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Solheim Cup – Anna Nordqvist’s captain column: Team Europe’s qualification battle as preparation ramps up to face Team USA | Golf News

We are less than 100 days away from the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands and just two months away from team selection – it’s crazy!

It is going to be here before we know it, but it’s nice to see all the work we are doing behind the scenes starting to come together. I am happy everyone is so excited and involved in the journey and everything going on.

I was able to catch up with Suzann Pettersen at the US Women’s Open this past week and run some thoughts and ideas through her, given her knowledge as European captain in 2023 and 2024.

Europe's team pose with the trophy after winning the Solheim Cup golf tournament in Finca Cortesin,
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Team Europe look to regain the trophy in the Netherlands

My vice-captain Anne van Dam lives in Los Angeles and came out to follow some of the girls playing at Riviera Country Club, so it’s nice to have been able to pick each other’s brains!

Anne and I will take around 12 players for a team practice at Bernardus Golf [this year’s Solheim Cup venue] in mid-July, so we will be finalising the details for that in the coming weeks.

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Take a look back at some of Team Europe captain Anna Nordqvist’s best shots from her previous Solheim Cup appearances

I have always believed the ranking will take care of a lot of the team selection, so I’m trying to be encouraging and supportive to all the players trying their hardest to make the team currently.

Helen Briem had a great win at the Jabra Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour two weeks ago to move within a point of Chiara Tamburlini for one of the automatic qualifying spots on the European Solheim Cup points list, so the two of them will have a great battle coming down the stretch for that spot.

Helen Briem claimed the second LET victory of her career
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Helen Briem claimed the second LET victory of her career with a seven-shot win at the Open de France

Celine Boutier just won the ShopRite LPGA on the LPGA Tour, showing great form, then we saw Maja Stark and Charley Hull have an amazing week at the US Women’s Open!

This week the LPGA Tour is playing a team event with the Dow Championship in Michigan, and I am excited to see so many of the European girls team up together.

Maja partners her good friend Linn Grant, Julia Lopez Ramirez plays with Mimi Rhodes, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard with Manon De Roey, Helen with Nastasia Nadaud and Nanna Koerstz Madsen with Celine Boutier, to name a few.

Mimi Rhodes, HSBC Women's World Championship
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Mimi Rhodes is hoping to feature in this year’s Solheim Cup for Team Europe

I’m looking forward to continuing to follow everyone’s journey, with three more majors to go – the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open – to close out the qualifying period.

Then, we can fully prepare and get everyone on the same page leading up to September!

Anna Nordqvist’s column was provided by the Ladies European Tour ahead of the Solheim Cup, live from September 11-13 on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

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