In-form Emily Pedersen targets Solheim Cup spot in 2021

Dane Emily Pedersen probably wasn’t ready to be thrown into a Solheim Cup on US soil when she lost three matches out of three on her debut for Europe in the 2017 match in Des Moines.

Dane Emily Pedersen shows off her trophies for winning the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana and also topping the Race to Costa del Sol standings. Picture: Tristan Jones

But, after turning on the style over the past months to be crowned as the new European No 1, the 24-year-old is determined to earn another crack as part of Catriona Matthew’s team for next September’s trophy defence in Toledo.

“I enjoyed myself on the golf course this year and winning the Race to Costa del Sol will give me lots of confidence for 2021 as I set my sights on being part of Team Europe for the Solheim Cup and maybe even the Olympics,” said Pedersen.

She was speaking as the dust settled on her brilliant finish to the LET season, landing four wins in eight starts and three in a row at the end of the campaign to top the Race to Costa Del Sol standings by a huge 834-point margin.

Pedersen, who capped that run with a four-shot success in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De Espana on Sunday, finished the year with more than triple the points of her nearest challenger, Julia Engstrom, as well as pocketing €415,000 in prize-money.

She is only the second Danish golfer to top the money list on any major international tour, emulating six-time LET winner Iben Tinning, who won the LET title in 2005.

“I am so happy to not only be playing well this year but to win a few trophies, too,” added Pedersen.

“There were times when I thought that I wouldn’t get back to my best, but, working with my team, we have focused really hard on not just reaching the same level of where I was but going past it. The last few months have been amazing.”

After suffering a slump following that Solheim Cup appearance, Pedersen dropped to 509 in the Rolex Rankings at the start of the year, but is now in the top 100 for the first time in her career.

“I’m proud to be flying the flag for Danish golf and I’ve had so many nice messages from not just players on the LET but the men’s European Tour, too,” she said.

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