The Solheim Cup returns in even years, the traditional annual alternation with the Ryder Cup returns. The women's competition that pits Team Europe against Team USA will be held this time from 13 to 15 September at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, designed by the aforementioned historic course architect who, among others, designed the Congressional and has already hosted the Presidents Cup four times.
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In 2023, in Spain, the 14-14 arrived that allowed Europe to keep the trophy; decisive were the victories at the 17th by Maja Stark over Allisen Corpuz first and then by Carlota Ciganda (at home) over Nelly Korda.
Solheim Cup, news
The short distance from the event in Casares, Andalusia, also meant that the two captains from the previous edition were kept, namely Suzann Pettersen for the European team and Stacy Lewis for the American team.
In the European vice quota there are Anna Nordqvist (who will also be a player), Laura Davies, Caroline Martens and Mel Reid, while for the States it will be Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome.
This is the composition of Team Europe: directly qualified as the first two of the LET Solheim Cup ranking or the next six of the world ranking Charley Hull (England), Esther Henseleit (Germany), Celine Boutier (France), Maja Stark, Linn Grant, Madelene Sagstrm (Sweden), Leona Maguire (Ireland), Carlota Ciganda (Spain), chosen by the captain Georgia Hall (England), Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland), Emily Kristine Pedersen (Denmark).
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Team USA, on the other hand, is fielding these players: qualified by the LPGA Solheim Cup ranking or as the next two in the world ranking Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang, Alison Lee, chosen by captain Sarah Schmelzel, Jennifer Kupcho and Lexi Thompson (at her seventh and final Solheim in her career, given her retirement at the end of 2024).
The format follows that of the Ryder Cup: on Friday four foursomes in the morning and as many fourballs in the afternoon, on Saturday the same situation, on Sunday the 12 decisive single matches. Each win is worth one point, each tie is half a point.
Since Europe held the cup last year in Spain with a 14-14 draw, the USA must win 14.5-13.5, otherwise the tie will give the team from the Old Continent the chance to keep the trophy in their hands. The States face this challenge, clearly, as the favorites also due to the presence of the world number 1 and 2 (Korda and Vu).
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After all, for the Americans there is also a strong desire to regain the cup, which has been missing since 2017 between the European miracle of Gleneagles in 2019, a coup always by the Old Continent in Ohio three years ago and a draw in 2023.
The number of debutants is unusually low, just four (Coughlin, Schmelzel, Henseleit and Valenzuela). A record could arrive in Europe, and also an all-time record: if Cline Boutier and Georgia Hall played three times out of four (or all of them) together, they would become the two players who have played alongside each other the most times, with nine or ten occasions.
