ANGELA STANFORD has been named USA captain for next year’s Solheim Cup.

The 47-year-old, who retired from playing last year, succeeds Stacy Lewis for the tournament which will be held in the Netherlands in September 2026. 

“I’m extremely grateful to be named the next American captain for the Solheim Cup and join a list of my heroes in the game,” she said.

“I’ve always believed that I represent more than myself on the LPGA Tour and there is no greater honour than representing your country.

“I consider this the pinnacle of my career and I’m looking forward to leading our players to the Netherlands in 2026.”

Stanford will lead a young core of Americans who are coming off a victory and will try to win the cup overseas for the first time in more than a decade.

The golfer was on the last American team that won away from home, in 2015 in Germany when Juli Inkster was at the helm. She was an assistant on the last three teams, including what she calls a “massive” victory in Virginia last September.

The US team was so young that 10 of the 12 players had never experienced what it was like to win the Solheim Cup.

“They needed that feeling,” Stanford said. “Virginia was big for a lot of these players, and I hope getting a taste of that win and getting a taste of what it meant ... you can’t feel something you've never felt before. That was kind of cool. Hopefully, they’ll want to accept the next challenge, which is winning one overseas.”

The core of the American team is Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu, with multiple major championships between them. Nine of the US players were in their 20s at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, which held off a late European charge.

The 2026 matches will be held at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Anna Nordqvist of Sweden had been selected captain for Europe.