The race to represent Team Europe at the Solheim Cup reaches its peak this week at the AIG Women’s Open, leaving players one last chance to take part in Anna Nordqvist’s selection scheme.
The qualifying campaign concludes after the final women’s major of the year, with the top two players on the European Solheim Cup points list and the next six players through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings securing automatic places.
European Solheim Cup points provide double points for Majors and additional world rankings compared to regular events. That means risk remains for both lists heading into the final qualifying event.
Nordqvist ruled out naming himself one of the four players named by the captain when finalizing the squad on Monday. Sky Sports News live broadcast from 3pmBut who has secured their spot and who needs to impress at Royal Lytham & St Annes?
We take a look at the European squad as it stands and which players could still be considered for a late qualification spot or potential last-minute selection.
Who is currently eligible?
Charley Hull tops the Ladies European Tour points list and is guaranteed a place through that ranking, while Chiara Tamburlini currently barely holds onto second place ahead of Helen Briem.
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Ahead of the AIG Women’s Open, Charlie Hull insisted she does not see Nelly Korda as a rival as she is yet to win a major title.
Lottie Woad (World No. 5) has secured her Solheim Cup debut at Bernardus Golf through her Rolex World Rankings, while Maja Stark (World No. 25) and Celine Boutier (World No. 30) have also achieved the same ranking.
Esther Henseleit moved up to world number 43 with a fourth-place finish at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open last week and secured a return to the Solheim Cup, while Carlota Ciganda (world number 47) and Linn Grant (world number 50) currently occupy the other spots.
Who can qualify through the Solheim Cup points list?
Tamburlini enters the AIG Women’s Open with 133.1 points, 1.1 points ahead of Briem, with Agathe Laisne (111 points) and England’s Cara Gainer (104.63 points) rounding out the top five in the standings.
Only the top 20 on the leaderboard will earn points for their ranking on Sunday evening. That means Briem must be at least top 20, Laisne must be 12th or higher, and Gainer must be 9th or higher to qualify.
Could Helen Briem make her Solheim Cup debut for a European team?
The winner will receive 100 points, runner-up will receive 75 points, and third place will receive 50 points. Stark (6th), Ciganda (7th) and Woad (8th) are all likely to qualify through the world rankings, and anyone below that trio on the points list will need to finish in the top two to have any chance of overtaking Tamburlini.
4th place gets 45 points, 5th place gets 40 points, and the score decreases by 2.5 times from 6th to 20th place. If Tamburlini finishes outside the top 20 and Briem finishes in the top 20, Briem will pass her in the Solheim race.
What is the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking?
Ranking points are awarded to everyone who makes the major cut, with the winner receiving 100 points. But it could take a big finish for anyone to break into the world’s top 50 and qualify that way.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen (No. 63) and Leona Maguire (No. 79) are currently the next two in the rankings outside of automatic qualifying, both making their Solheim Cup debuts as rookies with wins on American soil in 2021.
Leona Maguire is aiming for her fourth consecutive Solheim Cup appearance.
The only Europeans in the world’s top 100 include Julia López Ramírez (84th), Nastassja Nadaud (86th), Dewi Weber (87th), Madeleine Sagstrom (88th), Ingrid Lindbland (91st), Mimi Rose (92nd), Briem (94th), and Tambulini (100th).
Nordqvist is ranked 124th in the world, tied for 28th at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open last week and tied for 7th at the Evian Championship. But she was adamant that she would not be selected regardless of her performance in this week’s majors.
Nordqvist has competed in the last nine Solheim Cups for Team Europe.
“Thank you to everyone who believed in me and voted for me for the Solheim Cup,” Nordqvist wrote on Instagram. “I’m humbled and it’s been great to play with the European girls on this journey. I signed up as captain and I’m very proud to have done so, so I wouldn’t pick myself for the team.”
Other members of the 2024 Solheim Cup team currently relying on the captain’s selection include Emily Kristine Pedersen, who did not qualify for the AIG Women’s Open, 2018 Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall, who was part of the final five, and Albane Valenzuela.
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Highlights from the final day of the 2024 Solheim Cup as Team USA won 15.5-12.5 over Europe in Virginia.
And what about Team USA?
Team USA’s qualifying campaign doesn’t end until after the CPKC Women’s Open on August 23. At that time, the top seven players on the Solheim Cup points standings and the next two players on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings will gain spots.
The current top seven in Solheim’s rankings include Nelly Korda, Angel Yin, Jennifer Kupcho, Auston Kim, Alison Coppers, Yealimi No, and Lauren Coughlin, and the current world rankings are Andrea Lee (world number 34) and Lindy Duncan (world number 56).
Jenny Bae (No. 59) and Alison Lee (No. 61) are the next two in the world rankings, and automatic qualification for Team USA will likely change before Angela Stanford names the remaining three captains in late August.
Who will win the AIG Women’s Open? Watch live on Sky Sports seven days a week. The live coverage begins on Sky Sports Golf from 9am on Thursday. Get Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract.
