I regretted Joining the Team: Suzann Pettersen blast Team Captain following Europe’s Solheim Cup defeat

Captain Suzann Pettersen expressed no regrets following Europe’s Solheim Cup loss to the United States and chose not to elaborate on why star player Leona Maguire played only twice during the tournament in Virginia. The American team secured a 15.5 to 12.5 victory at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, marking their first win since 2017. World number two Lilia Vu clinched the decisive points, birdying the final two holes against Albane Valenzuela to end Europe’s hopes.

Despite the defeat, Europe staged a commendable fightback in the singles matches, securing six and a half points out of 12. Victories came from Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Celine Boutier, Madelene Sagstrom, and Maguire, who also halved three matches. However, Maguire’s limited participation surprised many, given that she had been a key figure in her previous two Solheim Cup appearances, playing all 10 matches and securing seven and a half points. Her only other appearance this time was in a heavy Friday fourballs loss with Hall.

Maguire openly admitted that being benched for three sessions had been tough, describing it as a “bitter pill to swallow.” She was used to being heavily involved in the contest and had proven herself as a top performer in previous editions.

Pettersen, however, defended her decisions. “I’ve never lived my life regretting any decisions,” she stated. “You play with your gut feel and your heart, and sometimes you just get outplayed. There was a reason for Leona’s role, and we knew what the team was capable of. It’s always difficult to manage a 12-woman team. Sometimes pairings work, sometimes they don’t, but I don’t believe we have any regrets.”

When asked specifically why Maguire didn’t play on Saturday, Pettersen remained tight-lipped, saying only that it’s “extremely difficult to bench any player on this team” and that the final lineup was simply how things played out.

Looking ahead, Pettersen did not confirm whether she would accept another captaincy for the 2026 contest. Two of her assistants, Mel Reid and Anna Nordqvist, are likely candidates to take over. Reflecting on her tenure, Pettersen expressed pride in the team’s development, saying, “I’ve done my best and passed on the values I learned from my own captains. We’ve built a great culture on this team, and I’m proud of the next generation of players like Albane Valenzuela and Esther Henseleit, who are ready for big challenges.”

On the winning side, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis highlighted how her reliance on statistical analysis shaped her successful strategy. After the frustration of a 14-14 tie in Spain last year, she was determined to make data-driven decisions for pairings. “I loved the pairings we created from the start, and thankfully the players performed well, so I didn’t need to make any major changes,” she said.

Lewis noted that in previous Ryder Cup competitions, successful teams didn’t play all of their members in fourball sessions. Applying that insight, she focused on fielding the best possible pairings for each session, even if that meant not using all players equally in the format. “We did some research and learned from past Ryder Cups, so this year, I stuck to the strategy of playing the strongest pairings.”

As for her future, Lewis joked that she hadn’t planned beyond winning the Cup. “The job was to get the Cup, and we finished the job. Now I’ve got to take my daughter back to school, but beyond that, I honestly haven’t thought about what comes next.”