The 2026 Solheim Cup officially tees off in less than a month at Bernardus Golf in Netherlands, with Team Europe captain Anna Nordqvist and her 12-player roster awaiting to see how their opponent takes shape over the final weeks in August.
This week’s Standard Portland Classic is one of the last opportunities for U.S. players to work their way up the standings and into the captain’s picks conversation.
American captain Angela Stanford will finalize her roster after the CPKC Women’s Open, set for Aug. 20-23.
The top seven players in the U.S. Solheim Cup points standings automatically qualify, along with top two players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings not already on the team. The final three spots are Stanford’s captain’s picks.
Let’s take a look at which Team USA candidates with the best chance to improve their status in the Pacific Northwest.
Andrea Lee
Starting on the 10th hole at Columbia Edgewater Country Club on Thursday, Lee tees off shortly before 11 a.m. ET. She’s currently No. 8 in the standings, more than 200 points off Lauren Coughlin’s automatic qualifying bid.
However, if the roster were to finalized Wednesday, August 12, Lee would be going per her standing on the world golf rankings (No. 37).
Lindy Duncan
Duncan is in the exact same boat as Lee entering Portland — more than 300 behind Coughlin in Solheim Cup qualifying points but on the roster via Rolex rankings where she’s No. 59.
That could change though with Alison Lee (No. 61) and Jenny Bae (No. 65) closing in. Lee is not in the field this week.
As for Duncan, she tees off with fellow American Lexi Thompson at 4:21 p.m. on ET. Thompson, who announced she’s pregnant this week, is set to play The Standard but will not go out for the Solheim Cup despite her No. 15 ranking.
Lucy Li
Li is likely playing for Stanford this week as an automatic qualify bid seems unlikely. But you never know, a T-10 here and at the CPKC and the pressure could begin to mount for Lee and Duncan.
Li currently ranks 10th in Solheim scoring and No. 104 in the world rankings.
Megan Khang
Khang will go out with Megha Ganne, making her pro debut this week, on Thursday. She sits No. 76 in the world rankings so does pose a threat to Duncan’s AQ chances with two good showings down the stretch. Almost 500 points off Coughlin in Solheim scoring, it would seem that avenue is all but closed off for her to make the roster.
Jenny Bae
The aforementioned Bae is playing this week, posing a direct threat to Lee and Duncan. She’ll be playing with fellow Solheim Cup candidate Ryann O’Toole over the first two days.
Those two will be paired with LPGA rookie Lauren Walsh who pushed for a spot on the European roster before being left on Nordqvist’s bubble.
Ryann O’Toole
At No. 97 in the world, O’Toole is more than likely playing for the captain’s pick but a lot can happen over four rounds.
It’s been a bit of an up-and-down 2026 for the 39-year-old UCLA grad. She finished with her career-highest position at the Chevron in April (T-7) only to WD at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and miss the cut at the AIG Women’s Open.
Rose Zhang
Behind Alison Lee and Bae, Zhang stands the next best threat to Duncan’s projected final spot via the world rankings (No. 73).
She’s coming in with seven consecutive made cuts but hasn’t cracked the top 10 since the LPGA season opener in Lake Nona.
Brooke Matthews
Going off with the first groupings shortly after 7 a.m. local time, Matthews has an early chance to put a dent in her substantial deficit to make the roster.
The 27-year-old is still in search of her first T-10 this season and is coming off four straight missed cuts. Would seemingly be an odd choice for a captain’s pick but she’s inside the top 20 in scoring for Americans and felt worth mentioning before the action gets going in Portland.
