Leona Maguire has been included among Team Europe’s captain’s picks for next month’s Solheim Cup, with Anna Nordqvist adding three more rookies to her line-up.
Maguire has featured in the last three Solheim Cups, top-scoring as an unbeaten rookie in Europe’s away win over Team USA in 2021 before making further appearances in 2023 and 2024.
The 31-year-old was the highest-ranked European player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings not to qualify automatically, having posted three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season but missed the cut in four of the five majors.
Leona Maguire has won 8.5 points for Team Europe from 12 matches during her three previous appearances
Maguire was the only player with past Solheim Cup experience named among Nordqvist’s picks, announced live on Sky Sports, with Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, France’s Nastasia Nadaud and England’s Mimi Rhodes the other selections.
“I’m really excited to be part of Team Europe again in September,” Maguire said. “I love the Solheim Cup, it brings the best out of my game and I love being part of the team.”
It leaves Team Europe with four debutants in their line-up to face Angela Stanford’s Team USA at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands from September 11-13, where the hosts look to regain the trophy after their 2024 loss.
“Leona has proved herself at the Solheim Cup, she has a huge passion for the European team and her record speaks for itself,” Nordqvist said. “She is a player you want on your team – especially in match play – and I’m thrilled to pick her.”
Former world amateur No 1 Lopez Ramirez and Nadaud were the next two available players in the world rankings, while Rhodes claimed her pick having won three times on the Ladies European Tour last season.
“It’s always been a dream and goal of mine to play in the Solheim Cup,” Rhodes said. “To now be selected for the 2026 Solheim Cup is beyond anything I imagined. I’m so proud to represent Team Europe so early in my professional career.”
Mimi Rhodes is among four debutantes in the European team
Lopez Ramirez makes her debut after impressing in her second season on the LPGA Tour, including contending at last month’s ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, while Nadaud won the season-ending Andalucia Costa del Sol Open de Espana in 2025.
“It’s unbelievable!” Nadaud said. “If you’d have told me six months ago, I’d be on the European Solheim Cup team, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s a dream come true to be able to represent Europe.”
Who else features for Team Europe?
Team Europe’s qualification campaign ended after the AIG Women’s Open on Sunday, where the top two players on the Ladies European Tour Solheim Cup points list and the next available six via the world rankings secured their spots.
The eight automatic qualifiers were confirmed after the AIG Women’s Open
Charley Hull topped the LET Solheim Cup points list to secure her an eighth consecutive Solheim Cup appearance, while Esther Henseleit pipped Chiara Tamburlini to second by 0.9 points after her runner-up finish at the final women’s major of the year.
“I’m really happy to be part of the European Solheim Cup team again,” Henseleit said. “It was a great experience last time out in the United States but I’m very excited to be in the team on European soil. With it being so close to Germany, I hope a lot of fans come out and watch.”
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England’s Lottie Woad will make her debut as the highest-ranked European in the world rankings, having won on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour over the past 13 months since turning professional.
Sweden’s Maja Stark and Linn Grant return for their third consecutive Solheim Cups, with France’s Celine Boutier, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen the others to qualify automatically.
Team USA’s qualification campaign ends after the CPKC Women’s Open from August 20-23, with the top seven in the Solheim Cup points list and the next two in the world rankings qualifying, before Stanford names three captain’s picks later this month.
Who will win the Solheim Cup? Watch Team Europe’s bid to regain the trophy exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf and more with no contract.