Ryder Cup course chosen to host Solheim Cup

The 21st edition of the Solheim Cup has finally found its arena. The LPGA has chosen Kentucky for its biennial competition, more specifically the Valhalla Golf Club course not far from Louisville for the USA/Europe clash in 2028.

How do you recognize a legendary course? By its prestige, its reputation, its character perhaps. Its pedigree and the grandeur of the events it has certainly hosted. The Valhalla Golf Club has an inestimable presence in the world of American golf. But after 2028, it will undoubtedly fall into this very closed category of legendary courses.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the course has hosted the PGA Championship four times (1996, 2000, 2014 and 2024) and the Ryder Cup in 2008. It will also host the Solheim Cup in 2028.

A decision made public by the LPGA, which is responsible for organizing the biennial competition: “By being able to showcase the talent of our extraordinary athletes in venues that have hosted the most important and prestigious golf tournaments in the world and are recognized by fans around the world, the LPGA and the Solheim Cup will continue to rise,” said Mollie Marcoux Samaan, the president of the LPGA.

The 2024 Solheim Cup will be held in the United States in a few weeks. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, from September 13-15 will see the Americans, led by captain Stacy Lewis, attempt to reclaim the trophy from Suzann Pettersen, captain of the European team. The 2026 Solheim Cup will be held at Bernardus Golf in Cromvoirt, the Netherlands.

The Solheim Cup is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional women from Europe and the US, played in the same format as the Ryder Cup. The initiative for this competition was born from Karsten Solheim, founder of the American brand PING, which makes golf equipment.

The first tournament was held in 1990 and was subsequently played at various locations in even-numbered years until 2002. After the Ryder Cup schedule changed, the tournament has been played in odd-numbered years since 2003 to avoid date conflicts.

The tournament is played over three days with a total of twenty-eight matches: eight foursomes, eight fourballs and twelve singles on the final day. This is exactly the same format as the Ryder Cup.