“It’s the only thing I couldn’t get my hands on. I’m not letting go now,” said the 40-year-old Angela Stanford when she lifted her first major win 18 years into her career at the 2018 Evian Championship. With 7 LPGA Tour wins in her hands, that was what she looked forward to the most. After enduring a six-year winless drought, this win became essential for her. However, after leading a fulfilling career, she announced her retirement by the end of the 2024 season. However, this was not the end. And we will tell you why.

Until now, the LPGA Tour star had sought a fitting captain to lead the U.S. team to its first victory in Europe since the 2015 win. Now, retired LPGA star Angela Stanford will lead a squad of the top 12 American female golfers in 2026 from September 7-13 in the Netherlands. “I’m extremely grateful to be named the next American captain for the Solheim Cup and join a list of my heroes in the game. I’ve always believed that I represent more than myself on the LPGA Tour, and there is no greater honor than representing your country. I consider this the pinnacle of my career,” said Stanford.

Her reaction mirrored what ours would have been if we had received The Call!! “When I finally got the call, I just started crying,” Stanford told Golf Digest. “Just all kinds of emotion, and Liz Moore was like, ‘I think that’s a yes?’ And I said, ‘Once I can breathe again, I’ll say yes. Yes!’” During an interview with Golf Channel, she elaborated on this milestone.

Stanford said, “I feel, like, for my entire playing career, it felt like me against the world. I wasn’t highly recruited.” Moving on, she added, “I wasn’t a generational talent. I didn’t do anything special. So, it always felt like it’s me against everybody else.” Stanford’s dad introduced her to golf when she was only 10, and she fell in love with the sport. Her parents supported her in polishing her game, helping her become the golfer we all know today. But Stanford doesn’t need to be so hard on herself.

In her 4-13-2 record across 6 Solheim Cup appearances, her straightforward attitude helped her deliver the performance her team needed for the win. Take, for instance, her final Solheim Cup in Germany. She defeated Suzann Pettersen in Sunday singles to clinch the winning point, ultimately securing the Americans’ last win in Europe.

Additionally, Stanford says she loves playing in teams. Is that a good sign for the U.S. team? “So, I don’t know if I am wired that way, but when you get into one of those environments, you better dig in, and you better be on the same page as your teammates. I love that bond. I love that challenge. Love figuring out how do we get there,” she said.

Interestingly, the 47-year-old served as an assistant captain for the Solheim Cup against Europe three times, with the latest coming in 2024 under Stacy Lewis. Undoubtedly, a gem. So, is Angela Stanford ready for the immense responsibility?

What makes Angela Stanford a promising character for the Solheim Cup

Yes, she is. And she has a different approach than her predecessor, Stacy Lewis. We will take a look at that in a bit. First, let’s dive deeper into Stanford’s appearances at the Solheim Cup. She made her Solheim Cup debut 22 years ago and played in 5 consecutive editions from 2007 to 2015. In these appearances, she contributed to the winning teams, including the last overseas U.S. team victory in Europe back in 2015. As stated earlier, she has served as an assistant captain for the last three editions.

First as part of Pat Hurst’s backroom team in 2021 before working under Stacy Lewis. So, what’s the different approach she’s bringing this time? In her words, she is going to focus on more than just the stats. Certainly, she will no longer have to feel alone in this team. She has a team now!

That’s why Stanford insists that she will not tie herself to the numbers in the 2026 Solheim Cup. She succinctly explained herself: “I grew up in an era that stats weren’t really that important, so my gut and my instincts, you know, those things matter to me. If I have a gut feeling about something, that number better be pretty good to talk me out of it.”

She has a solid plan to ensure it goes that way by making sure her golfers don’t have to worry about anything but golf. “For me, when I played my best in the Solheim Cups, it was because I wasn’t worried about my family’s accommodations or whether I had tickets.” Stanford will take care of it. “If I can make it so that the players have nothing to worry about, that’s where I want to be heading into that week,” she stated.

Looking at this, do you think the U.S. team will be able to end its drought? Let us know!