Suzann Pettersen is a veteran of nine Solheim Cup teams, but the legendary Norwegian leaned on those who came before her as Team Europe’s captain in selecting her four captain’s picks for the 2023 team.
Pettersen, 42, said she had very difficult decisions to make because of the strength of the players across Europe.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of past captains over the last year, over the last month as well,” Pettersen told Sky Sports in announcing her captain’s picks Tuesday. “The last word of wisdom I get is, ‘trust your gut.’
“That’s easier said than done, because I’ve been going back and forth, back and forth, double checking. I feel like we’ve lifted every stone to see how we can best puzzle this team together.”
In the end, Pettersen went with a mix of experience and youth in filling out her roster.
Her first captain’s pick was Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, who will compete in her third Solheim Cup. Sagstrom will be joined by rookie Gemma Dryburgh from Scotland, Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall making her fifth appearance and Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen making her third.
“I never thought it was going to be this challenging but when you have so many great players to choose from, at the end I did go with my instinct,” Pettersen said. “We’ll see how that plays out, but I’m very happy with the lineup that we have.”
The four captain’s picks will be joined by eight automatic qualifiers: Celine Boutier (France), Maja Stark (Sweden), Charley Hull (England), Leona Maguire (Ireland), Georgia Hall (England), Linn Grant (Sweden), Carlota Ciganda (Spain) and Anna Nordqvist (Sweden).
“We’ve never had a stronger team on paper, rankings-wise,” Pettersen said. “It’s not something that we are making up, it’s fact on paper.
“I guess we just got to get used to it, because the talent coming through Europe is so strong.”
As with compiling any international team, Pettersen faced difficult decisions with her captain’s picks. While Sagstrom (No. 42 in the Rolex Rankings) and Dryburgh (No. 48) were considered likely choices, Hedwall has slipped to 120th in the world while Pedersen is No. 114.
Ten years ago, Hedwall became the first player in Solheim Cup history to win five matches in a competition, but she has been posting middling results this year while competing primarily on the Ladies European Tour – including missing four of her past 11 cuts.
Meanwhile, Pedersen has just two top-20s in her past 14 starts while missing five cuts.
There were 12 European players ranked higher than Pedersen who were passed over by the captain. That list includes England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff (No. 51), a veteran of three previous Solheim Cups, and Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela (No. 68), who tied for fourth at this year’s first major at the Chevron Championship.
Pettersen called the selection of Hedwall “a no-brainer for me,” while saying she sees a lot of herself in Pedersen.
“You can always look at stats, but there are exceptions to every rule, and the same goes for stats,” Pettersen said. “The dynamics of the 12 on the team are very important, I almost find it the most important.
“This is going to be one for all, all for one. We’re going to make whatever is best for the European team.”
The 2023 Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Casares, near Malaga, Spain. The event begins on Sept. 22 with two days featuring four Foursome matches and four Fourball matches, and concludes with 12 singles matches on Sunday.
The United States awards seven automatic spots for its team, with Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda, Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang having mathematically clinched the first four. Right behind them in the standings are Jennifer Kupcho, Danielle Kang, Lexi Thompson, Andrea Lee, Ally Ewing and Alison Lee in the top 10.
Captain Stacy Lewis will announce her three captains picks on Aug. 28.
Europe needs 14 points to retain the Cup for the third consecutive time, having won 14 1/2-13 1/2 in Scotland in 2019 and 15-13 in Ohio two years ago. Europe can win the Cup outright with 14 1/2 points.
“You can always try to make it a huge advantage to one side or the other but at the end of the day, by Friday morning both teams have figured out how to play the course,” Pettersen said. “These girls are professionals, they are the best in the class, so I think it’s going to be a fair and golf course.
“I can’t wait for that Friday morning. It’s going to be buzzing, it’s going to be energy, it’s going to be crowds, it’s going to be songs, it’s going to be loud.
“We will be prepared.”
–Field Level Media
