The record of who has won the most Solheim Cups goes to the Americans, winning 10 to Europe’s 7. It’s fair to say, however, that in the early days the Americans were definitely the dominant force but the momentum has shifted back to Europe in recent times. We have won four out of the last six Cup clashes.
If European captain Suzann Peterson’s team can complete the hat-trick at Finca Cortesin, Andalucia, Spain from 18-24 September 2023, then it will be the first time that the Europeans have ever won three consecutive Solheim Cups.
The Americans have done so twice, with a winning run from 1994-1998 and then again from 2005-2009, etched in the history books.
The Early Years – American Dominance
When the Solheim Cup first begun back in the early nineties the USA were dominant, winning four out of the first five matches spanning a decade, from 1990.
The margins of victory in those formative years was also quite considerable. Under Kathy Whitworth’s captaincy the American side demolished the Europeans on home soil 11 1/2 – 4 1/2 in the inaugural Cup at Lake Nona, Florida in 1990. This still, to this day, stands as the biggest winning margin in Solheim Cup history.
Kathy Whitworth captained the winning USA team in the inaugural Solheim Cup
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Tightest Contests
The two closest Solheim Cup contests have happened in recent years, 2015 and 2019, showing just how evenly matched the talented pool of players in both teams has become. On both occasions there was just a one-point margin of victory, with the Americans claiming the 14 1/2 – 13 1/2 victory at St. Leon Rot, Germany under the tenacious captaincy of Juli Inkster, and Europe taking the spoils with the same scoreline at Gleneagles, Scotland with Catriona Matthew at the helm.
Catriona Matthew led the European team to victory in 2019 and 2021
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The Most Magical Winning Putt Ever
The pressure of having to sink a putt for your team’s victory in the Solheim Cup is immense. Knowing that every match on the course has finished and it’s all down to you, on your final hole, with one putt left at 18 to seal the deal must be…
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