Suzann Pettersen announced overnight her four captain’s picks to round out the home team that’s trying to win an unprecedented third straight Solheim Cup for Europe next month in Spain. Much like the eight automatic qualifiers who locked up their spots two days earlier, Pettersen chose experience along with a fresh face, taking one rookie (Gemma Dryburgh) and three veterans (Madelene Sagstrom, Caroline Hedwal and Emily Kristine Pedersen). With the matches set for Finca Cortesin Resort in just four weeks (September 22-24), here’s what you need to know about the newest members of Europe’s Solheim Cup squad.
Madelene Sagstrom
This is the 30-year-old’s third Solheim Cup, though it’ll be the first time she’ll play the event in Europe. The Swede was a standout on the Epson Tour, winning three times in 2016 and earning her LPGA Tour card for the 2017 season. She has won once on the LPGA Tour and is currently ranked 42nd in the Rolex World Ranking. Her overall Solheim Cup record is 2-4-0.
Emily Kristine Pedersen
This is Pedersen’s third Solheim Cup as well and her first start in Europe, too. You may remember her as the player who holed the winning put for the Europeans when they closed out their upset victory at Inverness Club in 2021. The 27-year-old Dane has won five LET events in her career. Notably, she is one of the longest hitters on the LPGA Tour, averaging 273 yards (250 metres) off the tee. Her career Solheim Cup record is 3-4-0. Her career Solheim Cup record is 3-4-0.
Caroline Hedwall
Hedwall is the most experienced of Pettersen’s picks, set to make her fifth appearance. The 34-year-old Swede who was a standout at Oklahoma State University who played 10 years on the LPGA Tour but never claimed a title. She does have seven wins on the Ladies European Tour, the most recent coming late last year at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España – which was played about an hour from the 2023 Solheim Cup site.
“Having great memories from the end of last year in Andalucía, I hadn’t thought much about Solheim until I won and after that, it was a goal for the season,” Hedwall said. “I’m just really happy it became a reality and super pumped to play in Spain again.”
Her career Solheim Cup record is 8-6-1.
Gemma Dryburgh
This is Dryburgh’s first Solheim Cup, though she has experience in team play having competed in the 2014 Curtis Cup. The 30-year-old Scot played college golf at Tulane University in Louisiana before turning professional in 2015. In 2022, she won the Toto Japan Classic, her first LPGA victory. She will make a good foursomes partner as she is one of the most accurate drivers of the golf ball on the LPGA Tour, hitting more than 82 percent of fairways in the 2023 season.
Europe’s complete roster for the 2023 Solheim Cup:
Celine Boutier
Maja Stark
Charley Hull
Leona Maguire
Georgia Hall
Linn Grant
Carlota Ciganda
Anna Nordqvist
Gemma Dryburgh
Caroline Hedwall
Emily Kristine Pedersen
Madelene Sagstrom
