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 returned to even numbered years beginning in 2024.

The United States teams have won the cup eleven times, compared with nine for Europe. The current holders are Europe, who regained the cup with a 15–13 win in 2026.

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 2 Day 3 TotalPoints Playersper team Morning Afternoon Morning Afternoon 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 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.

Imperial has served as the official headwear supplier for the U.S. Solheim Cup team since at least 2015.

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. toppoint scorer European toppoint scorer2026 15–13NetherlandsEuropeBernardus Golf,Cromvoirt, North BrabantAngelaStanfordAnnaNordqvistLee 4 / 4Grant 4 / 42024 15–12VirginiaUnited StatesRobert Trent Jones Golf Club,GainesvilleStacyLewisSuzannPettersenZhang 4 / 4Hull 3 / 52023Tied retained14–14SpainEuropeFinca Cortesin,Málaga, AndalusiaStacyLewisSuzannPettersenKhang 3.5 / 4Ciganda 4 / 42021 15–13OhioUnited StatesInverness Club,ToledoPatHurstCatrionaMatthewKupcho; Salas 2.5 / 4Maguire 4.5 / 52019 14–13ScotlandEurope Gleneagles Hotel (PGA Centenary),PerthshireJuliInksterCatrionaMatthewJ. Korda; N. Korda 3.5 / 4Boutier; Hall 4 / 42017 16–11IowaUnited StatesDes Moines Golf and Country Club,West Des MoinesJuliInksterAnnikaSörenstamKerr 3.5 / 4Nordqvist 3.5 / 42015 14–13GermanyEuropeGolf Club St. Leon-Rot,St. Leon-Rot, Baden-WürttembergJuliInksterCarinKochKerr; Piller 3.5 / 4Hull 4 / 52013 18–10ColoradoUnited StatesColorado Golf Club,ParkerMegMallonLiselotteNeumannLang 3 / 4Hedwall 5 / 52011 15–13IrelandEuropeKilleen Castle Golf Resort,County MeathRosieJonesAlisonNicholasPressel 4 / 4Gustafson 4 / 42009 16–12IllinoisUnited StatesRich Harvest Farms,Big Rock Township, Kane CountyBethDanielAlisonNicholasWie 3.5 / 4Nocera 3.5 / 42007 16–12SwedenEuropeHalmstad Golf Club,Tylösand, Halmstad Municipality, HallandBetsyKingHelenAlfredssonCreamer 3.5 / 5Matthew 3 / 42005 15–12IndianaUnited StatesCrooked Stick Golf Club,CarmelNancyLopezCatrinNismarkCreamer 3.5 / 5Sörenstam 4 / 52003 17–10SwedenEuropeBarsebäck Golf & Country Club,Barsebäck, ScaniaPattySheehanCatrinNismarkInkster; Kerr 3 / 4Pettersen; Sörenstam 4 / 52002 15–12MinnesotaUnited StatesInterlachen Country Club,EdinaPattySheehanDaleReidDiaz; Klein; Mallon 3 / 4Koch 4.5 / 52000 14–11ScotlandEurope Loch Lomond Golf Club,Luss, Argyll & ButePatBradleyDaleReidRobbins 3 / 4Koch; Nilsmark 3 / 31998 16–12OhioUnited StatesMuirfield Village,DublinJudyRankinPiaNilssonPepper 4 / 4 Davies 3.5 / 51996 17–11WalesEuropeSt Pierre Golf & Country Club,MonmouthshireJudyRankinMickeyWalkerKing 3 / 3 Sörenstam 4 / 51994 13–7West VirginiaUnited StatesThe Greenbrier,White Sulphur SpringsJoanneCarnerMickeyWalkerBurton; Mochrie 3 / 3Alfredsson; Fairclough; Nicholas; Reid 2 / 3 1992 11–6ScotlandEurope Dalmahoy Country Club,EdinburghKathyWhitworthMickeyWalkerMallon 2 / 3Davies 3 / 31990 11–4FloridaUnited StatesLake Nona Golf & Country Club,OrlandoKathyWhitworthMickeyWalkerDaniel 3 / 3Davies 2 / 3 In the 20 competitions through 2026, the United States leads the series 11–8–1 with Europe retaining as holders when the teams tied in 2023.

Future venues YearHostsCourseLocationDatesLast hostedRef2028Valhalla Golf ClubLouisville, Kentucky 4−10 Septembern/a

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: 11° Annika Sörenstam (Eur) (11–3–1 record) Most fourball points won: 11° Cristie Kerr (USA) (11–5–1 record) Top point percentage (Minimum of 3 Solheim Cup Matches)° Janice Moodie (Eur) (7–2–2) ° Carin Koch (Eur) (10–3–3) ° Leona Maguire (Eur) (8–3–1) ° Dottie Pepper (USA) (13–5–2) ° Christina Kim (USA) (6–2–2) 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: ° Charley Hull (Eur) 2013 Oldest player: ° Juli Inkster (USA) 2011

SourcesThe Solheim Cup All-Time Records Solheim Cup RecordsThe Solheim Cup - Match history & records

See also Junior Solheim Cup List of American Solheim Cup golfers List of European Solheim Cup golfers

Notes

References

External links