Solheim Cup 2023

Solheim Cup 2023.

The Solheim Cup, the most important on the international women's calendar, takes place every two years, and in 2023 was held from 18 to 24 September 2023 on the courses at Finca Cortesín in Casares. The Solheim cup is the women's equivalent of the men's Ryder Cup where USA and EU teams compete.

Sunday Final - Tournament Score Europe 14 & USA 14

Europe retain the Solheim Cup in a close finish at Finca Cortesin, Casares, Costa del Sol - The securing putt was placed by Carlota Ciganda, 33 yrs from Pamplona, on the 17th Hole. Scoring birdies on the 16th and 17th placed her 2-up in her final match. Carlota's match point raised Europe from trailing to a draw.

European Captain Suzann Pettersen talking afterward to Sky Sports:

"I think it was meant to be. It came down to Carlota in Spain in her own hands. Walking down with her in 16 I said ‘is this how you wanted it? Because it's all in your hands now’ and she was like 'I'm up for it.' .... At one point 30 minutes ago we had no clue where it was going".

This was the first Solheim Cup held in Spain and the 14-point draw was rightly or wrongly considered by many as victory for Europe – the winner of the previous edition retains the trophy..

With twelve individual matches in play, a final day to remember began at 11.22 hrs in the Spanish sun. The points were newsworthy events and the alternatives on the scoreboard proliferated at every second.

In the first matches, when the United States scored their first points thanks to Megan Khang and Danielle Kang, were neutralized by good performances from Leona Maguire and Anna Nordqvist.

The intermediate matches, which ended in a draw featuring Europeans Georgia Hall and Georgia Dryburgh, in both cases with the feeling that they could have been won had it not been for some faulty putts in the decisive moments.

The matches starring Sweden’s Madelene Sangstrom and France’s Celine Boutier ended up in the American box on the 15th and 17th holes, a lead minimised thanks to the success of an immense Caroline Hedwall who, in some inspired last holes, offered her point to Europe, celebrated with fury, arm in arm in a sign of recognition and joy.

Then with 12-13 in favour of the United States and with only three matches left in play, all eyes froze on the last two matches; on the clashes played by Maja Stark, Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda.

The Danish Pedersen, in the final match, could do little against the drive of the experienced Lexi Thompson, while the Swedish Stark successfully responded to the challenge of adding another point with decisive connotations on the European side, which needed in any case one more to tie the score at 14 and thus retain the title.

And there she was, Carlota Ciganda,  the player from Pamplona, gave her all, she gave it all to respond to each of the affronts of Nelly Korda, number 2 in the World Ranking.

Nothing, however, stopped Carlota Ciganda, neither Korda’s best proposals nor the pressure that comes from knowing that Europe’s tie is in your hands. The birdies putt on the 16th hole and the tee shot on the 17th hole, which left the ball an inch from the flag, set up another birdie to take Carlota's match two-up and there was no need to play the 18th.

All that was now required, and almost unnoticed, was for Emily Pederson, already two-up against Lexi Thompson in the final game to play it safe and not loose a stroke in the 17th.

Match play

In the final day singles matches, all 12 players from each team participate. Solheim Cup is match play, each hole has a potential value of one. Winning a hole with a score lower than the opponent means the player wins the hole. Winning a game awards a point to the team, ties are awarded half a point at Solhheim in many competirioins they are not awarded any points. While the outcome of a match play tournament may be decided before all 12 matches are complete, the players often still finish for posterity. This was not the case in the Solheim Cup 2023. Nine of the twelve pairs did not play the 18th, some did ot play the last four holes. In the case of the last two games, the players finished the 17th hole with one player '2-up' and therefor they did not need to play 18th hole.

• LPGA Scoreboard

Saturday Day  2 result : USA 8 EUROPE 8

Europe and US 8-8 with Sunday's singles still to play at Finca Cortesin. It has been a turnaround by Europe, who lost the opening session 4-0 on Friday but bounced back in the afternoon to trail 5-3 and then finished Saturday 8-8 equal.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Europe, 3 – United States, 1

With 5-7 on the scoreboard, the afternoon session began, a vital moment to define expectations for the sunday final round of twelve individual matches. The atmosphere was heating up, the ‘sorpaso’ was palpable in the air, a European initiative that, after a day and a half played, became a reality when Ciganda made a spectacular birdie on the 6th hole, also very well celebrated by her partner Linn Grant.

The action generated, for the first time since the start of the competition, the first European advantage in the overall score, 8.5 to 7.5 certified with a huge ovation from the stands.

There was still half a world to go before the end of the day, but everything was working perfectly. Charlie Hull and Leona Maguire swept Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing while the other three matches showed short but significant advantages, two of them in favour of Europe.

The good shots from the tee, and those approaching the green before completing with accurate putts, followed one after the other on the European side in the face of American bewilderment, which weathered as best it could the festival of play of its rival.

Birdie after birdie by Pedersen – up to 8 in a wonderful match -, birdie after birdie in Ciganda’s duel, where twenty-one were made between the four players, the confrontation between Europeans and Americans reached its highest levels of spectacle.

After two rounds of competition, both teams are in the hunt for glory. Sixteen matches in between, dozens and dozens of alternatives and portentous strokes later, everything is as it was at the start, a draw on the scoreboard, twelve individual matches on the horizon and Ciganda, as one of the undisputed leaders, proclaiming to the four winds, vamos, vamos girls!

The Hole 1 being played in this Solheim Cup was hole 4 of Cabell B. Robinson’s course design and played as such up to 2022, however it was decided to make a change for the tournament. It was a  drivable par four where players face the challenge of reaching the green from their tee shot. For the spectators it provides a natural view from the tee down to the green, for the tournament there was room to erect a grandstand, but it needed to be the always popular first tee and not out on the fourth. So lets redesign the course layout. 

Hole 1, a par 4 of 270 meters and L-shaped fairway, with the direct line to the green defended by water. Players have the choice to shoot direct to the green and risk the water or play is safe and follow the fairway. It was expected there would more courage/risk from Solheim Cup players. As it has turned out, almost all have preferred to play safe to the fairway, (although there have been 15 birdies) others have tried and have gone to the water.  Rose Zhang (USA) in the third fourball match of Saturday afternoon was the first and only player (so far) who has managed to do secure the hole in two strokes and score an eagle on her card.

• Finca Cortesin unviels a spectacular new first hole for the 2023 Solheim Cup in 2022.

 

Nelly Korda & Ally Ewing USA vs Charley Hull & Leona Maguire EUROPE, Europe Wins 4 and 3

Cheyenne Knight & Angel Yin USA vs Anna Nordqvist & Caroline Hedwall EUROPE, USA Wins 2 up

Rose Zhang & Andrea Lee USA vs Madelene Sagstrom & Emily Pedersen EUROPE, Europe Wins 2 & 1

Daniella Kang & Lilia Vu USA Carlota Ciganda & Linn Grant EUROPE, Europe Wins 2 & 1

 

• Download PDF copy of the Team Europe press conference by Suzann Pettersen at the end of Day 2
• Download PDF copy of the Team USA press conference by Stacy Lewis, Angel Yin and Cheyenne Knight at the end of Day 2

SATURDAY MORNINGS: Europe, 2 – United States, 2

Carlota Ciganda – Emily Pedersen (Europe) beat Lilia Vu – Jennifer Kupcho (USA) by 2/1

The morning part of the second (day) foresomes round of the Solheim Cup lead to two victories for each team. On the European side, Carlota Ciganda has won again, this time alongside Emily Kristine Pedersen, as well as the Swedish couple formed by Linn Grant and Maja Stark.

Europe and the United States have equally shared the four points at stake in the morning Foursomes, a result that increases the importance of the afternoon Fourballs .

Only one of the duels, the one between Nelly Korda and Allisen Korpuz , was clearly unbalanced on the North American side. Europe countered thanks to the effectiveness of the Ciganda-Pedersen couple in the first game and the combined strength of Grant-Stark in the last, a vital point when it was already known that Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang had raised the second point of the morning to the scoreboard.

Based on the reaction from the previous day, Captain Suzzan Pettersen placed Carlota Ciganda at the forefront along with the Danish Emily Pedersen. The tee stands on hole 1 roared and the machinery was started to deepen the turnaround on the scoreboard. The Spanish-Irish couple took the lead strongly with two points on holes 5 and 6, however immediately countered by the North Americans on holes 7 and 8. Two blows by the Europeans on holes 10 and 13 gave way to a spectacular American birdie on the 15th that raised the tension to a maximum. It was Carlota Ciganda, with a decisively executed putt on the 17th hole, who raised the first European point on the scoreboard of the day.

Lexi Thompson – Danielle Kang (USA) beat Anna Nordqvist – Leona Maguire (Europe) by 1up

Swede and Irish repeated their experience in the Foursome, this time taking the initiative with some clarity throughout the first round, dominated by the Europeans until three consecutive bogeys, between holes 9 and 11, led the North Americans to take the lead. . . . A great birdie executed by Nordqvist on the 14th put the game back to square one. On the par-3 17th, a ball thrown into the exit bunker by Nordqvist herself allowed the subsequent American point, a definitive advantage in the end.

Nelly Korda – Allisen Corpuz (United States) wins Georgia Hall – Celine Boutier (Europe) for 5/3

The couple formed by Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier was destined to be one of the most powerful on the European team, but the truth is that she has not performed in the Foursomes as expected. They didn’t finish doing it on Friday and they didn’t do it on Saturday against Nelly Korda and Allisen. Corpuz , who already proved to be winners in their first Foursome .

The duel had no history: two American birdies to start and, from there, rowing against the tide. Korda and Corpuz expanded the advantage little by little (3up to 7, 4up to 11, 5up to 13) against a European couple that could only make three birdies all morning. The only joy was Georgia Hall’s beautiful long birdie putt at 14 with which she delayed the sentence.

Maja Stark – Linn Grant (Europe) beats Danielle Kang – Andrea Lee (USA) by 1up

The last game of the morning seemed crucial for Europe not to lose on the scoreboard, and the European pair did not fail. Neither did the American, who with the help of a spectacular Andrea Lee with the putt, remained in the match at all times. So much so that he forced Linn Grant to make a remarkable birdie on the 18th hole to win.

The matchup was a rollercoaster, especially from the 8th hole onwards, absolutely vibrant. The visitors never took the advantage. Europe did everything to increase an income that at no time went beyond 1up, but Lee and Kang not only did not allow it, but they also tied up to four times. The highlight of the match was Maja Stark’s sensational putt on the 17th hole to retake the lead. Linn Grant, already in 18th, achieved a victory that tastes like more than just a point.

Friday Day 1 result : USA 5 EUROPE 3

The USA team gained a notable advantage by winning the four matches that opened the 2023 Solheim Cup. The United States took a big lead at the start of the competition, 4-0 on the scoreboard forcing the European team to stage a remarkable comeback in the afternoon’s Fourballs. The Americans clearly dominated the last game and controlled the rest of the game well in the decisive moment.

Friday Afternoon Fourballs : USA 1 EUROPE 3

Friday afternoon, The European team recovered part of what was lost in the morning, to place the score at 3-5 at the start of the tournament being played at the Finca Cortesin course in Malaga.

What is difference between Fourball and foursomes?
Foursomes are not the same as fourball play. In foursomes each team plays only one ball. In Fourball each team member plays their own ball, thus four balls are in play at one time, with each member of the team taking alternate shots.

At 13:40 hours on Friday, September 22, 2023, came another historic milestone of the Solheim Cup 2023: the crowded stands of the tee of hole 1 of Finca Cortesin roared, roared for real, as Carlota Ciganda has wanted since before the start of the competition.

It had already done so, it is true, early in the morning, when the first group of players seeking victory in the Solheim Cup 2023, at Finca Cortesin, faced the pairs matches.

However, the hustle and bustle of this iconic place of any Solheim Cup, where so many passions are concentrated as the starting point of so many feats, was waiting for the special moment to roar, to roar for real, the moment when Carlota Ciganda, local idol, hit the ball with the intention of taking it to the green, 240 meters, several bunkers and lots of water beyond.

The golfer from Navarre, the only Spanish representative in the most important women’s golf tournament in the world, a 100% Solheim Cup player, who transforms herself, who gets involved, who generates and spreads passions, was in action.

She, along with seven other European teammates, faced the enormous challenge of straightening out an adverse situation of historic connotations. In the morning, during the Foursomes, the United States had inflicted a result never seen before, 0-4, reflecting an overwhelming superiority.

The morning only had the colour of the stars and stripes for the North American team, a well-oiled machine that quickly resolved the duel between Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight – a victory on the 14th hole by 5/4 – before quelling any hint of a reaction in the other three matches, one of them on the 17th hole and two more on the 18th.

With such a complicated situation Carlota Ciganda, started the day with her partner Linn Grant and the rest of the European representatives in action, the new proposal of the captain Suzzane Pettersen to minimize a bleeding that needed urgent healing.

Carlota Ciganda threw herself into the task with all her might, scoring a spectacular birdie on hole 1 to take the lead. The spectators, once again, roared with the Navarrese golfer, aware that the European team needed a great boost to counteract such a delicate situation.

Shaken by the need to react, the duel between Europeans and Americans entered a phase of tremendous equality, where every hit and every miss generated sharp but small differences in the balance of the scales, which went from equilibrium to advantage by one hole on the part of one team or the other.

The Spanish fans – and many European fans – focused their attention on the match between Carlota Ciganda and Sweden’s Linn Grant, 2 up on hole 4 thanks to another birdie by the Spaniard, 1 up on hole 6 as a result of a birdie by the American, Yin.

Further on, at other points on the course, an incredible hole-in-1 from 163 metres by the Dane Emily K. Pedersen on the 12th hole; an approach from 60 metres by the Scot Gemma Dryburgh on the 14th; a wonderful chip by the Englishwoman Georgia Hall on the 18th… gave extra energy to a European team that needed all kinds of successes and motivation to overcome their tough final team.

With scores of 0-8 in favour of the United States or a 4-4 draw, anything was possible, such was the accumulated uncertainty, when both teams faced the last holes of the course, a final stretch where an American triumph and two draws took place, one of them after a wonderful putt by Sweden’s Maja Stark.

Because before that, Carlota Ciganda and her partner Linn Grant had already clinched their victory, the only resounding victory of the afternoon, by 4/2, the palpable confirmation that the Spaniard is a 100% Solheim player, who transforms herself, who gets involved, who generates and spreads passions.

Maja Stark/Linn Grant (EUR) - Lexi Thompson/Meghan Khang (USA) - Tied

Celine Boutier/Georgia Hall (EUR) - Danielle Kang/Andrea Lee (USA) - EU wins 1 up

Leona Maguire/Anna Nordqvist (EUR) - Nelly Korda/Allisen Corpuz (USA) - Tied

Charley Hull/Emily Kristine Pedersen (EUR) - Ally Ewing/Cheyenne Knight (USA) EU wins 4 and 2

• Download PDF copy of the Team Europe press conference by Suzann Pettersen at the end of Day 1
• Download PDF copy of the Team USA press conference by Stacy Lewis, Megan Khang, Lexi Thompson and Allisen Corpuz at the end of Day 1

Friday Morning Foursomes : USA 4 EUROPE 0

The USA team gained a notable advantage by winning the four matches that opened the 2023 Solheim Cup. The United States took a big lead at the start of the competition, 4-0 on the scoreboard.

Lexi Thompson – Meghan Kang (USA) beat Meja Stark – Linn Grant (Europe) 2/1
The Swedish pairing, captain Suzzane Petersen’s choice to start the competition, two players with no previous experience in the Solheim Cup, gave a good performance, but could not avoid defeat against the success of two veterans in these matters. The Americans swept their opponents in the first three holes, taking advantage of two bogeys by the Europeans. From then on, the Swedish pair gradually closed the gap with patience, taking advantage of a couple of mistakes to go 1 under on the 11th hole and draw level with a birdie on the 13th. It was a mirage because, at the moment of truth, on the final holes, the value of experience imposed its law.

Andrea Lee – Danielle Kang (USA) beat Celine Boutier – Georgia Hall (Europe) by 1up.
An opening birdie allowed the American pair to take the lead in a match characterized by equality. Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall were very brave and even took the lead on the 6th hole, the starting point of several alternatives that generated advantages in favour of both sides as a result of an aggressive and very colourful game. A great birdie by Georgia Hall on the 12th brought the match back to a draw, a parity that was maintained until the 16th. It was then, on the following hole, when a timely birdie by Andrea Lee was the final straw for the Europeans.

Nelly Korda – Allisen Corpuz (USA) beat Leona Maguire – Anna Nordqvist (EUR) by 1up.
One of Suzann Pettersen’s strongest pairings just missed out on a point. Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and Ireland’s Leona Maguire got off to the best possible start, taking the lead on the 1st. Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz, two world top 10 players, won holes 3, 4 and 5 and only gave up the lead briefly after Europe’s two consecutive birdies on the 6th and 7th. Nelly Korda is a lot of Nelly Korda, and her magic came to the fore on the 9th and 11th. Again, 2up for Stacey Lewis’s team. The match tightened on the 16th with a good birdie finished off by Leona Maguire. With two holes to go to try to get half a point on a tough morning, the Europeans took their chances to avoid the 4-0 lead, but Anna Nordqvist’s last putt, from about two metres, didn’t go in either.

Ally Ewing / Cheyenne Knight (USA) beat Charley Hull – Emily Kristine Pedersen (EUR) by 5/4
The match to forget was the one that closed the Foursomes on Friday. Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight, on fire all morning, beat Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen by 5/4. The Americans practically sentenced the duel between holes 4 and 9, resolved with a partial five up. Europe did not ‘plug’ their first birdie until the 10th hole, when they reduced the score to 5up.It was only a mirage, because Hull and Pedersen did not make another birdie and the match was over on the 14th hole.

Solheim Cup, the ladies Ryder Cup has started.

Europe and the United States face each other from Friday to Sunday at Finca Cortesin.

On October 13, 2020, almost three years ago, the Ladies European Tour officially announced that Spain would host the 2023 Solheim Cup at the Finca Cortesin course in Casares, Malaga. At that time the exact date of celebration was still to be determined, which would be announced shortly after, September 22 to 24, 2023, the beginning of an exciting journey that has led to a throbbing reality.

Solheim Cup – Team Selection

Here is a summary of how both the Solheim cup teams are selected.

European Team Ranking

The European Solheim Cup Team will be comprised of 12 LET members, who will be selected as follows:

The top two players in the Ladies European Tour (LET) Solheim Cup points ranking at the end of the qualifying period, based on LET Solheim Cup points accumulated in all ranking events during the qualifying period. In the event of a tie (equal points), positions will be determined in favour of the player with the highest Rolex Women's World Ranking at the end of the qualifying period.

The top six players in the Rolex Women's World Rankings at the end of the qualifying period who are not already ranked according to the above. In the event of a tie (equality of points), the ranking shall be determined in favour of the player with the highest ranking in the LET Solheim Cup point rankings at the end of the qualifying period.

Four players selected by the European Solheim Cup Team Captain.

U.S. Team Rankings

The U.S. Team for the Solheim Cup will be comprised of 12 U.S. Ladies Professional Golf association (LPGA) players, who will be selected in the following order:

The top seven players on the U.S. Solheim Cup points list at the end of the qualifying period, based on points accumulated in all qualifying events during the qualifying period. In the event of a tie (equal points), the player with the highest ranking in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of the qualifying period shall be selected.

The two players with the highest ranking in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of the qualifying period who are not already ranked in (1) above. In the event of a tie (equal points), the player with the highest ranking on the U.S. Solheim Cup points list at the end of the qualifying period shall be selected.

 

Finca Cortesin Unveils a Spectacular New First Hole for the 2023 Solheim Cup

Finca Cortesin, the course that will host the next Solheim Cup from 22-24 September 2023, has unveiled a brand-new first hole: a drivable par four where players will face the challenge of reaching the green with their tee shot while a bustling grandstand full of spectators creates a unique atmosphere.

It was agreed by the event organisers that the first hole of the 2023 Solheim Cup should be a place where a large number of spectators could gather and also be a hole that would be challenge for the golfers.

A suitable location existed at Finca Cortesin but it was not the first hole of the golf course, it was on hole 4. The team at Finca Cortesin, with Vicente Rubio, its Managing Director, went to work to make the necessary changes.

As a result, the new first hole at Finca Cortesin is now a 256-metre par 4, with a large lake on the left side that reaches the front of the green, a narrow, well-protected fairway and a large but lively green.

"It is a good decision to have made this change. The characteristics of the new hole one will allow us to accommodate more than 1000 people over the tee, which will make for a great atmosphere. I think it's the perfect hole to start a Solheim Cup," said Vicente Rubio.

"This hole is, as they say, a risk and reward hole. Players can either try to reach the green with one shot or play more conservatively. The design of the hole and the great difference in height between the tee and the green will make it a spectacle, and I have no doubt that it will be a success," he concluded.

Players already experiencing this hole include Suzann Pettersen, the European captain, who with nine appearances in the Solheim Cup, knows extremely well what it feels like when a player prepares to take that first shot.

Suzann Pettersen from Norway is familiar with Finca Cortesin and the Costa del sol, for many years her parents have owned a house at Aloha Golf. She also was a member of the junior Ryder Cup team at Valderrama in 1997. 

On Wednesday 20th September alongside Alan Solheim, Suzann unveiled the "One year to Go" countdown clock on the driving range at Finca Cortesin before giving an exhibition of her skills on the new first hole. Happily she reached the green, more than can be said for some of the other golfers who reached the lake.  

"The sensations you experience have nothing to do with other moments you can experience in golf, like leading a major, because in this tournament you don't just play for yourself, you do it for your teammates, for your team.... you put all your heart into it and you want to give your best. That first tee of the Solheim Cup is all adrenaline and energy," said Pettersen.

Stacy Lewis, the American captain, has also had the opportunity to check the characteristics of the new first hole at Finca Cortesin and did not hesitate to praise the choice: "I don't think we've ever had a first hole like this in the Solheim Cup. You can reach the green but the water comes into play quite a lot".

Lewis also highlighted the shape of the tee of this hole, as "It's like an amphitheatre, the stands are going to be high up, practically above you, which will make the public feel very close. It's definitely a great hole for the Solheim Cup," she concluded.
 

Angela Stanford named vice-captain of US 2023 Solheim Cup team

US team captain Stacy Lewis has selected Angela Stanford as her third vice-captain for the 2023 Solheim Cup.   Stanford, winner of the 2018 Amundi Evian Championship and a six-time member of the USA squad, joins Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis as vice-captains, and will work side-by-side with Lewis and the top 12 American golfers competing for the Solheim Cup.

"I have known Angela for a long time and I am very pleased that she has agreed to work with me on the 2023 Solheim Cup," said Stacy Lewis. "Angela has a great eye for statistics, for finding the little details to pick the best players and make the right team combinations. Heading into our week in Spain, I know I have three great professionals - and great friends - who will work with me to give these players the best experience on both sides of the ropes."

Angela Stanford has been a member of the LPGA Tour since 2001. She has six wins on the LPGA Tour, including a major at the 2018 Amundi Evian Championship. She has competed in six Solheim Cups, representing the United States in 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. In 2015, Stanford earned the winning point for Team USA with her 2-1 victory over Suzann Pettersen, the player who will lead the European team in the 2023 Solheim Cup.

"I am honoured and excited to be part of Stacy's team in 2023. Stacy's passion for women's golf and the Solheim Cup is really impressive.     Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Solheim Cup and I am very happy to represent my country again," said Stanford. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn from Stacy, Morgan and Natalie and work to bring the Cup back to the United States!

Lewis and Stanford were teammates on Team USA in the 2011, 2013 and 2015 editions, and both were vice-captains under Pat Hurst at the 2021 Solheim Cup.

Her Majesty Queen Letizia, Honorary President of the Solheim Cup 2023

Her Majesty Queen Letizia has accepted the Honorary Presidency of the Solheim Cup 2023

The Committee of Honor is chaired by Her Majesty, Queen Letizia, is made up of Mr. Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government; Mr. Alejandro Blanco, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee; Mr. Juan Manuel Moreno, president of the Junta de Andalucía; Mr. Francisco Salado, president of the Diputacion de Malaga (Malaga Provincial Council); Mr. José Antonio Mena, president of the Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol; Mrs. Ángeles Muñoz, Mayor of Marbella; Mr. José Carrasco, mayor of Casares; Mr. Gonzaga Escauriaza, president of the RFEG (Spanish Golf Federation); Mr. Pablo Mansilla, president of the RFAG (Spanish Golf Federation); Mrs. Marta Figueras-Dotti, president of the Ladies European Tour; Mr. John Solheim, president of Karstein Manufacturing Corporation; Mr. Javier López, president of Finca Cortesín; and Dª. Alicia Garrido, president of the company Sport and Business.

The Solheim Cup 2023, a historic international competition has also recently been declared an event of exceptional public interest by the Government of Spain. It also happens that it is the first women's golf event to receive this consideration.

Solheim Cup Ambassador Program presented in Benahavis

Ambassador Program

The Torre Leonera Park in the Malaga town of Benahavís was the open air Covid safe setting for the presentation of the Club Ambassador Program, an initiative associated with the Solheim Cup 2023 on the 19th March 2021.  It brought together 40 ambassadors of the Solheim Cup which will be played on Spanish soil for the first time in the history of the tournament. The dates are September 18 to 24, 2023 at Finca Cortesín.

This Club Ambassador Program programme aims to promote the Solheim Cup among golfers from all over the world and will allow participating club members to enjoy a number of promotions.  The role of Solheim Cup 2023 Ambassadors has been created to highlight those club gifted players to transmit the qualities which are essential to spread the importance and pride of hosting the Solheim Cup in 2023.

The ceremony was the official presentation to the 40 Ambassadors with their credentials.  It was chaired and hosted by the mayor of Benahavís, José Antonio Mena, and supported by Ángeles Muñoz, mayor of Marbella and José Carrasco, mayor of Casares. Pablo Mansilla, president of the Real Federación Andaluza de Golf (Royal Andalucia Golf Federation) also took part.

The 40 ambassadors were from ten different nationalities, led in Benahavís by Ana Belén Sánchez a player the 2003 Solheim Cup and by the Andalusian professional Belén Mozo by video link from Colombia and also by Azucena Maldonado, president of the Latina Golfers Association by videos link from Los Angeles. Azucena enthusiastically rallied support with the call ’Vamos Girls’. (Lets go girls)  

José Antonio Mena, mayor of Benahavís, highlighted in his speech the importance of the Solheim Cup 2023 for Benahavís and the Costa del Sol, in addition to emphasizing the fundamental role that the ambassadors will play.

For his part, Pablo Mansilla, president of the Real Federación Andaluza de Golf (Royal Andalucia Golf Federation) wanted to emphasize the importance of the tournament and the essential role of the golf federation in structuring an event of this standing.

Hashtag  #vamosgirls

Solheim Cup to be held on Costa del Sol in 2023.

The Solheim Cup, the most important on the international women's calendar, takes place every two years and in 2023 it will be held from 18 to 24 September 2023 on the courses at Finca Cortesín in Casares. The Solheim cup is the women's equivalent of the men's Ryder Cup where USA and EU teams compete.

The inaugural Cup was held in 1990, and the event was staged in even numbered years until 2002, alternating years with the Ryder Cup. After the one-year postponement of the 2001 Ryder Cup following the September 11, the Solheim Cup switched to odd numbered years beginning in 2003. Another reshuffle took place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Solheim Cup will return to even numbered years from 2024. The 2021 edition will take place at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, USA.