Often debated by fans and the media, captain’s picks can make or break a national team.
Do you go for the hot hand or a player with past success in the event? What about the team room, how will a player fit in? Who can they be paired with? It’s an intriguing additional element to already exciting events.
The history of captain’s picks is different for each national team event. The Solheim Cup, for example, began in 1990 but it wasn’t until 1998 that both the Americans and Europeans used a team format of automatic qualifiers and captain’s picks to determine their 12-player rosters. Different styles have been used across the 13 matches since, but there’s been one constant: the Europeans use far more picks.
Since 1998 the Europeans have made 56 captain’s picks compared to the 27 made by the U.S. The Americans made only two captain’s picks from 1998-2021, where they took three. This year’s matches at Finca Cortesin in Spain, Sept. 22-24, mark the first U.S. team to use six captain’s picks, whereas their European counterparts began making six captain’s picks in 2021.
That got us thinking, who have been some of the better selections over the years, and how crucial a role have they played?
Carin Koch and Catrin Nilsmark of Europe celebrate during the morning Foursomes match at the 2000 Solheim Cup played at the Loch Lomond GC, Loch Lomond, Scotland. Picture: Stuart Franklin. (Photo: Allsport)
We start in 2000, where a trio of late additions led the charge for the Europeans en route to a 14½-11½ win. The Europeans made five captains picks, and three earned 3 points: Carin Koch (3-0-0), Catrin Nilsmark (3–0–0), and Janice Moodie (3–1–0).
The U.S. won Sunday Singles, 7-5, but it was Nilsmark, Koch and Moodie who claimed three of the last four points to seal the deal for the European win and stop the American comeback.
Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch smile as they walk down the fairway during the friday morning foursome matches for the 2002 Solheim Cup matches between USA and Europe held at the Interlachen Golf Club in Edina, Minnesota, USA on September 20, 2002. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
In her second start as a captain’s pick, Koch improved on her debut with a dominant 4½-point showing thanks to a 4–0–1 record. The Swede was a lone bright spot that week for Team Europe, as just two players earned more than two points (Annika Sorenstam, 3½).
Suzann Pettersen of Europe celebrates after sinking a birdie putt on the 18th thus winning her match during the afternoon fourball matches of the 2003 Solheim Cup on September 13, 2003 at Barseback Golf and Country Club, Sweden. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
This won’t be the last time you see Suzann Pettersen’s name on this list, believe that. Similar to 2000, the European squad was once again led primarily by its captain’s picks as three of the five earned 3½ points or more: Pettersen (4–1–0), Janice Moodie (3–0–1) and Catriona Matthew (3–1–1).
Oh yeah, let’s not glass over the fact that Patricia Meunier-Lebouc won both of her matches while being four months pregnant.
Michelle Wie of the U.S. Team lines up a putt on the first green during the Friday morning fourball matches at the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms on August 21, 2009 in Sugar Grove, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
A 19-year-old phenom from Hawaii, Michelle Wie made her debut in 2009 and immediately became a star, earning 3½ points thanks to a dominant 3–0–1 record that featured a 1-up Singles win against 44-year-old veteran Helen Alfredsson.
Caroline Hedwall of Europe looks on during a practice round prior to the 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle Golf Club on September 22, 2011 in Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but captain’s picks played pivotal roles for the Europeans once again in 2011, this time by rookies Caroline Hedwall (2-1-1) and Azahara Munoz (2-1-1).
Hedwall tied U.S. rookie Ryan O’Toole and Munoz defeated Angela Stanford, 1 up, in the final two matches to deliver the Cup to Europe, 15-13. Also shoutout to O’Toole, who earned 3 points and was unbeaten in her Solheim Cup debut, 2–0–2.
Caroline Hedwall during the 2013 Solheim Cup.
Hedwall was at it again in 2013 as the Swede made Solheim Cup history as the only player to ever earn 5 points in a single event. Her Sunday Singles match against Michelle Wie was tied on the 16th hole before Hedwall went on to birdie the 18th to win, 1 up, and clinch the point that ensured Europe would retain the Cup. The Europeans rolled the U.S. in historic fashion, 18-10.
Paula Creamer of the United States Team celebrates after securing the match-winning point with her 4-and-3 win over Sandra Gal during Sunday’s singles matches in the 2015 Solheim Cup at St Leon-Rot Golf Club on September 20, 2015 in Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images)
The Americans made a little history of their own two years later as captain’s pick and veteran Paula Creamer (2-2-0) earned the final point to complete the largest comeback in Solheim Cup history as the U.S. erased a four-point deficit in Sunday Singles by winning 8½ of 12 available points.
Paula Creamer of Team USA celebrates birdie on the 10th green during the final day singles matches of the Solheim Cup at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club on August 20, 2017 in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Creamer replaced an injured Jessica Korda to make her final appearance in 2017 and went out with a bang, earning a 3–1–0 record with a final Singles victory against Georgia Hall, 1 up.
On the other side and albeit in a losing effort, Anna Nordqvist (3–0–1) went unbeaten as Catriona Matthew (3-1-0), who was supposed to be an assistant captain in 2017, replaced Suzann Pettersen, who withdrew with a back injury after qualifying for the team by her ranking.
Suzann Pettersen of Europe celebrates after holing a putt on the 18th green to win the Solheim cup against the US at Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Celine Boutier wasn’t shy of the moment in her debut as the rookie went a perfect 4–0–0, while veteran Suzann Pettersen (2–1–0) proved her worth with an epic birdie putt to beat Marina Alex and claim the Cup for Europe once again.
Europe’s Leona Maguire celebrates after a putt on the 13th hole during the fourball matches at the Solheim Cup golf tournament, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021, in Toledo, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
This time it was debutants Leona Maguire (4–0–1) and Matilda Castren (3–1–0) propelling the Europeans to another win.
Maguire rolled Jennifer Kupcho, 5 and 4, in Sunday Singles after tying her and Lizette Salas while teamed up with Mel Reid the day before in Saturday Fourball. Castren beat Salas on Sunday, 1 up, to earn the crucial 14th point for the Europeans.
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