Who could be the future U.S. Solheim Cup captains? We take a look

When it comes to future U.S. Solheim Cup captains, Team USA has a deep pool of candidates. So deep, in fact, that it might be some time before we see some big names take the helm.

Stacy Lewis recently named a record four assistant captains for the 2024 Solheim Cup, adding Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome into the fold. Morgan Pressel and Angela Stanford return as assistants after working with Lewis last year in Spain.

What does the Solheim Cup committee look for in choosing a captain? Past Solheim Cup experience is a must. While winning a major isn’t a requirement (i.e. Rosie Jones), it’s definitely preferred.

And given how much the Solheim Cup has grown over the years, experience as an assistant captain will surely be seen as a vital component.

The list of players who should be given the honor is so long, in fact, that it’s hard to see how someone like Dottie Pepper gets back into the fold, though it’s certainly possible.

Here’s a list of decorated players who are likely to get the nod in the coming years:

Assistant Captain Angela Stanford of Team United States looks on during a practice round ahead of the start of the 2021 Solheim Cup at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

It’s hard to imagine anyone else leading Team USA in the the Netherlands in 2026. Stanford, who is in the midst of her third stint as an assistant captain, loves a good home game. A seven-time winner on the LPGA, including the 2018 Evian, Stanford played on six Solheim Cup teams, defeating Suzann Pettersen in a pivotal singles match in 2015.

Morgan Pressel plays her shot from the second tee in her match with Anna Nordqvist of Team Europe during the final day singles matches of the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

No one on the list sees more golf shots on the LPGA than Pressel, who now works as lead analyst for Golf Channel/NBC. The former Kraft Nabisco champion has now twice served as an assistant captain for Lewis, most recently playing on the team in 2019. Her time will come soon.

Paula Creamer of Team USA celebrates birdie on the 10th green during the final day singles matches of the Solheim Cup at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club on August 20, 2017 in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

For a long time, Creamer was the face of Team USA. When it comes to the Solheim Cup, Creamer is all…