CROMVOIRT, Netherlands — Angela Stanford is making her debut as a Solheim Cup captain, and it’s her job to guide the Americans to a win in Europe. Straight-forward proposition? Yes. Easy? Hardly, particularly when you’re playing overseas with a partisan crowd rooting for the other side.
What Stanford can rely on is a roster that seemingly offers the perfect pairings to make that victory happen. For starters, she’s got the best golfer in the world in Nelly Korda, on her team, with a 10-5-1 record in her previous Solheim Cup starts. Meanwhile, there are only two rookies in Auston Kim and Lindy Duncan, on the team, giving her an experienced lineup to lean on. Stanford, a Texan, also has many Lone Star State comforts here to make her feel right at home, including gifts of cowboy hats, boot and a Dak Prescott jersey.
As for the Europeans, well they’re trying to wrestle the Cup away from the Americans after losing in 2024 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Virginia. Captain Anna Nordqvist has four rookies, but one is an up-and-coming star that could be a wildcard this week in Lottie Woad. Additionally, World No. 8 Charley Hull will be relied on in the Netherlands, where forecasted rain over the weekend will be another factor for both sides.
So how will things shake out the next few days? We’ll do our best to keep you focused as we look at what’s on the line at the 2026 Solheim Cup.
What’s at stake for both teams?
The U.S. hasn’t won in Europe since 2015, and no doubt wants to shed the hard-to-win-on-the-road label. There’s something to it. The Americans have won in Europe only three times in the Cup’s 37-year history (1996, 2007, 2015). The U.S. lost on the last putt in 2019 and tied in 2023, so Europe retained the Cup. It was an agonizing result for Stacy Lewis’ 2023 team to return to the U.S. without the Cup, but they avenged that with the victory a year later at RTJ. The U.S. built a big 10-6 lead through Saturday in Virginia, so while Europe won the singles matches, 6½-5½, it wasn’t enough to overtake the Americans.
As for Europe, the 2024 loss was its first since 2017. Indeed, the Europeans are in the midst of arguably their best run since the Cup’s inception in 1990. Nordqvist is hopeful that despite a roster with fewer top-ranked players than the Americans, that the sum can once again be greater than the parts. That will require veterans like Hull, Carlota Ciganda, Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire to step up even if their recent play doesn’t suggest their form in the best of shape.
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How will weather possibly affect the play and crowds?
Maddie Meyer
There’s rain in the forecast for all three competition days—Friday, Saturday and Sunday—and some fog, too, on Saturday. Jammer joh! The Dutch phrase translated means, too bad or that sucks. It’s already rained a lot this week, including pouring rain about all day Wednesday. This could certainly affect fan attendance, although Europeans don’t seem fazed by weather. Golf isn’t a huge sport in the Netherlands, but fans are surely curious about the event. Locals are used to biking everyday, rain or shine. The fans who have flown in from the U.S. and other European countries will still attend, whether they’re coming in via shuttle buses or bikes. Team organizers expect/hope for 5,000 to 6,000 fans arriving on bikes per day, plus fans coming in on shuttle buses.
How will the course match up for match play?
The consensus is that Bernardus Golf Club, listed at 6,557 yards and a par 72, will reward golfers who are accurate off the tee, with water and trees to navigate throughout the layout.
“Honestly, it tests every part of your game. If you're not in play off the tee, you're not going to be able to get it up by the green,” Lottie Woad said. “And I think every hole plays different depending upon the wind. It's got that links aspect that you're like, ‘Well, I want to finish it here, but it could be driver one day, it could three-wood one day.’ It just plays different every day.”
The par-5 16th hole should be one that’s guaranteed drama and excitement for the matches that go that far.
“I think it will kind of garner a lot of drama just because it's kind of a reachable par-5 with a water hazard running through in the front and there's a bunker on right,” Andrea Lee said. “I feel like there could be some drama, maybe potential eagles, potential birdies, or some water balls. That one stood out to me. The rest of the course, it's a really fun match-play course. I think it's going to require accuracy off the tee, and the greens are very undulated. Getting those speeds down. I think it's going to kind of be a little bit of a shoot-out, too. I think we're going to have to make a lot of putts to win.”
Who has the Solheim Cup edge among the rookie captains?
Kate McShane
Nordqvist and Stanford both have a ton of experience as players and assistant/vice captains, but Nordqvist has the edge in winning. The 39-year-old Swede has played nine times and owns a 17-15-3 record. Teams have gone 4-4-1 in her stretch. Stanford, 53, has played six times with a personal record of 3-11-5. She’s been on three winning teams. Nordqvist just retired from professional golf a week ago and could’ve played on the European team, but she’s focusing on her leadership. Stanford lives for this event, cares a ton about it and has put her heart and soul into it.
Advantage, Nordqvist.
What is Angel Yin’s role looking like?
Naomi Baker
Yin’s role will surely be based off how she plays when Stanford decides to first sends her out. Yin was on a two-month hiatus from the LPGA Tour due to gastrointestinal issues, but has been grinding out in the Netherlands after a rough return to competition two weeks ago (MC at the FM Championship). She played 18 practice holes Wednesday when the rest of the team played nine. Is she trying to work things out, or is she just shaking off the rust and getting in the most reps she possibly can before the Solheim Cup begins on Friday? She was all smiles and giggles and handled questions well, but nobody knows what her game will look like until it’s go time.
Who is most likely to star for U.S.?
Korda and Allisen Corpuz. The two have been a winning combination before, and they’ll likely set the tone for the Americans once again. They were 4-0-0 in foursomes matches in 2024. Korda can carry that intimidating factor just by showing up to the first tee, according to her teammates, something Korda will let others worry about.
Naomi Baker
“I don't really think about it. If they're intimidated, great,” Korda said laughing. “But for me, I just kind of go out and do my thing. I just hope that the U.S. team just brings a lot of passion.”
Korda is 10-5-1 and playing in her fifth Solheim Cup. Major winner Corpuz is 5-2-1 and playing in her third Solheim Cup. Stanford needs the pair to continue their winning ways.
Who is most likely to star for Europe?
Hull and Woad. The former is 15-9-3 and has played in the Solheim Cup since she was 18. She has the most wins of anyone in the event and the most moxie. The Englishwoman took down Nelly Korda in 2024, too.
Naomi Baker
Then there’s the 22-year-old Woad, who has two wins on the LPGA Tour in just over one year since turning pro after a standout amateur career. What a combination. She is confident in match-play format, since she was on the winning Curtis Cup team in 2024 and also has plenty of match-play experience from Florida State.
Why the U.S. will win?
The U.S. has more depth, top to bottom, from the best player in the world in Korda to captain’s picks in Rose Zhang, Megan Khang and Lindy Duncan. Duncan is a gritty 35-year-old playing in the event for the first time and has dreamed about being here. Zhang just went sky diving last week, so this shouldn’t faze her. Alison Lee has the experience of winning in Germany in 2015 and the new mom has her son, 1-year-old Levi, here to cheer her on (and Lee got him a cute USA outfit for each of the three competition days). Auston Kim, a rookie, is always reading a good book and this week, she’s reading Crime and Punishment. The U.S. is that locked in in the Netherlands.
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Why the Europeans will win?
When you have Hull playing fast and furious and confident, everyone will follow her lead. There’s some big-time veterans on this team and four rookies, but really World No. 7 Woad is a rookie only on paper. Carlota Ciganda, the oldest player in the event at 36, has 12 Solheim match wins and combined with Hull, the two have 27 combined victories. Ciganda won all four of her matches in the 2023 Solheim Cup and made an unforgettable putt to clinch the win in Spain. That’s a big putt under pressure. Rookie Julia Lopez Romero, the longest hitter on tour, will use her length to put the Europeans in a good spot. And, Europe has won six of the nine times the event has been played overseas.
Prediction
This will be a tight one. Let’s go U.S. 14½, Europe 13½