Anna Nordqvist could not hide her admiration for the collective effort that propelled Team Europe to a dramatic Solheim Cup win, saying she was impressed by "every single player" who took part. She also emphasized that choosing Charley Hull to open the Sunday singles was an obvious decision, describing it as a "no‑brainer".
The competition concluded on a damp Bernardus Golf course, where Europe clinched seven of the twelve points on offer in the final session, edging out Team USA 15‑13. After a nail‑biting finish on Saturday, when Jennifer Kupcho’s late birdies forced a tie, the Europeans rallied to secure their first outright victory since 2021.
"This win feels incredible," Nordqvist told Sky Sports. "We have put in a massive amount of work over the past two years, not just me but the entire support staff. The helpers have been phenomenal this week, allowing the players to focus solely on their game, and the atmosphere around the team has been fantastic.
Everyone has been a great teammate." She added that the energy on the first tee on Sunday was electrifying. "Leaving the course yesterday we were buzzing for today, and I was genuinely blown away by every player and caddie who stepped up to the tee ready to compete." Nordqvist highlighted the importance of a strong start. "It looked like we were a lot of blue early on the board.
We talked a lot about fast starts this week because of the way the course was playing, and I’m extremely proud of the squad for hitting the ground running and staying strong through to the finish." The decision to send Charley Hull out first was reinforced by the statistics from the previous day. "It was a no‑brainer to put Charley first," Nordqvist explained.
"The data showed that Charley and Lottie Woad were among the top four players who recorded the most birdies throughout the week. Even though they hadn’t amassed many points yet, they were playing very tough matches. People often underestimate how good these players are and how high the level of golf has been over the past three days." Hull, who had previously lost a record‑tying 6&5 match in the Saturday foursomes, entered her singles match against Megan Khang without having earned a full point.
Yet she delivered a decisive 3&2 victory, securing her first complete point of the tournament and helping Europe claim six of the first eight singles matches – a historic first for the team. Reflecting on her performance, Hull admitted frustration at earlier missed opportunities but remained positive. "I’ve given myself a lot of chances and it’s been a bit frustrating. I didn’t sink a lot of putts today, but I was steady, hit a lot of greens, and the weather was pretty tough, so I just stayed in the zone." She also recalled a conversation with vice‑captain Mel Reid, who reminded her of her birdie statistics.
"Mel said I was the third player on both teams with the most birdies this week, and I was up against Yealimi Noh, who had been on fire lately. It’s match play – sometimes you play well but the points don’t come. I’m happy to have that point now; it’s better than none." Lottie Woad, who had also struggled to convert her strong play into points, finally broke through by defeating Auston Kim, pushing the European total to 14 and igniting celebrations among the home crowd. She later secured the winning putt against Carlota Ciganda, sealing the victory for Europe.
Woad described the emotional roller‑coaster of the final day. "Winning was huge for me.
I was disappointed earlier, feeling like I was playing good golf but not getting the points, letting the team down. The captains reminded me that I was third in birdies, so I just had to trust my game. Golf can be like that – in the end I made the winning putt." The Ladies European Tour will head to Spain next week for the La Sella Open at La Sella Golf Resort, while the LPGA Tour takes a brief pause before the Walmart N Arkansas Championship scheduled for September 25‑27.
Looking ahead, the next Solheim Cup is slated for 2028 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, set for September 8‑10. Fans can stay up to date with the latest Sky Sports offers or stream the action on NOW without a contract.
Overall, Nordqvist’s praise for the team’s depth, the strategic choice to start with Hull, and the resilience shown by both Hull and Woad underscore the narrative of a European side that turned early pressure into a historic triumph, ending the competition on a high note and setting the stage for future contests.