Shiho Kuwaki held off Esther Henseleit in a playoff to win her first career major at Royal Lytham on Sunday but Henseleit left the tournament $994,669 richer — and on Europe’s team for the 2026 Solheim Cup at Bernardus, Netherlands, next month.
Henseleit, who forced the playoff with a 45-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the AIG Women’s Open, played her way onto the roster by carding 67-70 on the weekend and left the U.K. inside the top two in Solheim Cup points (134).
The 27-year-old Olympic Silver medalist narrowly edged Chiara Tamburlini for the one of two automatic qualifying bids. The other went to Charley Hull, who has 264.18 points through 16 events.
Here’s who else automatically qualified after Sunday’s final round:
- Celine Boutier (France)
- Carlotta Ciganda (Spain)
- Linn Grant (Sweden)
- Esther Henseleit (Germany)
- Charley Hull (U.K)
- Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Denmark)
- Maja Stark (Sweden)
- Lottie Woad (U.K.)
Boutier, Ciganda, Grant, Madsen, Stark and Woad qualified through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Woad, 22, is making her Solheim Cup debut for Europe, while Madsen was the last of the six qualifying off the Rolex bids.
It will be Hull’s eighth appearance, making her debut in 2013. Ciganda also brings in the same amount of experience.
Everyone else has played on at least one Solheim Cup team, including Henseleit who went 1-1-1 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia in 2024.
Captain’s picks
European captain Anna Nordqvist could still wind up bringing Tamburlini as four slots remain open. Tamburlini would be joining Woad as a rookie.
Golf Channel will have live coverage Monday, Aug. 3, at 10 a.m. ET when Nordqvist makes her captain picks.
Some other possibilities for Nordqvist include: Helen Briem, Agathe Laisne, Mimi Rhodes and Leona Maguire.