# 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 first 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 onwards.
The United States teams have won the cup eleven times, compared with eight for Europe. The current holders are the US, who regained the cup with a 15.5–12.5 win in 2024.

## The cup

The trophy is a cut-glass Irish Waterford Crystal, designed in 1990 by one of Waterford's top designers, Billy Briggs. Weight: about 20 pounds. Height: 19 inches, including the mahogany base. Diameter of wooden base: 8 inches. Diameter at top: 4 inches.

## 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 1 | Day 2 | 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 foursomes | 4 fourballs | 4 fourballs | 8 singles | 16 | 8 |
| 1992 | 4 foursomes | 4 foursomes | 4 fourballs | 4 fourballs | 10 singles | 18 | 10 |
| 1994 | 5 foursomes | 5 foursomes | 5 fourballs | 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 | 6 fourballs | 12 singles | 26 | 12 |
| 2002– present | 4 foursomes | 4 fourballs | 4 foursomes | 4 fourballs | 12 singles | 28 | 12 |
| 2002– present | or | or | or | or | | 12 singles | 28 | 12 |
| 2002– present | 4 fourballs | 4 foursomes | 4 fourballs | 4 foursomes | 12 singles | 28 | 12 |

## Team qualification and selection

The U.S. team is selected by a points system, with American players on the LPGA Tour receiving points for each top-twenty finish on tour. 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. For the European team, 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. 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 | Winners | Score | Host location | Course | U.S. captain | European captain | U.S. top point scorer | European top point scorer |
| 2024 | United States | 151⁄2–121⁄2 | Virginia United States | Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville | Stacy Lewis | Suzann Pettersen | Zhang 4 / 4 | Hull 3 / 5 |
| 2023 | Tied Europe retains | 14–14 | Spain Europe | Finca Cortesin, Málaga, Andalusia | Stacy Lewis | Suzann Pettersen | Khang 3.5 / 4 | Ciganda 4 / 4 |
| 2021 | Europe | 15–13 | Ohio United States | Inverness Club, Toledo | Pat Hurst | Catriona Matthew | Kupcho; Salas 2.5 / 4 | Maguire 4.5 / 5 |
| 2019 | Europe | 141⁄2–131⁄2 | Scotland Europe | Gleneagles Hotel (PGA Centenary), Perthshire | Juli Inkster | Catriona Matthew | J. Korda; N. Korda 3.5 / 4 | Boutier; Hall 4 / 4 |
| 2017 | United States | 161⁄2–111⁄2 | Iowa United States | Des Moines Golf and Country Club, West Des Moines | Juli Inkster | Annika Sörenstam | Kerr 3.5 / 4 | Nordqvist 3.5 / 4 |
| 2015 | United States | 141⁄2–131⁄2 | Germany Europe | Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, St. Leon-Rot, Baden-Württemberg | Juli Inkster | Carin Koch | Kerr; Piller 3.5 / 4 | Hull 4 / 5 |
| 2013 | Europe | 18–10 | Colorado United States | Colorado Golf Club, Parker | Meg Mallon | Liselotte Neumann | Lang 3 / 4 | Hedwall 5 / 5 |
| 2011 | Europe | 15–13 | Ireland Europe | Killeen Castle Golf Resort, County Meath | Rosie Jones | Alison Nicholas | Pressel 4 / 4 | Gustafson 4 / 4 |
| 2009 | United States | 16–12 | Illinois United States | Rich Harvest Farms, Big Rock Township, Kane County | Beth Daniel | Alison Nicholas | Wie 3.5 / 4 | Nocera 3.5 / 4 |
| 2007 | United States | 16–12 | Sweden Europe | Halmstad Golf Club, Tylösand, Halmstad Municipality, Halland | Betsy King | Helen Alfredsson | Creamer 3.5 / 5 | Matthew 3 / 4 |
| 2005 | United States | 151⁄2–121⁄2 | Indiana United States | Crooked Stick Golf Club, Carmel | Nancy Lopez | Catrin Nismark | Creamer 3.5 / 5 | Sörenstam 4 / 5 |
| 2003 | Europe | 171⁄2–101⁄2 | Sweden Europe | Barsebäck Golf & Country Club, Barsebäck, Scania | Patty Sheehan | Catrin Nismark | Inkster; Kerr 3 / 4 | Pettersen; Sörenstam 4 / 5 |
| 2002 | United States | 151⁄2–121⁄2 | Minnesota United States | Interlachen Country Club, Edina | Patty Sheehan | Dale Reid | Diaz; Klein; Mallon 3 / 4 | Koch 4.5 / 5 |
| 2000 | Europe | 141⁄2–111⁄2 | Scotland Europe | Loch Lomond Golf Club, Luss, Argyll & Bute | Pat Bradley | Dale Reid | Robbins 3 / 4 | Koch; Nilsmark 3 / 3 |
| 1998 | United States | 16–12 | Ohio United States | Muirfield Village, Dublin | Judy Rankin | Pia Nilsson | Pepper 4 / 4 | Davies 3.5 / 5 |
| 1996 | United States | 17–11 | Wales Europe | St Pierre Golf & Country Club, Monmouthshire | Judy Rankin | Mickey Walker | King 3 / 3 | Sörenstam 4 / 5 |
| 1994 | United States | 13–7 | West Virginia United States | The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs | Joanne Carner | Mickey Walker | Burton; Mochrie 3 / 3 | Alfredsson; Fairclough; Nicholas; Reid 2 / 3 |
| 1992 | Europe | 111⁄2–61⁄2 | Scotland Europe | Dalmahoy Country Club, Edinburgh | Kathy Whitworth | Mickey Walker | Mallon 2 / 3 | Davies 3 / 3 |
| 1990 | United States | 111⁄2–41⁄2 | Florida United States | Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, Orlando | Kathy Whitworth | Mickey Walker | Daniel 3 / 3 | Davies 2 / 3 |
In the 19 competitions through 2024, the United States leads the series 11–7–1 with Europe retaining as holders when the teams tied in 2023.

## Future venues

| Year | Hosts | Course | Location | Dates | Last hosted | Ref |
| 2026 | Europe | Bernardus Golf | Cromvoirt, North Brabant, Netherlands | 7−13 September | n/a | |
| 2028 | United States | Valhalla Golf Club | Louisville, Kentucky | TBD | n/a | |
Bernardus Golf has previously hosted three editions (2021, 2022, 2023) of the men's European Tour's Dutch Open and will be the Netherlands' first Solheim Cup or Ryder Cup venue.
Valhalla Golf Club has hosted the men's PGA Championship four times in 1996, 2000, 2014 and 2024 as well as the Senior PGA Championship twice in 2004 and 2011. Despite being a first-time Solheim Cup venue, it previously hosted the Ryder Cup in 2008 and will become just the fourth course after The Greenbrier, Muirfield Village and the Gleneagles Hotel's PGA Centenary to host both events.

## 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: 111⁄2 ° Annika Sörenstam (Eur) (11–3–1 record)
* Most fourball points won: 111⁄2 ° 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% ° Leona Maguire (Eur) (8–3–1) 70.8% ° 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
* Longest winning streak: 7 matches ° Carin Koch (Eur) 2000–2002 ° Morgan Pressel (USA) 2009–2013
* Longest unbeaten streak: 10 matches ° Paula Creamer (USA) 2005–2009
* Youngest player: 17 years, 149 days ° Charley Hull (Eur) 2013
* Oldest player: 51 years, 91 days ° Juli Inkster (USA) 2011
Sources