Julia López earns historic Solheim Cup call-up for Team Europe

Julia López has been named in Europe's team for the 2026 Solheim Cup, becoming only the eighth Spanish golfer in history to compete in the prestigious women's team event.

The 23-year-old from Benahavís was one of captain Anna Nordqvist's four wildcard selections for the tournament, which will take place at Bernardus Golf in Den Bosch, the Netherlands, from 11 to 13 September. She joins Spain's Carlota Ciganda in the European squad.

Reacting to the announcement on Instagram, López said: "This is what you dream of as a child: being part of the team, experiencing it and feeling the energy of the crowd. I'm on cloud nine. I wanted to get here and the fact I've achieved this dream so quickly is incredible."

López had identified Solheim Cup qualification as one of her main objectives for 2026. Speaking to SUR earlier this year, she said: "The Solheim Cup is one of my goals this year. It motivates me to fight for something that isn't easy."

Her selection follows a consistent season on the LPGA Tour, where she has made 15 cuts in 24 tournaments, including top-10 and top-15 finishes in Singapore and Scotland respectively. She also progressed to the weekend at the Women's Open, the final major of the season.

López becomes only the second golfer from the Costa del Sol to represent Europe in the Solheim Cup after fellow Malaga golfer Azahara Muñoz, who featured in four editions and helped Europe win three titles.

A product of Benahavís Municipal Golf School, López also represented the Andalusian federation, Spain's national teams and Mississippi State University before earning her LPGA Tour card. Her continued rise has also strengthened her prospects of qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.