After a successful maiden trip to the Netherlands for the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup, the attention turns to Valhalla in 2028.
Who will lead the two teams in Kentucky?
It's certainly Anna Nordqvist's for the taking. The newly retired Swede took a team with four new faces and edged out the Americans yet again in singles play, despite being outranked on paper. Her captain's picks went 8-4-1, which, according to Elias Sports Bureau, is the best performance by a group of Euro picks since the 2013 Solheim, where they won on American soil.
Nordqvist caught heat for putting out Charley Hull and Lottie Woad four times despite winning only half a point, and for breaking up her successful all-rookie pairing of Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes. But her singles
lineup and picks came up big.
Nordqvist, a three-time major winner who retired two weeks before the competition at Bernardus Golf, left the door open to return.
"You're never going to say never," she said, "but, yeah, I just need a little bit of time off. But I don't know what my future holds."
Other future captains in the mix on that side include Mel Reid, who has held the vice captain role on numerous occasions, knows how to fire up a team room, and keeps Charley Hull on schedule. She'll certainly get her turn. As will Carlota Ciganda, who at 36 probably isn't done playing yet.
On the American side, there's a long list of players waiting for their turn, so it's unlikely that Angela Stanford will get another shot.
"Well, we have a pretty good pipeline," said Stanford when asked if she's hungry to try it again. "There are a lot of captains in line on the American side, a lot of good ones coming."
The two players at the front of the line for 2028 are likely Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer. Pressel served as an assistant for Stacy Lewis in 2023 and 2024 and led the U.S. Junior Solheim Cup team to victory at Bernardus last week.
The 38-year-old Pressel, who works as lead analyst for Golf Channel/NBC, competed in six Solheims, compiling an 11-8-3 record. She famously beat Annika Sorenstam in singles in 2007 and Anna Nordqvist twice in a row on Sundays in 2009 and 2011.
Creamer, 40, competed in seven Solheim Cups, compiling a 17-9-5 record. As a teenage rookie, she trounced Laura Davies, 7 and 5, in 2005. Called upon frequently to go all five matches for the U.S., Creamer was often praised for what she brought to the team room as much as her results. Creamer served as an assistant captain for both Stanford and Lewis.
Others waiting who will likely get a nod in the not-too-distant future include major champions Brittany Lang, Brittany Lincicome, Michelle Wie West and Lexi Thompson. Cristie Kerr, the winningest American Solheim Cup player in history, has yet to serve as an assistant captain.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women's golf. Follow her on X/Twitter (@GolfweekNichols).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Here's who might be next in line as Solheim Cup captains in 2028
