Solheim Cup 2026: Carlota Ciganda Reveals Captaincy Ambition

Carlota Ciganda celebrates winning the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Spain — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Carlota Ciganda's last Solheim Cup on home soil had everything - a King watching on, a shank and a thrilling Sunday singles victory that ultimately saw Europe retain the trophy.

And all that came in her native Spain, with a dramatic 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin seeing defending champions Europe retain the Solheim Cup with Ciganda very much the hero.

She won a perfect four points from four matches culminating in that epic singles win over Nelly Korda, with Ciganda describing it "like a movie" in a dream tournament for her.

"It really was amazing and will stay with me forever," Ciganda added. "Our King was also there watching which made it so special."

After a fast start against Korda, Ciganda hit a dreaded shank on the 15th as the match went all square, but she showed tremendous resilience to win the match and retain the Solheim Cup on the 17th.

And to highlight just how important a captain can be in term competition, Ciganda credited Suzann Pettersen for being on hand to help her recover from that shank.

"It was good to have Suzann there on 16, she came to me on the fairway and she was like, this is your moment, just go and win this point," added the Spaniard.

And if Europe need her down the stretch again on Sunday, Ciganda will be ready, as one of the most fierce matchplayers in the sport.

"I think I am a very tough competitor," she says. "I won't give up and I will fight until the end. I love matchplay and, if it's a Sunday in the Solheim, you just want to win. I've played in lots of different positions and I'm happy to go wherever."

Nordqvist will be 'great captain' - will Ciganda follow?

If this week in the Netherlands turns out anything like 2023 then captain Anna Nordqvist will have her work cut out for her, but after playing in nine Solheim Cups she has the experience to cope.

"I know her very well and I think she's going to be a great captain, very prepared, very structured," Ciganda said of the Swede.

And at 36 and playing in her eighth Solheim Cup this week, Ciganda is entering the veteran stage of her career, and her name could soon start popping up in talks about future captains.

"I would love to be captain if the girls wanted it," she admitted. "I haven't really thought much about it, I think you would just try to be yourself. Don't try to be anyone else. Obviously after playing all these many times, you learn from all your captains and the things that you like and don't like as much."

For this 20th Solheim Cup, though, Ciganda is still very much a player and she revealed that while she's methodical, tough and scrappy out on the golf course, in the team room she's exactly the opposite.

"I like to have a good time," Ciganda revealed. "It's always good to put some music on, have a little bit of dancing and then we also play a lot of games on the team room.

"It's all about having a few jokes and trying to get the team together. We are all pretty close. It's always fun, with the bus rides and the team rooms and all the helpers and everyone is just very happy and very positive to be there."

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.