Solheim Cup

Solheim Cup
Tournament information
Location	Europe or United States
Established	1990
Tour(s)	Ladies European Tour; LPGA Tour
Format	Match play
Prize fund	None
Month played	September
Current champion
	Europe
	2021 Solheim Cup

The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament for professional women golfers contested by teams representing Europe and the United States. It is named after the Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer Karsten Solheim, who was a driving force behind its creation.

The inaugural Cup was held in 1990, and the event was staged in even numbered years until 2002, alternating years with the Ryder Cup (the equivalent men's event). As part of the general reshuffling of team golf events after the one-year postponement of the 2001 Ryder Cup following the September 11 attacks, the Solheim Cup switched to odd numbered years beginning in 2003. Another reshuffle of team golf events took place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Solheim Cup will return to even numbered years from 2024.^[1]

The United States teams have won the cup 10 times, compared with seven for Europe. The current holders are Europe, who won at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, in 2021.

Format[]

The tournament is played over three days. Since 2002, there have been 28 matches—eight foursomes and eight four-balls played on days 1 and 2, and 12 singles on the final day. This format is also used in the Ryder Cup. Before 1996, and also in 2000, the Solheim Cup used a similar, but abbreviated format.

One point is awarded to the team that wins each match; in the event of a tie, both teams score half a point. After all matches are complete, the team with more points wins or retains the Cup. Any ties are broken in favor of the defending champion team.

In addition to the indicated number of players, each team includes one captain and a set number of assistant captains (three as of 2015), none of whom play in the matches.

Year	Day 1		Day 2		Day 3	Total Points	Players per team
Year	Morning	Afternoon	Morning	Afternoon	Day 3	Total Points	Players per team
1990	4 foursomes		4 fourballs		8 singles	16	8
1992	4 foursomes		4 fourballs		10 singles	18	10
1994	5 foursomes		5 fourballs		10 singles	20	10
1996–1998	4 foursomes	4 fourballs	4 foursomes	4 fourballs	12 singles	28	12
2000	4 foursomes	4 foursomes	6 fourballs		12 singles	26	12
2002– present	4 foursomes	4 fourballs	4 foursomes	4 fourballs	12 singles	28	12
	or		or
	4 fourballs	4 foursomes	4 fourballs	4 foursomes

Team qualification and selection[]

The U.S. team^[2] is selected by a points system, with American players on the LPGA Tour receiving points for each top-twenty finish on tour.^[3] Through the 2013 event, U.S. citizens born outside the country were ineligible for consideration; beginning in 2015, eligibility for Team USA was expanded to include many more categories of (female) U.S. citizens.^[4]^[a] For the European team,^[5] up to 2005, seven players were selected on a points system based on results on the Ladies European Tour (LET). This allowed top European players who competed mainly on the LPGA Tour to be selected to ensure that the European team was competitive. Since 2007, only the top five players from the LET qualify and another four are selected on the basis of the Women's World Golf Rankings. This reflects the increasing dominance of the LPGA Tour, where almost all top European players spend most of their time.^[6] In addition, each team has a number of "captain's picks", players chosen at the discretion of the team captains, regardless of their point standings, though in practice the captain's picks are often the next ranking players.

Captains[]

Team captains are typically recently retired professional golfers with Solheim Cup playing experience, chosen for their experience playing on previous Cup teams and for their ability to lead a team.

Results[]

Year	Venue	Winning team	Score	USA captain	Europe captain
2021	Inverness Club, Ohio, USA	Europe	15–13	Pat Hurst	Catriona Matthew
2019	Gleneagles, Scotland	Europe	14½–13½	Juli Inkster	Catriona Matthew
2017	Des Moines Golf and Country Club, Iowa, USA	United States	16½–11½	Juli Inkster	Annika Sörenstam
2015	Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, Germany	United States	14½–13½	Juli Inkster	Carin Koch
2013	Colorado Golf Club, Colorado, USA	Europe	18–10	Meg Mallon	Liselotte Neumann
2011	Killeen Castle Golf Resort, Ireland	Europe	15–13	Rosie Jones	Alison Nicholas
2009	Rich Harvest Farms, Illinois, USA	United States	16–12	Beth Daniel	Alison Nicholas
2007	Halmstad GK, Sweden	United States	16–12	Betsy King	Helen Alfredsson
2005	Crooked Stick Golf Club, Indiana, USA	United States	15½–12½	Nancy Lopez	Catrin Nilsmark
2003	Barsebäck Golf & Country Club, Sweden	Europe	17½–10½	Patty Sheehan	Catrin Nilsmark
2002	Interlachen Country Club, Minnesota, USA	United States	15½–12½	Patty Sheehan	Dale Reid
2000	Loch Lomond Golf Club, Scotland	Europe	14½–11½	Pat Bradley	Dale Reid
1998	Muirfield Village, Ohio, USA	United States	16–12	Judy Rankin	Pia Nilsson
1996	St Pierre Golf & Country Club, Wales	United States	17–11	Judy Rankin	Mickey Walker
1994	The Greenbrier, West Virginia, USA	United States	13–7	JoAnne Carner	Mickey Walker
1992	Dalmahoy Country Club, Scotland	Europe	11½–6½	Kathy Whitworth	Mickey Walker
1990	Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Florida, USA	United States	11½–4½	Kathy Whitworth	Mickey Walker

In the 17 competitions through 2021, the United States leads the series 10 to 7.

Future venues[]

2023: in Casares near Málaga, Spain; it has previously hosted three Volvo World Match Play Championships.^[7]

Records[]

Most appearances: 12
° Laura Davies (Eur), 1990–2011
Most points: 25
° Laura Davies (Eur) (22–18–6 record)
Most singles points won: 7
° Juli Inkster (USA) (6–1–2 record)
Most foursome points won: 11½
° Annika Sörenstam (Eur) (11–3–1 record)
Most fourball points won: 11½
° Cristie Kerr (USA) (11–5–1 record)
Top point percentage (Minimum of 3 Solheim Cup Matches)
° Janice Moodie (Eur) (7–2–2) 72.7%
° Carin Koch (Eur) (10–3–3) 71.9%
° Dottie Pepper (USA) (13–5–2) 70.0%
° Christina Kim (USA) (6–2–2) 70.0%
Most points in a single contest: 5
° Caroline Hedwall (Eur) 2013
Youngest player: 17 years, 149 days
° Charley Hull (Eur) 2013
Oldest player: 51 years, 91 days
° Juli Inkster (USA) 2011

Sources^[8]^[9]^[10]

Notes[]

^
More specifically, the following groups of women became eligible:
- Those born outside the U.S., but who received U.S. citizenship at birth.
- Those who were naturalized in the U.S. before age 18.
- Those who automatically became citizens via adoption prior to age 13.

References[]

^ "Solheim Cup to move to even years from 2024 to avoid Ryder Cup clash". BBC Sport. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
^ "Solheim Cup USA". solheimcupusa.com. Solheim Cup USA. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
^ "Points distribution for 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup Team qualifying" (PDF). LPGA Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
^ "Solheim eligibility criteria changing for U.S. team". Golf Channel. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
^ SolheimCup2019. "Solheim Cup Europe". solheimcup2019.com. Solheim Cup Europe. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
^ "Solheim selection process changes". BBC Sport. 18 April 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
^ "Solheim Cup: Finca Cortesin in Spain to host 2023 match". BBC Sport. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
^ The Solheim Cup All-Time Records Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
^ Solheim Cup Records
^ The Solheim Cup - Match history & records

External links[]

Official website

[5] More specifically, the following groups of women became eligible:
Those born outside the U.S., but who received U.S. citizenship at birth.

Those who were naturalized in the U.S. before age 18.

Those who automatically became citizens via adoption prior to age 13.

[2] Those born outside the U.S., but who received U.S. citizenship at birth.

[3] Those who were naturalized in the U.S. before age 18.

[4] Those who automatically became citizens via adoption prior to age 13.

[1] "Solheim Cup to move to even years from 2024 to avoid Ryder Cup clash". BBC Sport. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.

[2] "Solheim Cup USA". solheimcupusa.com. Solheim Cup USA. Retrieved 12 March 2019.

[3] "Points distribution for 2009 U.S. Solheim Cup Team qualifying" (PDF). LPGA Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2009.

[4] "Solheim eligibility criteria changing for U.S. team". Golf Channel. Retrieved 16 August 2013.

[6] SolheimCup2019. "Solheim Cup Europe". solheimcup2019.com. Solheim Cup Europe. Retrieved 12 March 2019.

[2007Picks-7] "Solheim selection process changes". BBC Sport. 18 April 2006. Retrieved 24 April 2007.

[8] "Solheim Cup: Finca Cortesin in Spain to host 2023 match". BBC Sport. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.

[9] The Solheim Cup All-Time Records Archived 29 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine

[10] Solheim Cup Records

[11] The Solheim Cup - Match history & records

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[4]

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[5]

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show v t LPGA Tour events
Major championships	ANA Inspiration U.S. Women's Open Women's PGA Championship The Evian Championship Women's British Open
Other tournaments	Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio ISPS Handa Vic Open ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open Honda LPGA Thailand HSBC Women's World Championship LPGA Founders Cup Kia Classic Lotte Championship Hugel-Air Premia LA Open LPGA Mediheal Championship Pure Silk Championship ShopRite LPGA Classic Meijer LPGA Classic Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic Marathon Classic Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open CP Women's Open Cambia Portland Classic Indy Women in Tech Championship Volunteers of America Classic Buick LPGA Shanghai BMW Ladies Championship Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship Toto Japan Classic CME Group Tour Championship
Team events	Solheim Cup (odd-numbered years) International Crown (even-numbered years)
Other	Former events
All events listed in chronological order.

show v t Ladies European Tour
Major championships	The Evian Championship Women's British Open
Other tournaments	Australian Ladies Classic Women's NSW Open Investec South African Women's Open Ladies Italian Open Jabra Ladies Open Scandinavian Mixed Gant Ladies Open Tipsport Czech Ladies Open Big Green Egg Open Estrella Damm Ladies Open Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open Didriksons Skaftö Open Creekhouse Ladies Open VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open Lacoste Ladies Open de France Hero Women's Indian Open Lalla Meryem Cup Magical Kenya Ladies Open Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic Aramco Saudi Ladies International Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open De España Femenino
Team events	Solheim Cup (odd-numbered years) Aramco Team Series
All events listed in chronological order.