The recent history of the Solheim Cup has shown just how evenly matched Team Europe and Team USA have become, and there is little to suggest that this year’s showdown will break that pattern. Anna Nordqvist’s European side is set to defend the trophy on familiar ground at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, with the event being broadcast live on Sky Sports. This comes two years after a 15.5‑12.5 defeat in Virginia, which marked Europe’s first loss in the biennial competition since 2017. Unlike the Ryder Cup, which has often produced large victory margins in recent editions, the Solheim Cup has tended to deliver nail‑biting finishes.
The last three Solheim Cups held on European soil have produced the three closest results in the tournament’s history. In 2015 and 2019 the competition was decided by a single point, while the 2023 edition ended in an unprecedented 14‑14 tie.
Each of those contests featured its own brand of drama. In 2015, Team USA staged a record‑breaking singles comeback, whereas in 2019 Suzann Pettersen sank a decisive putt on the 18th green to secure a win for Europe at Gleneagles. The 2023 tie was especially memorable because Europe, after being swept in the opening Friday session, rallied in the singles to reach the 14‑point threshold needed to retain the cup. If we look back to the 2011 event in Dublin, Europe’s margin of victory was only two points, a result that was heavily influenced by Cristie Kerr’s injury‑forced withdrawal in the singles.
When you add up the point differentials from the last four Solheim Cups played in Europe, they total just six points—a testament to how tightly contested these matches have become. The current rosters further underline the difficulty of picking a clear favorite. Both teams feature players who are in excellent form, occupy high positions in the world rankings, and have considerable Solheim Cup experience. In recent years, Team Europe has often been cast as the underdog because the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings contain more American players in the upper echelons.
Nevertheless, this European squad actually boasts more players inside the world’s top‑10 than the United States this time around. Charley Hull is making her eighth consecutive appearance for Europe, while world No.
7 Lottie Woad, although technically a rookie, has already captured two LPGA Tour titles within a little over a year of turning professional. Nordqvist also has five of the world’s top‑35 at her disposal: Esther Henseleit surged after a runner‑up finish at the AIG Women’s Open, and both Maja Stark and Céline Boutier are regular contenders on the LPGA Tour. Team USA, on the other hand, enjoys depth in the rankings as well, with nine players inside the top‑50.
Their lowest‑ranked participant, rookie Lindy Duncan, sits at world No. 66.
By contrast, five European players—including all four of the captain’s picks—are ranked outside the top‑50, which could be a factor when the pressure mounts in the later stages of the competition. Dame Laura Davies, a twelve‑time Solheim Cup veteran, emphasized the importance of the home crowd during a Sky Sports Golf podcast. "I firmly believe it will come down to home advantage," she said.
"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, given that they all play on the LPGA Tour. I just think that home advantage makes such a difference." When it comes to recent form, the only American Solheim Cup player who has notched a win on the LPGA Tour this season is Lauren Coughlin, who captured the Aramco Championship. From the European side, only Boutier and Woad have managed to win on U.S.
soil this year. Hull, meanwhile, claimed victory at the PIF Saudi Ladies International in February and entered the Solheim Cup with the confidence of having beaten Nelly Korda 6&4 in the Sunday singles two years earlier.
Hull’s Solheim Cup résumé is impressive: she already holds 15 match wins, the most by any player under the age of 30 in the competition’s history, and only Annika Sörenstam has a higher winning‑points percentage among Europeans with a comparable number of appearances. Nordqvist has asked Hull to "step up and lead" Europe again, citing her powerful tee shots and relaxed demeanor.
The Swedish captain also highlighted Hull’s ability to energize the team environment, noting that Hull’s enthusiasm is contagious and that she looks forward to seeing her tee off in front of a supportive home crowd. There has been speculation about whether Nordqvist might name herself as a captain’s pick after a strong summer, but she dismissed the idea and instead selected four younger players to round out the roster.
A tied‑seventh finish at the Evian Championship, followed by two consecutive top‑30 finishes, sparked the discussion, but the final decision favored fresh talent. Notably, Georgia Hall missed the cut for the first time since 2015, and Madelene Sägström was absent due to maternity leave. The squad also includes Leona Maguire, the heroine of Europe’s 2021 victory on foreign soil, as well as rising stars Julia Lopez Ramírez, Nastasia Nadaud, and Mimi Rhodes, all of whom are eager to prove themselves on the sport’s biggest stage.
Nordqvist summed up the team’s outlook: "We have a lot of power in this group and I think we’ll be really strong this year. It’s going to be a big change, but we also have such a solid core of players that will make the rest of the team feel comfortable and confident." Historically, Europe’s decision to include three rookie captain’s picks in 2011 and 2021 both resulted in victories, and Nordqvist hopes to repeat that success and complete a hat‑trick of wins. Ultimately, the question remains: which side will lift the Solheim Cup this September? Fans can watch Team Europe’s quest to reclaim the trophy live on Sky Sports, with all three days—September 11‑13—broadcast on Sky Sports Golf.
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