EUROPEAN QUALIFICATION FOR THE 2023 PING JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP KICKS OFF IN PORTUGAL

Qualification for the 2023 PING Junior Solheim Cup begins today for Team Europe with the start of the Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship at Montado Hotel & Golf Resort.

La Zagaleta will host the 2023 edition of the PING Junior Solheim Cup which will see twelve of Europe’s brightest young female golfers between the age of 12 and 18 battle against Team USA on the Old Course on 18-19 September, 2023.

Throughout the 2023 season, there are 10 Official European Qualifying events with the first this week in Portugal and concluding with the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship on 14-20 August with the Team announced after that competition has taken place.

The full list of events and breakdown of the points allocation for each event can be found at https://solheimcup2023.eu/ping-junior-solheim-cup/.

Team Europe will be made up of the leading six players from the PING Junior Solheim Cup ranking who will be automatically selected, while there will also be six Captain’s picks based on performances at leading amateur events and the European Women’s Amateur Ranking.

Before the tournament began Eva-Lotta Strömlid, the LET PING Junior Solheim Cup Project Director, gave a presentation to the players in Portugal and talked through the qualification process, what it means to play in the PING Junior Solheim Cup, as well as hearing what former players said about their experience.

Belgium’s Savannah De Bock was part of the triumphant Team Europe at the 2021 PING Junior Solheim Cup and explains how the competition motivated her.

She said: “Being part of the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2021 was the best moment of my life. It was great to be able to play in a team and go through the entire experience. It taught me so much about myself and I learned what I was capable of. I made incredible shots that I did not think I could, I also learned a lot from the other girls and our captain Annika.

“The PJSC gave me the opportunity to understand what I want to become, and it was amazing to watch the Solheim Cup and see the motivation, spirit and happiness of the players. When I saw them practicing and competing, I knew that I want to be in their place in the future.

“Playing at the PJSC also taught me things that I used when playing in the 2022 AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield. I made the best preparations, I went for everything, I had fun and I…