Team USA, Pat Hurst
Pat Hurst will captain the American Team for the 2021 Solheim Cup to be held at the Inverness Club in Toledo over the Labor Day weekend. She is an experienced choice having been a member of five U.S. squads, plus she served as an assistant captain in 2015, 2017 and the 2019.
“I loved being an assistant captain. Loved what I’d learned and seen from Captain Juli Inkster with the great players on the last three American Solheim Cup teams. I loved being out on the first tee in that amphitheater with sound so loud you could feel it. No cheers in women’s golf match the Solheim Cup. Nothing makes your hair stand up or causes tingles to run down your arms like the drama and intensity of those three days.”
Hurst won Rookie of the Year honors in 1995 and garnered six LPGA Tour titles during her 20-year career, including the 1998 ANA Inspiration (Nabisco Dinah Shore). In 2006, she came close to adding a second major title, but lost an 18-hole playoff to Annika Sorenstam at the U.S. Women’s Open.
She brings a wealth of experience and motivation to the Solheim Cup and will have 12 of the best women golfers in the world to do battle with the Europeans.
At the end of January, Danielle Kang leads the points list for Team USA. The Korda sisters, Nelly and Jessica are ranked two and three with Ally Ewing, Angela Stanford, Lexi Thompson, Austin Ernst, Brittany Altomare, Cheyenne Knight, Marina Alex, Amy Olson and Megan Khang rounding out the top 12.
Perennial Solheim Cup team member Stacy Lewis is currently outside the top 12, but will probably make her way onto this year’s team.
European Captain Catriona Matthew
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew was a member of nine European Solheim Cup teams, compiling an 18-11-8 record. She has proven to be a capable adversary as she captained the victorious 2019 European Team that defeated the Americans at Gleneagles. Who can ever forget Suzann Pettersen holing the final putt to give Europe the victory? It was one of the most exciting moments in Solheim Cup history, as well as, women’s golf. 
Matthew won 11 titles as a professional. Four on the LPGA Tour, six on the Ladies European Tour, plus she was victorious at the 1996 Women’s Australian Open on the Australian LPGA. Her major victory came at the 2009 Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham, where she bested Karrie Webb by three strokes.
Matthew said,
Being the winning Solheim Cup Captain was the pinnacle of my career, even ‘blowing away’ the 2009 Women’s British Open victory. Winning the Solheim Cup as Captain, in Scotland, in 2019 was a dream come true, but backing that up with a win in America would be even better.”
The top two ranked European women on the Soheim Cup points list and the top four European players from the Rolex Rankings earn automatic berths on the European team. Captain Matthew will have six picks to round out the 12-player team.
Emily Kristine Pedersen and Julia Engstrom lead the LET standings. Carlota Ciganda, Sophia Popov, Charley Hull and Mel Reid, are the top Europeans on the Rolex Rankings and would grab the other four automatic picks.
Georgia Hull, Caroline Masson, Anna Nordqvist, Madelene Sagstrom, Celine Boutier and Bronte Law appear to be favorites to make the team via Captain’s picks.
Veteran Azahara Munoz could also be a choice, or a young player may break out this summer to grab Captain Matthew’s attention and claim a spot on the European Team.
Whatever the team roster, the Solheim Cup in Toledo at Inverness promises to be one of the most exciting sporting events to ever be held in Northwest Ohio.
