Annika Sorenstam '˜excited' to be Solheim Cup captain

Annika Sorenstam will be captain of the European team. Picture: Getty

Sorensen was a vice-captain when the United States regained the trophy last year in Germany and she will lead Europe in the next meeting at Des Moines Golf Club in Iowa next August.

The 45-year-old Swede is looking forward to the experience as she looks to help Europe regain the trophy on American soil.

“I can not tell you how excited I am,” Sorenstam said at the press conference to announce her captaincy.

“I had hoped and dreamed that this opportunity would come along and if I look back in my career the Solheim Cup has always been an important part of it. We play as individuals for 99 per cent of the time but when we do get together it is just something special.

“A lot of my memories in my career go back to the Solheim Cup so when I stopped playing I was hoping that I would be able to continue to be involved and getting the chance to be a vice-captain was really eye-opening but I thought you know what, someday, when I’m ready, I would love to get this opportunity - and I felt that in 2017 I would be ready.

“This is really going to be a lot of fun - certainly a different role than I’m used to but I’m really looking forward to getting to work and getting to know the players.

“It’s all about the competition, it’s all about building memories and that really I think is our goal - to grow the game through the Solheim Cup. It’s already started really well but we have got to continue and take advantage of the opportunity we have.”

No player has won more matches for Europe than Sorenstam. Her record of 22 victories is only equalled by Laura Davies but she has played in nine more matches than the Swede.