Anna Nordqvist expressed her admiration for every competitor who took part in Team Europe’s victorious Solheim Cup campaign, emphasizing that choosing Charley Hull to open the Sunday singles was an obvious decision. Europe reclaimed the cup after a dramatic final day at the rain‑soaked Bernardus Golf, securing seven of the twelve points on offer to edge Team USA 15‑13.
The European contingent felt the momentum had shifted in their favor following an electrifying finish the previous afternoon, when Jennifer Kupcho’s late‑birdie surge levelled the biennial contest. Undeterred, Europe rallied and clinched their first outright win since 2021.
"This victory feels amazing!" Nordqvist told Sky Sports. "We’ve put in a massive amount of work over the past week and the two years leading up to this, not just me but the whole support staff. The helpers have been incredible, allowing the players to focus solely on their game, and the atmosphere around the course has been fantastic. Everyone has been a great teammate." She continued, "When we left the course yesterday we were buzzing for today, and I was genuinely impressed by every player and caddie who stepped up to the first tee ready to compete." Nordqvist praised the early dominance displayed by the Europeans, noting that the team’s strong starts set the tone for the remainder of the event.
"It was a lot of blue on the board early on. We talked a lot about fast starts this week because of the course conditions, and I’m extremely proud of the players for hitting the ground running and staying strong to the finish." The Swedish captain also addressed the strategic decision to send Charley Hull out first in the singles.
"It was a no‑brainer to put Charley first," she said. "The statistics from yesterday showed that Charley and Lottie Woad were among the top‑four players with the most birdies throughout the week. Even though they hadn’t accumulated many points yet, they had been involved in very tough matches. People often underestimate how good these players are and the quality of golf we’ve seen over the last three days." Hull’s performance validated Nordqvist’s confidence.
After a 6&4 defeat to Korda in the previous Solheim Cup, Hull was entrusted once again to lead Europe’s charge, despite having contributed only half a point alongside Lottie Woad in the first four sessions. In the singles, Hull delivered a decisive 3&2 win over Megan Khang, securing her first full point of the week and helping Europe achieve an unprecedented six victories out of the opening eight singles matches. Reflecting on her win, Hull admitted, "I’ve given myself many chances this week, which has been frustrating at times. I didn’t make a lot of birdies today, but I was steady, hit plenty of greens, and the weather was tough, so I stayed focused." She added, "I spoke with Mel Reid, our vice‑captain, and she reminded me that I was the third‑most prolific birdie‑maker this week, facing Yealimi Noh who had been on fire lately.
Match play can be brutal – you can play well and still not win enough holes. I’m just happy to have contributed a point, even if it’s only one and a half of the total. Anything is better than nothing!" Lottie Woad also broke her personal Solheim drought, defeating Auston Kim to push the European total to 14 points and sparking jubilant celebrations.
She later secured the winning putt against Carlota Ciganda, sealing the home victory. Woad explained, "Winning was crucial for me. I was disappointed earlier, feeling I was playing solid golf but not translating that into points, and I thought I was letting the team down. The captains reminded me that I was third in birdies, so I just needed to trust my game.
Golf is like that – sometimes you have to wait for the putt to fall." Looking ahead, the Ladies European Tour will travel to Spain for the La Sella Open at La Sella Golf Resort, while the LPGA Tour will pause before the Walmart N Arkansas Championship scheduled for September 25‑27. The next Solheim Cup is slated for 2028 at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, set for September 8‑10. Overall, Nordqvist’s comments highlighted the collective effort, strategic insight, and individual resilience that propelled Team Europe to a historic triumph, underscoring the importance of both statistical analysis and gut‑level confidence in captaincy decisions during elite team golf events.