Anna Nordqvist plans to “pick the brain” of victorious Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald ahead of holding the same role for Team Europe in the Solheim Cup next September.

Donald became just the second captain to claim back-to-back Ryder Cup wins for Team Europe after leading his side to a historic title defence in New York, following their 2023 success in Rome by securing a dramatic 15-13 victory at Bethpage Black.

The win ended a run of home dominance in the biennial contest and was the first victory on away soil – by either team – since Europe’s 2012 ‘Miracle at Medinah’ success, with Donald receiving huge praise for delivering a victory on American soil.

Nordqvist is tasked with regaining the Solheim Cup next year in the Netherlands, with the Swede hoping to learn from Donald and other past team captains in her pursuit of European success.

“He [Donald] has done an incredible job the last two years and you hear how highly all the boys speak about him,” Nordqvist told Sky Sports. “Also, just how well he represents himself in interviews and just hearing how he’s built a really good team atmosphere.

“I think that’s what I’m looking to do, so I’ve been already picking a lot of past captains – men’s and women’s brains – and I will continue to do so. It has just been very nice that everyone’s been so supportive and wanting to help out in any way can.

“Just his composure as a captain, but also what he’s doing to build a team out of 12 individuals. I’d love to pick his brain after his captaincy’s done.”

Nordqvist attended the opening day of the Ryder Cup, where the visitors won both sessions to build a 5.5-2.5 lead, where she got a behind-the-scenes look inside the European team room and also witnessed the heckles and abuse handed to their players.

“I got to go for a walk through the European team room and just hearing about all the ideas and how they’d really thought about everything, was really cool,” Nordqvist added. “I’m going to leave here with a lot of motivation and wanting to kind of give my team a really awesome experience.

“I think it’s quite harsh, you know, when the European team is literally getting booed coming out on the first tee! I thought we were a little further along in sportsmanship, but I think everyone kind of expected it.

“I think the taste of victory is probably even sweeter on away soil.”

Keegan Bradley considered being the first playing captain at a Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963 before leaving himself out of his six captain’s picks, while Nordqvist plans to keep playing regularly on the LPGA Tour but has ruled out a dual role.

Nordqvist has played in the last nine Solheim Cups but is set to end that run at Bernardus Golf, with the three-time major champion feeling that focusing on the captaincy is the best way to help her team.

“I think it [playing and preparing for captaincy] has probably been a little bit harder than I thought,” Nordqvist admitted. “It’s just been a lot more during off weeks, but it’s a really fun, like, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity too.

“I feel like there’s so many pros of me playing when I’m doing captaincy – not a playing captain, because I will not be playing in the Netherlands! More for knowing the girls, knowing what’s going on out there and the caddies and picking everyone’s brains.

“It has been cool to see how Keegan has been handling it. I feel like he’s probably been playing better this year than any other year, so maybe I’ll be inspired to do the same thing next year.

“Doing both is going to be really hard, because you really have to set your mind. You need a leader on the team and I feel like you don’t really take the captaincy role if you still feel the urge of having to play.

“Those are the best moments, standing on the first tee and getting a tee shot, but there’s a time and place for everything. I always said, if I ever get the captaincy, I would want to really do a really good job.”

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