Suzann Pettersen to captain Team Europe at 2024 Solheim Cup

Suzann Pettersen to captain Team Europe at 2024 Solheim Cup

Sports

Suzann Pettersen to captain Team Europe at 2024 Solheim Cup

(Reuters) – Norway's Suzann Pettersen was named captain of Team Europe for the 2024 Solheim Cup on Tuesday.

Petterson, 41, will captain the squad for the first time at the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Spain from Sept. 22-24.

The 2024 event is scheduled for Sept. 13-15 in Gainesville, Va.

"I love the Solheim Cup and it's such a unique honor to be asked to captain Team Europe again in 2024," Pettersen said. "Being offered the role for a second time before the 2023 matches have even been played is a little different to usual, as we usually play the competition every two years and announce the next captain after the competition, but because of the changes to the schedule and having back-to-back Solheim Cups in consecutive years, it makes perfect sense."

The biennial event is returning to its even-year schedule in 2024 after the 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic.

Pettersen was a vice-captain for Europe's 15-13 victory over Team USA at the 2021 competition in Toledo, Ohio.

Her American counterpart for the 2023 Solheim Cup is Stacy Lewis.

"So far, my 2023 captaincy has been a pure joy so to be able to lead the team in Europe this year and then again next year in the US, near the nation's capital, will be a great honor," Pettersen said. "This will allow us to build a strategy and a philosophy for the team that we can keep which will offer more consistency for the players and enable them to focus on their performance. My focus is on getting the team around the players and the atmosphere right and then taking that up to the next level."