The Solheim Cup begins in the Netherlands from September 11 to 13, 2026. The defending champions, Team USA, lands at Bernardus Golf; however, the path to another victory looks far from straightforward as the Americans face high-profile absences and form concerns. With Europe fielding a deep, healthy squad on home soil, retaining the Cup on European ground feels like an uphill battle.
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Grant Boone, play-by-play commentator for Golf Channel, summed these concerns in an X post.
“Solheim Cupdate: Lilia Vu, who had the clinching half at the last Solheim, is on site at Bernardus and in uniform for the US as an alternate. Angel Yin has only played once since June (MC at FM) because of illness and back pain forced Rose Zhang to WD in Canada, though she had top 10s before and after. Vu was No. 1 in the world and the 2023 Player of the Year before struggling the last 2 seasons, first with injury then the return,” Boone wrote.
Lilia Vu was central to the US victory at the 2024 Solheim Cup in Virginia. She sank the clinching putt that secured the cup for the team. However, despite the heroics, she is not on the playing roster but is present at Bernardus as an alternate. Some fans are even upset that Angela Stanford didn’t pick her.
This could be because of her poor form over the last two seasons. Despite winning four events, including two major championships, and the Meijer LPGA Classic in 2024, her form has collapsed: only two top-10 finishes across the two seasons, with 11 missed cuts last year and 13 this season across 19 starts each year.
While Angel Yin and Rose Zhang rank higher in form than Vu, both are battling injuries that could derail their Solheim contributions. Yin qualified as No. 2 but suffered severe gastrointestinal distress at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in late June. She lost roughly 35 pounds due to gastrointestinal problems that severely limited her ability to eat. As a result, her comeback attempt at the FM Championship led to a missed cut, and she finished last after 36 holes.
Captain Stanford is taking Yin’s health day-by-day but wanted her on the team; Vu’s alternate status is insurance. With a 5–3–1 Solheim Cup record and two LPGA wins, Angel Yin is a no-brainer when healthy. However, playing her while compromised could weaken pairings and force late substitutions.
Zhang hurt her back at the Standard Portland Classic, needing mid-round physio just to finish eighth. She then withdrew from the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada, the final qualifying event before the Solheim.
However, Angela Stanford is confident in picking Rose Zhang. She has publicly said that she has “no concerns with Rose” and that she was fine with the American professional skipping the CPKC Women’s Open.
Still, the concerns don’t end here, as even Megan Khang has had an inconsistent season with no top-10 finishes in 18 starts so far. Nelly Korda has had an exceptional season. She has registered four wins, including two major championships. However, she has repeatedly said she gets worn down at this time of year. Speaking at the AIG Women’s Open, she expressed ambivalence about links golf and admitted that the packed major schedule leaves her feeling more on edge. She admitted feeling burnt out and mentally fatigued after the 2021 Solheim Cup, too.
This has reflected in her recent performances. After three wins and three runner-up finishes in her first six starts this season, she missed a cut at the Amundi Evian Championship in the latter half of the season. After the missed cut, she posted only one top-10 finish in four starts. At the FM Championship, she finished tied for 50th with rounds of 72-72-72-73 (+1).
Europe’s roster tells a different story: eight-time Solheim veteran Charley Hull anchors a deep bench of healthy, experienced pros. She was the best performer in the 2024 edition. Similarly, Maja Stark, Linn Grant, Carlota Ciganda, Leona Maguire, and many others are veterans with plenty of Solheim Cup experience. Rookies like Lottie Woad, Julia López Ramírez, Mimi Rhodes, and Nastasia Nadaud are also healthy and having a good season this year.
With such a contrast in teams, defending the title will be very challenging for Nelly Korda and company.