It’s Solheim Cup week, but it’s also the eve of the Ryder Cup. There’s been so much buzz about the lead-up to Rome, that it’s been difficult for the biggest event in women’s golf to enjoy the spotlight it deserves.
Many believed that back-to-back Cups in Europe would bring more buzz to the women’s game with a dramatic fortnight of team golf.
But before Judy Rankin boarded a plane for Spain last week, the legendary commentator and LPGA player lamented that media outlets hadn’t done more to promote this unique time in the game, telling Golfweek, “all I have heard about basically is the Ryder Cup.”
During her Wednesday press conference, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis was asked about what little connection there’s been between the Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. She called it a “massive missed opportunity” for golf.
Solheim Cup: Photos
“I thought this could have been marketed together as two weeks in Europe, two Cups for play,” said Lewis. “I think it was a missed opportunity for the sport of golf. I wish that, you know, people could get the sponsorship things out of their head and let’s figure out how we can work together, because this may not ever happen again of the two Cups being in the same year.”
The Solheim Cup has been contested in odd years since 2003. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing Ryder Cup officials to cancel in 2020, the biennial men’s event opted to stay with odd years after the 2021 contest at Whistling Straits.
The change gave the two Cups a chance to go back-to-back for the first time on European soil and gave golf organizations a unique opportunity to work together.
“I tried. I tried really hard, actually,” said Lewis. “I probably spent more time on it than I should have. But whether it was timing or it was too late in the process, I don’t know. I mean, to really market it correctly, like, this probably had to happen two years ago. So it’s something that going forward, I think the game of golf needs to get on the same page and do better with.”
– @TODAYshow ✅
– Top of the Rock at @rockcenternyc ✅
– NYC Media Tour ✅The Solheim Cup took over the Empire State today 😎 pic.twitter.com/QLGsWvh23X
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 14, 2023
What if, for example, last week Nelly Korda had been joined by Scottie Scheffler or Justin Thomas on NBC’s “Today” to promote the two Cups? Joint commercials promoting the two events and cross-promotion on social media platforms could’ve grown…
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