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As Angela Stanford is poring over analytics and conversations among other research in her work as the U.S. Solheim Cup captain, she’s also listening, asking questions and keeping an open mind.
She’s made one big decision already that wasn’t on her radar when she was announced as captain last March. Stanford might very well select a rookie or two with her three captain’s picks to compete Sept. 11-13 at Bernardus Golf Club in Cromvoirt, Netherlands.
“I’ve actually had some conversations with past captains about this because, honestly, I didn’t want to take a rookie overseas,” Stanford said in an interview with Golf Digest earlier this week. “I did not think that an overseas Solheim Cup would be good for a rookie their first time out because it’s a different environment. But now talking to a couple of past captains, and I see where they’re coming from, these players play all over the world at a younger age, and they’re on bigger stages. It seems like the game has changed a little bit in the sense where players aren’t overwhelmed by situations anymore.”
Stanford has extensive Solheim Cup experience as a six-time player from 2003 to ’15 and was an assistant captain for the last three matches with Europe, working under Pat Hurst and Stacy Lewis.
The 48-year-old Stanford will announce her three picks on Aug. 24, one month after the conclusion of the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada. That means players on the bubble have four tournaments to impress her.
“When I talk about rookies, I’m obviously looking at Lindy [Duncan] and Jenny [Bae] and Lucy Li,” Stanford said. “Those are the three that I really need them to do something in these last four tournaments kind of to just solidify that.”
As of today, with the LPGA playing this week in the Women’s Scottish Open before next week’s Women’s British Open, beyond the seven players who would make the team on points, the two Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings qualifiers for the squad are Andrea Lee (No. 32) and Duncan (No. 46). The next two who are closest are Megan Khang (No. 52), who has played in the last two Solheim Cups, and Bae (No. 63).
MORE: The players seeking Solheim Cup spots for U.S. and Europe are facing their final big stretch
Nine players took part in a recent practice session with Stanford at Bernardus. Allisen Corpuz, Jennifer Kupcho, Auston Kim, Lauren Coughlin and Duncan, who would all make the team today on points or ranking, were there. Khang, Rose Zhang and Lilia Vu—who all played on the winning U.S. team in 2024—were there, as was Li.
Among the three rookies Stanford talked about, Duncan sits highest in the team standings at No. 9. But the 34-year-old missed two straight cuts, both at majors, going into this week. Li, 23, is No. 10 in the standings, but she has struggled of late, missing three consecutive cuts, including two majors, and shot 81 in the opening round of the Scottish Open.
Stanford is giving Bae strong consideration. The 24-year-old is 12th in the U.S. standings and 58th in the world. She’s never won a tournament, but has two top-10s this year, including a T-3 at the Mizuho America’s Open.
“I’ve just really enjoyed watching Jenny from a distance,” Stanford said. “She’s still young, but I think she’s one that if we could get her in that environment, in that setting, I think she would be OK, if we just make sure we get her with the right people.
“She just has that fighter mentality. She’s never going to quit, and you’ve got to have that when you go to Europe.”
A player not at the recent practice session but one who figures to make a bid for a spot in this final stretch is Alison Lee, who played her first Solheim as a rookie in 2015, followed by an appearance two years ago while she was pregnant.
Lee has three top-10s this season, contended strongly in two majors and is No. 61 in the world. She could earn her way onto the team with a strong few weeks and pass Duncan, who then would go into the captain’s pick pool. (This week did not go well, however, with Lee missing the cut in Scotland.)
The 31-year-old Lee has been a pleasant surprise. She was still on maternity leave when 2026 began after having her son Levi. She’s made it very clear she wants to play her way onto this team and not put Stanford in a position where she’d need to use a captain’s pick on her.
“She found me at [The Meijer LPGA Classic] and asked ‘why are the points broken down like this?’ She was just kind of drilling me on these points, and I’m like, ‘this is awesome.’ She genuinely wants to make this team, and for a player to talk about it in the media and talk about it to the captain, she’s not scared to go out there and back it up and play and perform,” Stanford said. “She has this moxie about her and it would be nice to have that in the team room. I hope she makes it on her own because that’s what she wants to do. She’s been a very pleasant surprise this year.”
After the tour is done in Europe, players return to play in The Standard Portland Classic, then go to Canada for their final event before the team is announced. How they’re playing this next month means a lot to Stanford.
“Everybody wants somebody that’s trending and playing well. We do want that,” Stanford said. “At the same time, my two things that I’ve always said are: how players fit in the team room, and how many people can we pair them with? I’ve been in situations on Solheim Cup teams where you kind of get stuck if you can only pair somebody with one other person.”
Team chemistry seems good to Stanford, especially on the recent trip to Bernardus, where they played for two days and dined together. Players walked with pushcarts last month because Stanford said she didn’t realise there was only about six carts on the property and it wasn’t an issue when she was there before. She took the blame for not having enough carts, but she was heartened to see it wasn’t a problem when she found the group sitting at the eighth hole with their pushcarts.
“They were all sitting there on the ground with their pushcarts, and I wish I would have taken that picture,” Stanford said. “Because when I walked up, they were, like, ‘We were just talking about how this is kind of like junior golf again.’ It just felt like they really do enjoy what they doing. They really do love it and have a true passion for it.”
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