Suzann Pettersen has announced her four captain’s picks to round out the home team that’s trying to win an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup for Europe next month in Spain. Much like the eight automatic qualifiers who locked up their spots two days earlier, Pettersen chose experience along with a fresh face, taking one rookie (Gemma Dryburgh) and three veterans (Madelene Sagstrom, Caroline Hedwal and Emily Kristine Pedersen). With the matches set for Finca Cortesin Resort in just four weeks (September 22-24), here’s what you need to know about the newest members of Europe’s Solheim Cup squad.

Madelene Sagstrom

Madelene Sagstrom. Jack Thomas

This is the 30-year-old’s third Solheim Cup, though it’ll be the first time she’ll play the event in Europe. The Swede was a stand-out on the Epson Tour, winning three times in 2016 and earning her LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season. She has won once on the LPGA Tour and is currently ranked No. 42 in the Rolex World Rankings. Her overall Solheim Cup record is 2-4-0.

Emily Kristine Pedersen

Emily Kristine Pedersen. Charlie Crowhurst/R&A

This is Pedersen’s third Solheim Cup as well and her first start in Europe, too. You may remember her as the player who holed the winning put for the Europeans when they closed out their upset victory at Inverness Club in 2021. The 27-year-old Dane has won five LET events in her career, including four in 2020 alone. Notably, she is one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour, averaging 273 yards off the tee. Her career Solheim Cup record is 3-4-0.

Caroline Hedwall

Caroline Hedwall. Getty Images

Hedwall is the most experienced of Pettersen’s picks, set to make her fifth appearance. The 34-year-old Swede who was a stand-out at Oklahoma State who played 10 years on the LPGA Tour but never claimed a title. She does have seven wins on the Ladies European Tour, the most recent coming late last year at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España —  which was played about an hour from the 2023 Solheim Cup site.
“Having great memories from the end of last year in Andalucía, I hadn’t thought much about Solheim until I won and after that, it was a goal for the season,” Hedwall said. “I’m just really happy it became a reality and super pumped to play in Spain again.”
Her career Solheim Cup record is 8-6-1.

Gemma Dryburgh

Gemma Dryburgh. David Cannon

This is Dryburgh’s first Solheim Cup, though she has experience in team play, having competed in the 2014 Curtis Cup. The 30-year-old Scot played college golf at Tulane before turning professional in 2015. In 2022, she won the Toto Japan Classic, her first LPGA victory. She will make a good foursomes partner as she is one of the most accurate drivers of the golf ball on the LPGA Tour, hitting more than 82 pe rcent of fairways in the 2023 season.

Team Europe’s complete roster for the 2023 Solheim Cup

Celine Boutier
Maja Stark
Charley Hull
Leona Maguire
Georgia Hall
Linn Grant
Carlota Ciganda
Anna Nordqvist
Gemma Dryburgh
Caroline Hedwall
Emily Kristine Pedersen
Madelene Sagstrom

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The end of the ISPS Handa World Invitational also marked the end of the qualifying period for Europe’s Solheim Cup roster. All eight players in line for automatic spots heading into the week held their places, as the Ladies European Tour announced on Sunday that Celine Boutier and Maja Stark earned their way on to the team through LET Solheim points. Charley Hull, Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Linn Grant, Carlota Ciganda and Anna Nordqvist claimed the remaining six qualifying spots from their placement in the Rolex Women’s World Rankings.

Six of the eight qualifiers have previous experience in the Solheim Cup, with Boutier, Hull, Maguire, Hall and Nordqvist playing for the victorious European team at Inverness Club in 2021. Stark and Grant are the two rookies to qualify, each winning their first-ever LPGA events during the qualifying period. Stark won the 2022 ISPS Handa World Invitational last season, and Grant won the Dana Open in July.

“I’m very happy with my team right now,” said European captain Suzann Pettersen via a release, the biennial competition set for Sept. 22-24 at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain with the Europeans looking to win for a third straight clash, something they haven’t done since the start of the competition in 1990. “Congratulations to the eight players who have automatically qualified, we have so much experience in the team, and it’s great to have our rookies Maja and Linn representing Europe for the first time. We have never had such a strong group of players in terms of world ranking. The European players have been playing well this year and putting in strong performances across the board.”

Congratulations to the eight players who have qualified for the ???????? ??????? ??? ???? ???

Boutier ??
Stark ??
Hull ???????
Maguire ??
Hall ???????
Grant ??
Ciganda ??
Nordqvist ??#TeamEurope | #SolheimCup

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 20, 2023

Boutier led the points list with a commanding European swing, winning the Amundi Evian Championship and the Women’s Scottish Open in back-to-back weeks starting at the end of July. The 29-year-old from France will be playing in her third Solheim Cup, having impressively earned 5.5 of a possible seven points combined in 2019 and 2021.

Outside of Grant, the Rolex Rankings group has played in a combined 21 Solheim Cups, with Nordqvist (who is also serving as a vice captain) leading the way with seven consecutive cups dating back to 2009.

“I’m very proud to be taking on vice-captaincy and playing this year,” Nordqvist said. “I don’t think it’s a secret how much I love the Solheim Cup and it brings out the best in me. It’s always my biggest goal every two years to make the team and try to help Europe win.”

Pettersen will fill out the remaining spots on her 12-player roster on Tuesday when she announces her four captain’s picks. The United States end their automatic qualifying period after next week’s CPKC Canadian Open, with only four of the nine spots already locked up (Lilia Vu, Nelly Korda, Allisen Corpuz and Megan Khang). US captain Stacy Lewis then will name her three captain’s picks afterward.

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The UK’s No 1 female golfer, Georgia Hall, has launched her new golf academy at Paultons Golf Centre in Hampshire’s New Forest, with a masterclass for local school children.

Demonstrating their enthusiasm and passion for golf, a selected group from Foxhills Primary School and Bramshaw Golf Club received tips from Georgia on the Paultons driving range and putting green.

This session follows a month-long training programme led by Paultons’ highly experienced golf professionals. Over 750 children have received coaching sessions so far, helping to kickstart their passion for sport and golf in particular.

Earlier this year, the Hampshire golf course announced it was partnering with Bournemouth-born Georgia Hall MBE to launch a new academy that will offer tailored programmes for young people and encourage disabled golfers to take up the game.

Paultons is currently developing proposals to upgrade and redesign its existing practice facilities including a 6-hole academy course, improved short-game facilities and upgraded driving range.

This next phase of improvements would help deliver a ‘best-in-class’ golf development facility, building on the extensive improvement works which have already been made to the Golf Centre in recent years. The existing 18-hole championship course has already been renovated and the driving range experience improved with Toptracer technology and heated bays, which are already proving popular with local residents, school children and visitors.

Georgia’s experience and knowledge will help shape the final vision for the new facilities at Paultons and the academy. Her ambition is to deliver a golf experience that appeals to the widest possible audience. She will be involved throughout the whole process, engaging directly with the Paultons project team.

Georgia Hall commented: “Through my academy, I want to inspire more young people and in particular more girls to take up golf. Paultons Golf Centre is very close to where I was brought up and where I still live when I’m in the UK. When I was younger, I didn’t have the best facilities to practice on and even today I still have to leave the local area to practice when I’m at home. Having a better range and short game area is really important for future development of golf on the south coast.”

Ben Blackburn, Paultons Golf Centre added: “The partnership with Georgia is really exciting as we’re bringing together her passion for making golf more accessible with our plans to create an attractive golf destination for visitors from across the country that delivers the best facilities for the whole community, as well as keen amateurs and even professionals like Georgia herself.

“To date, we have delivered coaching sessions for 750 local schools and it’s clear that young people have an appetite for playing golf. Our joint vision with Georgia is to help nurture future talent, producing the next Georgia Halls who can compete at the very highest level and become the best in the country if not the world.

As we develop our plans, Georgia will be involved throughout the whole process with the wider project team.”

In close consultation with Georgia, Paultons is finalising its proposals and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including the New Forest National Park Authority and New Forest District Council. A full public consultation will take place before an application to expand the practice facilities is submitted to the New Forest National Park Authority later this year.

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Celine Boutier was flying the flags of France and the Ladies European Tour in the United States as she defeated fellow LET poster girl Georgia Hall to claim the Drive on Championship in a dramatic playoff on Sunday.

Boutier showed her mettle by forcing a playoff by with a clutch birdie putt at the par-5 18th to post a 4-under 68, matching Hall (65) at 20-under as the Europeans outdid their hosts on American soil in the LPGA’s first full-field event of the season.

Playing the 18th again, neither golfer found the green but Boutier held her nerve, producing yet another impressive birdie putt to deny 2018 Open champ Hall.

Boutier had mixed feelings about squaring off in a playoff against — and beating — Hall, a former Solheim Cup teammate.

“I was honestly not looking forward to it,” Boutier said. “It’s a bittersweet feeling because you obviously want to win, but at the same time I really think she’s an amazing player. She is a really good friend of mine. So I feel like it’s not always easy, but also I’m a little bit competitive, so I feel like I definitely want to win as well. But it’s not the greatest feeling.”

Leaving the desert with a new friend ?@celineboutier | LPGA Drive On Championship pic.twitter.com/cIOY4qBvTw

— LPGA (@LPGA) March 27, 2023

With the victory, the 29-year-old Boutier claimed her third LPGA victory and became the most successful French player on tour, moving past Patricia Meunier-Lebouc and Anne-Marie Palli. She had previously won the 2019 Vic Open and 2021 ShopRite Classic.

Boutier posted two early birdies at 2 and 3 and gave a stroke back with bogey at the sixth. On the back nine, she made a move with birdies at 11 and 13, and none more important than the clutch putt at the 18th, her 72nd hole.

“I was a little bit nervous, but not as much as I expected or I thought I was going to be,” she said. “I feel like I was just really focused. I had a really tough chip from the right with a break from right to left, so I was just trying to get as close as I could. Then the 5- or 6-footer was definitely a little bit of pressure.”

After three birdie-filled rounds at Superstition Mountain Golf Club, the final round started with 17 players within three shots of the lead and stayed to form.

Hall made the most of her fourth round, posting one of three 7-under par scores, including going 6 under on the back nine to take a clubhouse lead, finishing about an hour ahead of Boutier.

Hall, who was looking for her first win since the 2020 Cambia Portland Classic, which followed a victory at the Women’s British Open in 2018, tried to find some consolation in her near-miss.

“Obviously fantastic to get to the position I was in,” the 26-year-old major winner said. “I knew I had to shoot low today, and obviously gutted about the playoff.”

Japan’s Ayaka Furue closed with a 65 and finished third at 19-under. Na Rin An of South Korea was alone in fourth at 18-under with a closing 67, while American Ally Ewing (67) and South Korea’s Jin Young Ko (68) were another stroke back in fifth.

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The English 26-year-old raced away 12 months ago to claim the Saudi International crown with nearest challengers, Johanna Gustavsson and Kristýna Napoleaová, five strokes back. But the 2018 Women’s Open champion does not expect things to be quite as easy this time around as she gets her 2023 season under way.

Georgia Hall speaks at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Matt Smith/Motivate Media Group

“I think it’s going to be very windy again,” Hall said, referring to the breeze that whips in off the Red Sea each afternoon. “This has already been one of the windiest weeks that I’ve been here. I think it’s a good test and it will definitely work on my low shots, especially off the tee. “It’s also a very strong field this year, much stronger than last year, so I think obviously it will be harder to win for anyone.

“I think that’s great for this event. I’ve seen a lot of youngsters come through, too, especially ones from Europe. Chiara [Dubai resident and schoolgirl Noja], I think she’s going to be really good. She won the Obviously won the individual title here last year at the Aramco Team Series. I’ve heard a lot of good things about her.”

Does the five-fold increase in prize money put added weight on her shoulders as defending champ?

“That doesn’t give me more pressure feeling-wise,” Hall replied. “I think being defending champion is a really good feeling — and a feeling that a lot of players don’t get often because we have so many good players now on tour it’s very hard to win.

“It’s nice to defend. Obviously, there may be a little bit more pressure here or there, but I think pressure is really good and it means you care.

“I’m really going to enjoy the week and see what happens.”

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Hall returns to Jeddah following incredible recent success in King Abdullah Economic City after winning the Aramco Saudi Ladies International here in March, while Olivia Cowan is in the form of her career after winning her first Ladies European Tour title in the Hero Women’s Indian Open two weeks ago.

Both are relishing the opportunity to be back in Saudi Arabia this week with Hall saying: “I love coming back here. I really like this golf course. It is one of my favourites to play in my season and it is always in great condition. The weather is always good, and the wind can get up quite a bit in the afternoons which makes the course have a linksy feel which I really enjoy.

“There are some tough holes out there, but I can also reach pretty much every par 5 which is nice so that gives me some really good eagle opportunities and the chance to try and shoot some low rounds. Every time we come here as players, we also get really well looked after, so it’s just a really fun week.”

Olivia Cowan. Golf Saudi

Cowan echoed the sentiments of Hall and added: “I feel really confident about my game at the moment coming off the back of that first win in India. I’m just really looking forward to playing this course, I really love playing it and being back here in Jeddah. It’s challenging and fun to play in, and the team event makes it a bit more relaxing. I just love coming back here and can’t wait for the week to get going.”

The tournament draft took place on Wednesday evening where the teams for this week’s event were selected. Each of the 36 captains have one individual pick, before they are allocated a random player at the draft, with the team element of the tournament being decided after day two of the event. Individual player scores are then carried over to the final day as an individual winner is crowned.

Hall will be joined in her team by young compatriot Lily May Humphreys, as well as French golfer Anais Meyssonnier. Cowan used her pick to select young English star Cara Gainer, while Team Cowan will be completed by another English player in Rachael Goodall.

Other standout teams are Team Charley Hull with the highest ranked player in the field selecting Isabella Deilert, and being allocated Moroccan star Maha Haddioui, while Team Alison Lee will be completed by Camilla Lennarth and Diksha Dagar.

Defending individual champion Pia Babnik will be joined by Kristyna Napoleaova and Lauren Taylor for the first two days of competition as she looks to start her title defence in the best way.

All teams will be completed by a championship amateur which differentiates the Aramco Team Series as unique and innovative and both Hall and Cowan believe golf’s global series as been an extremely welcome addition to the Ladies European Tour schedule.

Hall said: “It is fantastic to get this support from Aramco and Golf Saudi and having the five events on the calendar of the Ladies European Tour has really boosted the Tour. I know speaking to a lot of players, they are really grateful for that support.

“All the players just really enjoy coming to these events, it’s something different and just brings a different aspect to the game.”

Cowan emphasised Hall’s opinion adding: “The set up and everything they do for the players is amazing. The weeks are set up like a major and the Aramco Team Series puts a lot of effort into the event and looking after the players for the week. We really appreciate that and hope other companies continue to show the same support for growing women’s golf.”

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Charley Hull and Georgia Hall will be appearing at the final leg of golf’s global series, with Hull ranked No. 18 in the world. She heads into the final ATS event in scintillating form after winning her latest LPGA title at the Ascendant in Texas. Hall will return to a venue where she has had recent success after claiming a five-shot victory at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in March and sits at No. 29 in the world rankings.

Hall is thrilled to be returning to Royal Greens Golf and Country Club after March’s success and commented: “I have always loved my previous appearances in Jeddah, and it was extra special to win here in March this year.

“The Aramco Team Series is always such a fun tournament to be a part of and I am excited to be playing the event again for the first time since the London edition. I got close to winning the individual title at Centurion Club until Bronte made that incredible putt on 18, so I am hoping I can go one better this time.

“I can’t wait to tee it up again in Jeddah in a couple of weeks and hope I can replicate the success I had in March.”

Hall will renew that rivalry with Bronte Law in November as the ATS London individual winner will also feature and she will be joined by Olivia Cowan, Anne Van Dam, Annabel Dimmock and Marianne Skarpnord, among others.

November’s event will be the 32nd stop on the Ladies European Tour ‘Race to Costa del Sol’ and fifth and final edition of the Aramco Team Series for 2022.

Hull is equally excited to be featuring in the ATS again and added: “I have been fortunate to play every Aramco Team Series event this year apart from the one in Spain in August and have loved being a part of them.

“It is always a refreshing change to play these events as it has the combination of team and individual play which is unique and different to the normal tournaments we play. I try to have as much fun as possible when playing the Aramco Team Series events and it will be no different in Jeddah in a couple of weeks.”

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In the strongest line up to date, 30 countries are represented in the field, 45 LPGA winners with a haul of 194 titles and 28 Solheim Cup players with 74 appearances between them, and three past champions as Ryann O’Toole returns to Scotland to defend her first LPGA title.

The aforementioned 22 major winners boast a total of 39 major championships, including Brooke Henderson, who won the Amundi Evian Championship in France last week.

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Joining Henderson at Dundonald Links is 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Brooke Henderson, three-time major winner Anna Nordqvist, world no.8 and winner of the 2014 Evian Championship Hyo Joo Kim, Hannah Green, winner of the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and winner of the 2021 Chevron Championship Patty Tavatanakit.

There are 22 Brits in the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open field and among the home hopes are major champion Georgia Hall and Solheim Cup star Charley Hull.

“I am really looking forward to playing,” said Hall. The next month is going to be a very busy time on the schedule, but I can’t wait to kick off the two Scottish events at Dundonald Links (the AIG Women’s Open is at Muirfield next week). I love the challenges of links golf, and last time we played here in 2017 I finished in the top-10 so I am excited to see how the club and course has changed over the last few years”.

After a two-year Covid inflicted hiatus, fans will be welcomed back to the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open for the first time since 2019. As well as being able to watch the best of women’s golf take on the challenges of Dundonald Links, there will be plenty of activities for all the family in the Fan Zone, from trying out new Golf technology and sport challenges to enjoying live music and local flavours.

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WATCH: Highlights from Day 3

In a thrilling finale, Law powered past fellow English star Georgia Hall to close out at nine-under and scoop the $75,000 first prize.

Law needed a birdie at the closing par-five to match Hall’s and force a play-off. Instead, she did better, producing a moment of pure magic when she sank a monster putt for an eagle three that drew a huge roar from the galleries and secured her a second Ladies European Tour title.

Law, 27, said: “That’s why we play this game – for moments like that. And in front of a home crowd, it doesn’t really get any better. Why we go through all the heartache, the pain and everything is for moments like that.”

There had been flashes of adversity in the final round for Law, not least at the 13th hole where she made double-bogey to slip from the leaderboard summit.

But the 2019 Solheim Cup star, who finished tied-sixth earlier this month in the US Women’s Open, showed her fighting qualities as she reeled off birdies at the 15th and 16th to haul herself back into contention.

Hall also had her foot down on the pedal – as did the late-charging Linn Grant. The Swede closed with six birdies in her final seven holes to take third spot, but it was Law who landed the most telling blow of all with that monster putt that saw her sign for a two-under final round of 71.

The victor added: “I’m competitive, I want to win. So I won’t go down without a fight. I never know that I’m going to end up with a win, but I will make sure I give it my alL in order to give myself a chance. I knew I had to battle. It’s never over until it’s over – I guess that kind of showed at the end there.”

Runner-up Hall said: “I’m gutted, but what a putt to win. I played really well again. I played really well all week – I just didn’t really hole much again.”

The team event – with a total purse of $500,000, like the individuals’ tournament – was similarly exciting. Team Garcia and Team Wikstrom finished on 27-under-par on Friday evening, resulting in the two captains returning today for a play-off down the 18th.

Unfortunately for Ursula Wikstrom, her tee-shot at the first extra hole drew an extremely difficult lie in a fairway bunker and she required two strokes to extricate herself from it. Ultimately that proved decisive as Nicole Garcia locked in a solid par to claim the $105,000 winner’s cheque, shared with her two professional team-mates Madelene Stavnar and Kelly Whaley.

Of course, there was a fourth member of Team Garcia – amateur Mia Baker. And, playing off a 16 handicap, she was a major factor in the success, sinking a tricky putt on the final green of regulation play the previous evening.

South Africa’s Garcia said: “Mia really helped us out and that’s what this whole tournament is about, getting involved with the amateurs and giving everybody the experience of a professional event.

“I’m really proud – it couldn’t have gone better. All four girls contributed equally. An experience like this is always going to bring you closer to your peers that you’ve played with.”

Reflecting on the experience of a lifetime and also her playing partners, Baker added: “It has been so nice and the best thing is they made me not feel stressed. I couldn’t have asked for anymore from them – they were amazing.”

This week’s London leg was the second of five $1million Aramco Team Series tournaments on the LET calendar this season, following last month’s Bangkok opener – and preceding events in Sotogrande, New York and Jeddah. The tournaments are famed for their unique format, in which three LET professionals play in teams with one amateur player.

From August 18-20, the Aramco Team Series will be in Spain at the magnificent La Reserva Club de Sotogrande.

The post Bronte Law is the full Monty at Aramco Team Series — London appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

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