Former assistant captain Angela Stanford will lead the U.S. Solheim Cup Team for the first time in 2026. A six-time player on the American squad, Stanford will captain the top 12 U.S. female golfers at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, September 11-13, 2026.
“I’m extremely grateful to join a list of my heroes in the game,” said Stanford. “There is no greater honor than representing your country. I consider this the pinnacle of my career and look forward to leading our players to the Netherlands.”
Interim LPGA Commissioner Liz Moore expressed confidence in the selection: “Angela has always been a spark on and off the course, a true leader and dedicated teammate. It’s now her time to take the helm, and I have no doubt she will lead her squad to a successful week.”
Stanford retired in 2024 after 23 years on the LPGA Tour with seven victories, including the 2018 Amundi Evian Championship. She also won the Senior LPGA Championships in 2023 and 2024.
Her career featured an impressive streak of 98 consecutive major championships (2002-2024), second only to Jack Nicklaus in professional golf.
As a player, Stanford competed in the 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015 Solheim Cups. In 2015, she secured the winning point with her victory over Suzann Pettersen. She later served as assistant captain in 2021 under Pat Hurst and in 2023-2024 under Stacy Lewis.
A four-year All-American at Texas Christian University, Stanford won nine collegiate tournaments before graduating in 2000. She is in both the Texas Golf Hall of Fame and TCU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Off the course, Stanford runs a foundation providing scholarships to Texas children whose families have been affected by breast cancer, honoring her mother Nan, who battled the disease for 13 years before passing in 2022.
