overall junior standings, but she hopes the event will help the continent close the gap.

Historically, the United States leads the all‑time Junior Solheim Cup record 8‑4‑1, yet Europe’s most recent encounter on home soil in Spain in 2023 ended in a convincing 15‑9 victory for the Europeans. Van Dam expressed excitement about watching the youngsters develop over the next two days and beyond. "There are a lot of future superstars in this group," she said. "From the moment I started talking with them, I could sense how eager they are to learn from me and from Bronte.

Playing on the same course that will host the senior Solheim Cup is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience for them." Selection for Team Europe was based largely on the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings after the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship in August. The top six European players earned automatic spots, while Van Dam exercised her captain’s picks to round out the roster. Spain’s Marta Muñoz, fresh off a 36‑hole victory over compatriot Adriana García Terol at the R&A Girls’ Amateur, was chosen as a captain’s pick. García Terol herself qualified automatically, as did Switzerland’s Lana Guyot, a semi‑finalist at the same amateur event.

England contributed two players: Lauren Crump, who captured the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden, and Annabel Peaford, selected as a captain’s pick. These selections reflect a blend of proven tournament winners and rising talents poised for breakthrough performances.

Team USA’s lineup features A‑list junior stars. Asterisk Talley, a two‑time Junior Solheim Cup participant, tops the Rolex AJGA rankings and recently triumphed at the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Amelie Zalsman has been a model of consistency, posting top‑five finishes in every AGJA event she entered this season and finishing runner‑up at the U.S.

Girls’ Junior in July. Anna Fang, who helped the Americans win in 2024, has climbed to 52nd in the Women’s World Amateur Rankings after a strong runner‑up finish at the 2025 Rolex Tournament of Champions. Both captains bring a wealth of personal experience to their roles.

Van Dam and Law both played in the 2013 Junior Solheim Cup, giving them insight into the pressures young players face. Pressel’s American squad includes former junior participants such as Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee, while Europe can point to alumni like Charley Hull, Georgia Hall and future senior captain Anna Nordqvist, all of whom have previously tasted Junior Solheim Cup action. The competition format mirrors the senior event: on Monday, September 7, six four‑ball matches and six foursomes will be contested, followed by twelve singles matches on Tuesday, September 8. Each match contributes a point toward the team total, with the first side to reach 13½ points clinching the cup.

Fans can follow the drama live on Sky Sports, with comprehensive coverage of both the junior and senior contests. The junior matches provide a glimpse of the next generation of talent that will shape the future of women’s golf, while the senior Solheim Cup promises its own high‑stakes showdown from September 11‑13. Beyond the competition itself, the event highlights the growing popularity of women’s golf across Europe and the United States.

Golf courses throughout the UK and Ireland are offering special rates for enthusiasts who want to experience the sport at premier venues, and Sky Sports continues to expand its streaming options for viewers without traditional contracts. In summary, while Team USA enters as the defending champion and statistical favorite, Team Europe, under Van Dam’s spirited leadership, is poised to give them a fierce fight. With a blend of seasoned junior veterans, fresh captain’s picks, and a shared determination to "fight to the last putt," the Europeans hope to turn the tide, close the historical gap, and perhaps bring the Junior Solheim Cup back to European soil.