What to Watch For at the Solheim Cup

Crisp morning air and the changing of colors in the trees can only mean one thing: it’s time for team golf.

There is a lot of drama leading into both the Ryder Cup in Italy and this week’s Solheim Cup on the southern coast of Spain. As everyone is well aware, the U.S. is trying to win the Ryder Cup on European soil for the first time in 30 years. But while the Ryder Cup has historical consequences on the line, it does not have the most dynamic player of the 48 set to compete in the next two weeks. It does not have a player who, in the midst of the best season of her decade-long professional career, continues to surprise fans with the random, hilarious things she does during golf tournaments. It does not have Charley Hull.

Ten years ago, a 17-year-old Hull made her Solheim Cup debut, crushing Paula Creamer 5&4 in Sunday singles. Afterwards, Hull asked Creamer to autograph her ball. “Are you serious?” Creamer asked.

As Creamer found out that day at Colorado Golf Club, Charley Hull doesn’t just play a round of golf with you; she leaves an impression. “You have no idea what world Charley lives in from day to day,” Suzann Pettersen remarked in 2015. “It changes so much and it’s totally a different planet than the rest of us.”

Watching Hull, it doesn’t take long to understand that she’s a different breed. Her twitches and fidgets make Keegan Bradley look calm, her post-shot tee pick-ups are the fastest in the game, and she’s ultra volatile. Her career has been characterized by highs and lows without much middle ground, leading to a degree of frustration for the former teen phenom.

But her all-or-nothing style has made her a terrific match-play talent and a Team Europe stalwart for the past five Solheim Cups. “She plays in a fearless way, and it was just awesome to have her on our team, and I think we all love Charley,” European captain Liselotte Neumann said in 2013. Hull’s career record in the event stands at 11-5-3, but more importantly, she has played with eight different partners over those five appearances, proving that she’s able to fill in wherever she’s needed. She has not only provided energy but also, in a way that contrasts with her style of play, steadiness for the European squad.

Now appearing in her sixth consecutive Solheim Cup, Hull won’t just be Europe’s spark plug; she’ll be one of its leaders. At No. 8 in the Rolex Rankings, she’s the second-highest-ranked—and arguably most in-form—player on the team. She hasn’t had the kind of season you typically see out of a loose-cannon veteran. Normally that type of player flames out after a few years, but not Hull. There’s little doubt that, although she hasn’t collected any trophies in 2023, she has found her professional peak.

This week, Hull is going to tee it up in the event that best celebrates personality and showmanship in women’s golf. She could be a serious pest for the Americans as well as a galvanizing force for the Europeans. And not only could she help cap off Team Europe’s first-ever three-peat, but she could also put an exclamation point on her best all-around season.

Charley Hull was made for the spotlight, and this week, watch for her to own it.