Starting Friday in the Netherlands, Nelly Korda and her US team are chasing a historic goal: to bring home the Solheim Cup from European soil – something they haven't achieved in over ten years.
Blocking their path is a European team, led by England's Charley Hull, who is making her eighth appearance. Korda tees off with full confidence, having won two majors (US Open and Chevron Championship) this season for the first time in her impressive career. And she brings a truly strong Solheim Cup record to the Netherlands: In 16 matches across her four previous appearances in this competition, she has only given up 5.5 points.
However, Korda confidently shakes off the pressure of being the world number one and thus the top target for the Europeans. "Honestly, I don't really think about it at all," said the 28-year-old. "I stay in my bubble and am a bit clueless about it all." She added, "I just really want to make it easy on myself, not overthink it, and just go out and play my game."
The Americans are the reigning champions of the Solheim Cup, having won 15.5-12.5 in Virginia in 2024, and enter this week's matches as slight favorites. However, they haven't won outside the USA since their 14.5-13.5 victory in Germany in 2015.
The US team is led by Angela Stanford, who emphasized that her players are ready to shine, even if the home crowd at the first Solheim Cup on Dutch soil makes a lot of noise. "I believe they are mentally very strong. They don't get rattled. They let things roll off their back if something doesn't go as planned," Stanford told reporters before the tournament. "Furthermore, they are very relaxed. They seem to harmonize really well and are on the same wavelength, and it's been really fun so far."
The Europeans really challenged each other in table tennis and darts, revealed Captain Anna Nordqvist, who, like her US counterpart, is at the helm for the first time. Nordqvist's team features four rookies, including 22-year-old rising star Lottie Woad, and the Swede said they are a "breath of fresh air" for the team.
"As we've seen in recent years, the younger generation comes onto the tour in their early 20s, and their game is simply really strong," said the 39-year-old, who in 2013 became the first player to etch her name forever into Solheim Cup history with a hole-in-one.
Europe is also relying on the experience of 30-year-old Hull, who inflicted a rare singles defeat on Korda at the 2024 Solheim Cup. "It was really fun. I went out there and played pretty well. Everyone has their day, and mine was right there," said Hull. "But she's had a really strong season so far this year, and if it comes down to a singles match, that would be a really strong contest."
