What is 2023 Solheim Cup? Where is it happening? Which golfers are competing?

The Solheim Cup, the premier tournament in women’s golf, is set to start.

The tournament, which pits the top professional female golfers from the USA and Europe against one another, is the equivalent of the Ryder Cup for women.

From September 22–24, 2023, the southern Spanish city of Málaga will host the Solheim Cup.

What can you expect and who should we be on the lookout for as Team Europe attempts to win a record-breaking third consecutive championship?

Here is all the information you require on the tournaments this year.

What is the Solheim Cup?

Every two years, two teams of 12 players from the USA and Europe play in the Solheim Cup, which is contested over the course of three days.

It is named in honour of Karsten Solheim, an American-Norwegian golf club manufacturer, and his wife Louise, who played instrumental in promoting the women’s game.

This year’s Solheim Cup is the 18th edition of the competition, which debuted in 1990.

In comparison to Team Europe’s 7 wins, Team USA has won the cup 10 times.

However, Europe currently holds the title after winning the two previous competitions in 2019 and 2021. They are attempting to win three consecutive championships for the first time in their history.

Where will the Solheim Cup take place in 2023?

Spain will host the 2023 Solheim Cup for the first time.

It will happen at Finca Cortesin in the southern Spanish district of Costa del Sol city of Málaga.

Each single iteration has a different location; in 2021, the competition was conducted in the American state of Ohio.

Who are the captains and teams for the Solheim Cup?

Suzann Pettersen, a Norwegian, will lead squad Europe against a squad from the United States captained by Stacy Lewis.

Three British players are in the 12-member European team. Charley Hull and Georgia Hall of England are two of the eight automatic qualifiers, while Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland will be competing in her first Solheim Cup.

The second- and third-ranked players in the world, Lilia Vu and Nelly Korda, are on the American squad.

The 20-year-old Rose Zhang, who made her LPGA debut in June by winning the Americas Open, is also making her Team USA debut.

How does the Solheim Cup work?

Over the event of the three days, each team uses 12 players.

The players play in pairs on the first two days, and then play one another on the third day.

Over the course of three days of play, there are 28 matches: on days 1 and 2, there are eight foursomes matches and eight four-ball matches, and on day 3, there are 12 singles competitions.

Foursomes

Pairs compete in two-on-two matches, however there is only one ball available for each pair.

The first player hits the tee shot, the second player hits the second stroke, the first player hits the third shot, and so on.

On holes with odd numbers, one person takes the tee shot; after that, they trade places so the other player takes the shot on holes with even numbers.

Four-balls

Pairs play each other in matches, but each uses a different ball.

The golfer who required the fewest shots at the end of each hole counts for their team.

Singles

Each side’s 12 players face off against a player from the other team for one round.

A player’s team gains a point whenever they win a game. Each team receives a half-point if a game ends in a tie.

The Ryder Cup is won by the first team to accumulate 14 and a half points.

The team that won the trophy the last time keeps it if the teams finish level on 14 points.