There is a striking difference between being inside the ropes at a Solheim Cup and watching the narrative unfold from across the Atlantic once the dust settles.

Standing on the 1st tee at Bernardus Golf a few weeks ago, surrounded by a deafening crowd that rivals anything you’ll experience at a Ryder Cup, you couldn't help but feel that women's team golf was reaching whole new heights.

The energy was electric, the quality of play under intense pressure was outstanding, and Europe’s dramatic 15-13 triumph felt like a pivotal milestone for the sport on this side of the pond.

Then the American data dropped, and the narrative instantly shifted to doom and gloom. According to figures circulating stateside, Golf Channel’s Sunday broadcast averaged just 170,000 US viewers, a sharp 39% drop compared to 2023, when the Solheim Cup was last held at Finca Cortesin in Europe. Media outlet Fried Egg Golf sounded the alarm, calling the ratings a “three-alarm fire” for the LPGA.

While the Sky Sports viewing figures aren't in yet, having been on the ground for the entire event in the Netherlands, my response to the stateside sceptics is simple. You are looking at the wrong numbers.

To evaluate the health of an international spectacle based purely on traditional US cable television ratings in 2026 is outdated. The US broadcast window for a European event meant live action was airing in the early hours of the morning across American time zones. Add in the massive shift toward digital clips, app streaming, and social media consumption, where LPGA impressions were actually up 30% on 2023, and the idea that interest is evaporating is wide of the mark.

More importantly, the American media reaction highlights a classic case of viewing a global event through a narrow domestic lens. What those figures actually reveal isn't a flaw in the Solheim Cup format, but a specific challenge within the American sports market.

Writing for Golfweek, Beth Ann Nichols hit the nail on the head when she highlighted the generational handover quietly troubling the US team. The household names who anchored American fan interest for two decades - Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie West, Lexi Thompson - have stepped aside.

As Nichols rightly pointed out, while World No.1 Nelly Korda is an immense talent, she can’t carry the promotional weight of an entire 12-woman team alone, especially when competing for airtime against college football and the NFL on a Sunday morning.

In Europe, however, the picture couldn't be more different. Here, the Solheim Cup isn't just surviving, it’s booming. It doesn't rely on a single American superstar to sell tickets or drive conversation. European fans tune in for the event itself, for the partisan energy, the team dynamics, and the sheer drama of match play golf.

Anyone who walked the course at Bernardus knows the appetite for this contest in Europe is at an all-time high. The 1st tee stadium build was bigger, the crowds turned out in huge, loud numbers, and the general buzz around the venue was electric from Thursday through to Sunday evening, despite the wet weather at times.

The Solheim Cup isn't broken. It delivered one of the most compelling weekends of tournament golf all year. If US television networks struggle to package live action airing at breakfast time on the East Coast for an American audience, that is a scheduling and broadcast strategy issue, not a product problem.

As we look ahead to Valhalla in 2028, the US media will undoubtedly enjoy their prime-time afternoon slots and familiar domestic storylines. But let’s not mistake a localised dip in television numbers for a decline in the tournament itself. From where I was standing in the Netherlands, the Solheim Cup has never looked healthier.

Did you attend or watch the Solheim Cup on TV? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments box below.

Hardly a week goes by when I don’t encounter a player who has problems getting out of bunkers. Some golfers dread the sand so much that they literally aim away from the green to avoid them. I can’t help but wonder why these players don’t try something different, and the obvious solution is to look at what club you’re using.

Most golfers use a standard sand wedge from a set of irons out of bunkers, it’s the club that you’re supposed to play, right? It’s stamped SW, (the abbreviation for sand wedge) so who can blame you for choosing it. The very name suggests it’s built for bunkers. So why would you question its suitability for the job?

Actually, there are several reasons to question the suitability of a sand wedge, and the fact that you are struggling with these shots may not just be down to technique. It could be that the standard shop bought sand wedge in your set isn’t tailored to the type of sand you have to escape from regularly.

So start by asking yourself what type of sand do you typically have to play from? Is it soft, deep and fluffy or hard and compact, or do your bunker conditions vary with the seasons?

If you play a links course then you are most likely to encounter the latter. The type of heavy sand that’s used in links course bunkers is designed to withstand the wind. It’s deliberately dense so that it doesn’t blow away.

To have the best chance of success from this sand you’ll need a wedge with low bounce (typically 4 to 8 degrees). This allows the leading edge of the wedge to cut into the heavy sand, so that you can take a shallow slice of sand right beneath the ball.

Use a wedge with too much bounce from hard, compact or wet sand and it will act like a skid plate. The club will bounce off the surface and strike the middle or top of the ball, leading to a thin, screaming shot over the green

It therefore goes without saying that the opposite is true for parkland courses, where the sand tends to be deeper, thicker and softer.

A wedge with plenty of bounce (an ideal range of 12 to 14 degrees or more) will help you get out. The high bounce acts like a ski on the sand. It stops the leading edge of the club from digging too deep into the soft bunker surface, allowing the club to glide smoothly underneath the ball and pop it out effortlessly.

Understanding Bounce

Once you understand bounce you will look at your wedge differently. The problem is that most standard sand wedges in a set are rarely stamped with a bounce number so you won’t know what you’re playing.

That’s where a custom fit comes in. Specialist wedges tend to display two numbers, the bigger (52, 56, 60 etc) is the degree of loft. The smaller number (8, 10, 12, 14) is the degree of bounce. Look out for this.

Rethinking Loft

When it comes to choosing the loft of sand wedge to use, don’t assume that the standard 56 degrees is enough. How steep are the lips of the bunkers that you have to escape most of the time? Some courses have bunkers with relatively shallow lips but others are much more severe, like steep little riveted pots.

I made the decision to use a more lofted wedge out of bunkers many years ago and I have never looked back. After struggling with the standard 56 degrees I jumped to a 60 degrees and things became much easier.

Nowadays I’ve found a happy medium and alternate between using my 52 or 58 degree wedge, as I’ve distance-gapped my wedges perfectly for full shots. The 58-degree is right in the sweet spot of shot-making versatility for me. By carrying both wedges I have excellent options around the greens and particularly in bunkers.

If I face a long bunker shot (from 50 to 80 yards) to a back flag, I’ll use my 52-degree wedge. For most standard close range greenside bunker shots I use my 58-degree.

The reason I switched to these wedges is as I improved and lowered my handicap into single figures I recognised the importance of carrying the right equipment for the job. Specialist wedges played a big role in helping me become more skilful and successful, not just in sand but every shot around the greens.

I think that this fact is seldom sold to club golfers. We frequently read about getting custom fitted for a new driver or set of irons but wedges hardly ever get talked about. Yet they are critical scoring clubs.

The Shaft Factor

The shaft is the final piece of the puzzle and definitely the most forgotten thing, and yes you can change it! In 99% of cases the golfers who I see fail to get out of sand successfully don’t have enough speed, especially women.

They swing too slowly and a lack of acceleration causes the club to get stuck in the sand. Then the ball doesn’t come out. A sand wedge fitted with a lighter weight graphite shaft will be easier to swing with speed.

Why Is A Standard Sand Wedge 56 Degrees?

From a manufacturing perspective it’s easier (and cheaper) to put a pitching wedge and a sand wedge in a standard set - they distance-gap perfectly.

Equipment manufacturers look at the ‘typical’ or average bunker conditions we all face and most sand wedges are able to tackle these bunker shots satisfactorily, as they are broadly suited to most scenarios. But that doesn’t mean that it’s good enough for the type of bunkers conditions you face or for you.

Which leads me back to the very question I posed at the start - is your standard sand wedge really suitable for the job or is it holding you back?

In short, the answer is that a standard sand wedge is probably good enough for most recreational players. It has enough loft and bounce to tackle a bunker. But, and it’s a big but, if you really want to take your game to the next level then specialist wedges are the way forward.

Remember, a standard sand wedge only has 56-degrees of loft and this may not be enough for you if you’re struggling. So next time you play, ask yourself the question, is my standard sand wedge really suitable for the job?’

Think about all the scenarios I’ve mentioned above and consider a specialist fitting. It’s a small expense, but it might just hold the solution to your bunker woes.

Over my few years playing golf, I’ve realised it’s really hard to get better. I’m not talking about improving your putting stroke, or hitting more fairways. Lowering your scores consistently, which ultimately leads to a lower handicap, is difficult to accomplish.

It’s a multi-year commitment and not everyone is willing or able to dedicate the time, or perhaps doesn’t know how to achieve that level of improvement. I’ve heard quite a few women in my golfing league complain that their handicaps have lingered in the same range for years.

I spent a lot of time frustrated that I wasn’t getting better as quickly as I wanted. I could see the potential in my game, but it was mixed with a lot of bad golf. I still struggle with a fully-consistent round.

The other day I finished the front 9 on my home course with one of my lowest scores. I thought, This is it. I’m going to hold it together for an entire 18 holes and get my best score ever. Rookie move, setting those kinds of expectations mid-round. I parred 10, bogeyed 11, and then fell apart for the next 4 holes.

Despite that lacklustre back 9, I’ve been scoring lower overall. Sure, my golf swing is more technically consistent - my bad shots aren’t as bad as they used to be, and my good shots are better than they used to be. But, my current progress has just as much to do with how I’m thinking and planning my golf days. Here are 5 ways I’ve changed the way I approach my game.

I Stopped Rushing, Especially Around the Green

When I feel rushed, as I often do, all sorts of bad stuff happens. I forgo my pre-shot routine, I swing way too fast, my mind loses focus, and most frustrating of all, I miss short putts. Very short putts. I decided I was sick of sacrificing my game because I needed to play faster to appease the single with his hands on his hips behind my group. As long as I’m keeping on pace, I’m now taking the time I need before each shot.

It’s not always easy. My golf club takes pace of play seriously and is always reminding members to play faster. But, to play better, I need to focus on being thorough, and if that means taking an extra three seconds to set up for a short putt, then I’m going to stay committed to that routine. Even having the mindset that I’m in control of my pace has helped keep me focused tremendously.

I’m Playing 18 Instead Of 9 As Often As I Can

Some of you may be scratching your heads at this, but for a mom with young kids, it’s hard to make time for 18 hole rounds. I got into a comfortable habit of playing 9 all the time, which was no help to my golf endurance. I struggled to maintain focus when I needed to play 18 during a tournament, and I left feeling disappointed in myself.

Over the past several months, I’ve prioritized playing the full 18, which has made me a much stronger golfer. Aside from building golf endurance (both physically and mentally), it’s given me the confidence that I can recover on the back 9 if my front 9 didn’t go well. I’m playing better during our league’s match play, and I’m confident it’s because I’m more prepared for it.

I Practiced My Punch Shot, And Got Pretty Good At It

Have you seen those videos where two people are at a golf simulator, one holding a tree branch over the other’s face while he swings? Practice like you play. It’s a joke, obviously, but there’s something to that. When my tee shots get a little wild, I typically need to get out of a precarious spot.

I’ve seen single digit golfers not only get out of these situations, but also make a great deal of progress down the fairway. I practiced using different lofted clubs to see how the ball came out, and now I have a good idea where to aim and how high and far each club will go. My punch shot has saved me on numerous occasions. Even though it’s tempting to hit a high shot over a tree to get out of trouble, for me, it’s almost always a safer play to punch my ball back into the fairway.

Course Management Is Key

How satisfying is it to hit the ball as far and hard as you can? The problem is, it generally doesn’t lead to lower scores. That’s where course management, making smart golf choices, helps.

Recently during my women’s team match play, I played at a course that had multiple deep bunkers surrounding every green. Club selection was important because if you landed in the sand, it was hard to get out. Since it was a new course for me, I relied on my GPS and picked a target and distance where I would avoid the bunkers (for the most part), even if it meant landing extra short or long.

Another place course management comes into play for me is on par 5s. I consider what distance I want to leave myself for my 3rd shot, which is why I often choose a shorter club for my second shot so I’m in a comfortable position for my approach. It feels really good to make smart choices during my rounds, and gives me a sense of control over how I’m performing on each hole.

I Ventured Out To Easier Courses

My home course is difficult. I love it, it’s beautiful, but it’s a hard course. There are lots of places to get in trouble, and even when you’re not in trouble, you’re more than likely to land on a slanted part of the fairway. It’s a real test in course management and recovery.

Lately, I’ve played at more forgiving courses with flatter fairways and greens and fewer hazards. Little did I know that mixing up where I play would increase my golf confidence tremendously. It’s not me, it’s my golf course! What a relief.

I’m joking, but not worrying about losing my ball in a hazard is freeing. I was able to fully focus on my golf swing, instead of where the ball would go, which not surprisingly, had great results. I’ve brought that swing feeling back to my own course when I’m also paying attention to where I’m landing my drive.

Golf progress has ups and downs, but I believe it’s important to celebrate the stretches of good golf when they happen. I have a lot, I mean, a lot of work to do to get to where I want to be, but I’m hoping by continuing to follow the five points I’ve listed above, I can keep the good golf vibes going strong.

To keep your full status on the LPGA Tour, you need to finish inside the top 80 on the Race to the CME Globe points list – players 81-100 keep their cards but have a lower priority – so that seems a good place to start when looking at prize money.

In 2025 Ashleigh Buhai finished in 80^th spot having made 14/22 cuts and had two top 10s, all of which added up to $291k.

At the other end Jeeno Thitikul made 20 starts, picked up money in 19 of them and finished inside the top 10 14 times. There were three wins, including the defence of her Tour Championship title which gave her the vast pay-out of $4m.

Her total for the 2025 season was $7.6m which was more than twice as much as Miyu Yamashita in second.

This year Nelly Korda is already on $6.2m with eight more possible starts, capped by the riches of the season-ender in Florida. To state the obvious if you are able to pick your weeks to dazzle, then the five Majors and Tour Championship are the ones to do it.

Lottie Woad, for example, won the Kroger Queen City Championship in May and she picked up $300k from total prize pot of £2m. Now, when you compare that to the Majors, that is relatively small fry.

Leading Tournaments For Prize Money 2026 (In Order)

• $13m KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• $12.5m US Women’s Open
• $11m CME Group Tour Championship
• $10m AIG Women’s Open
• $9.1m Amundi Evian Championship
• $9m Chevron Championship

No other tournament has a pot over $5m. You might think, with the Women’s Scottish Open being a co-sanctioned event with the LET, that the prize money would bring a huge purse but, again, the winner here receives $300k.

The last few years have seen a seismic shift in prize money in the women’s game as more parity seeps into the sport. In 2022 the Women’s PGA Championship doubled from $4.5m to $9m in a single year, a figure that has now since very nearly tripled.

And as such the powers-that-be are able to make statements about being the biggest and the best, even if that isn’t true and is only based on the prize purse.

“We're proud to deliver the premier major on the LPGA Tour," said Tim Walsh, the US chair and CEO for KPMG. "Working with the PGA of America and the LPGA Tour, we're combining a record purse with technology that gives players better, real-time insight into their performance, along with broader, more dynamic coverage for fans. It's all about continuing to build momentum for women's golf."

Tennis’ Grand Slams are well known for having the same prize money, which isn’t the case in golf, but all five now offer a very respectable offering and a world away from many of the LET events which only pay out a total purse of €350k – the winner here receives €52.5k.

One stat from this season, which would have been unthinkable in years gone by is that Korda earnt more from her five Major starts than Scottie Scheffler did in the men’s quartet of big ones.

Korda won the opening two Majors, the Chevron and the US Women’s Open, as well as top 10s at the Women’s PGA Championship and AIG Women’s Open. In total she won $4.59m which was only bettered by Rory McIlroy and Wyndham Clark in the men’s game.

Haeran Ryu also won a pair of big ones, the Women’s PGA Championship and Evian, to pick up $3.7m which was slightly ahead of the Open champion Ryan Fox.

Korda is the clear World No. 1 and the poster girl of women’s golf. In 2025 Sportico listed the top 15 highest-paid female athletes and Korda and Thitikul were both in there. Thitikul won $7.6m, there was $2.5m in endorsements which gave her $10.1m and 15^th place.

Korda had a winless year, lost her No. 1 spot but still pulled in $13.8m, $11m of which came in sponsorship. At the time the American had 14 marketing partners (FOURTEEN!) which included Nike, TaylorMade, Goldman Sachs, T-Mobile, Franklin Templeton EY, Delta Airlines, Emirates Airlines, BMW, Cisco, TUMI, Whoop and Upper Deck.

This is a whole world away from the vast majority of the women’s tour pros.

This season Korda won the year’s first two Majors, is well clear of Thitikiul on the rankings and is already over $6m in on-course earnings so we can expect the off-course bits to spiral even further.

Korda won’t be part of the upcoming WGTL, probably for a variety of reasons and she certainly doesn’t need the money or time commitment but she is also making a stand due to not making it a mixed event in the first place.

“I think it's a huge and unbelievable miss that we're not playing alongside the men. It would have been the first time, I think, that men and women are on the same playing field, playing for the same exact amount of money.”

If we were to look at the players in the middle of the 2025 money list then we have Woad in 40^th. The English star, who only played nine times after turning pro midway through the season, won $830k last year.

There was a brilliant article in Golf Digest a couple of years ago where an unnamed tour pro broke down a 20^th-place finish and $100k pay day as follows:

• Flight: $800
• Accommodation: $3.2k
• Caddie: $10k (8% plus weekly rate)
• Coach and trainer: $2k
• Food: $200
• Federal: $37k
• Tournament state: $7k

So, he took home $39.8k from a $100k finish.

This year, as things stand, we have a whole host of Solheim players in the 70-80 slots on the money list: Anna Nordqvist (70), Carlota Ciganda (72), Lindy Duncan (73), Nastasia Nadaud (75), Julia Lopez Ramirez (76), Andrea Lee (77) and Linn Grant (81).

A good example of how your career (and earnings) can fluctuate is Gabi Ruffels. The Aussie, who won the US Amateur in 2019, comfortably kept her card in 2024 and 2025 but this year has been a different story. The 26-year-old has made 14 starts and only played on the weekend three times, which adds up to just $55k and a long way from keeping her playing privileges in 2026.

For as long as I’ve played golf, I’ve loved the competitive side of match play. I miss the team environment we had when I played for Hampshire teams as a junior. That head-to-head, adrenaline-fuelled battle, often against the odds, is so appealing to me.

The most popular spectator sport in the world is football. Why? Because of its unpredictable outcomes, non-stop flow, and massive global passion. Golf can be as exciting and appealing if only there were more match play. We’ve already seen women’s football grow at a huge rate; here’s a way to take a leaf out of soccer’s book and put our foot to the gas, accelerating the growth of golf.

Having just spent a few days at the Solheim Cup at Bernardus in The Netherlands, I truly believe that the energy sparked during this format of golf will really grow a new fanbase. The players connect with the crowd through music and dancing, really revving the mood up to a euphoric state. The roars of the crowd heard across the course fuelled the players in a way that stroke play cannot match.

Look how big the Ryder Cup has become compared to years gone by. The growth in popularity of the two greatest team events in golf cannot be denied. I have non-golfing female friends who religiously watch the Ryder Cup with their partners and freely admit they’re not into golf.

Director of Golf at Bernardus, Roel Verdonschot, said he was pleased to see the players really embrace the course’s risk-reward design. It suited the Solheim Cup and definitely saw some big power changes in many of the matches.

It was never over until the Guardians of the Cup sang their final song. That’s what I love about match play: it’s unpredictable, and every single shot impacts your opponent and can break them or fuel them to go for shots they wouldn’t usually take on. The way you can just clean the slate after taking a double bogey, lose one single hole, and then go on to win the next and ultimately the match.

The excitement when a match swings one way and then the other gives match play a faster pace, much like cricket has The Hundred or T20. Heading onto the course to play just a friendly match against a friend or a colleague carries a different level of fun when it’s purely match play.

There are no predisposed rules that you have to play 9 or 18 holes. A head-to-head 4-hole battle can be squeezed into a lunch break or a quick evening game. Think about who you’d like to challenge and which hole loops back towards the clubhouse, and throw down the gauntlet.

Pairs match play immediately turns golf, usually a single-player game, into a fuelled team event, and playing team sport comes with such deep human connection that I feel it envelopes golf in a much more connected way. It is hugely appealing to junior golfers as well as adults.

I sat and watched some of the final day’s Solheim Cup play with my nephew, and seeing the sparkle in his eyes as Europe moved ahead, or Lottie Woad holing a putt, was simply amazing. He and my son both asked why I didn’t take them with me to the Netherlands.

The instant excitement hole by hole, shot by shot, has viewers fixed to the screen and this kind of golf is pure sporting entertainment. This is why I feel we need more match play events. I’d be inclined to say team events over individual, but give me anything and I’ll be watching more golf. More importantly, this kind of “entertainment” will catch new fans and players in the same way the ramped-up versions of cricket have caught new cricketers.

GolfSixes didn’t work, but I really think this was a format issue. Turn this into 6-hole matches with teams of 4 over 3 rounds, and you’ve got a Ryder/Solheim Cup-style competition that will see fans gather in their masses. If we want to see growth (especially in the women’s game), we need a faster, more energised watch, then come the sponsors and the bigger purses.

As with the Solheim, match play exposes the character of these incredibly talented golfers and connects them to their audience as we get to know who they are. This is something we - the team at Golf Monthly - constantly discuss: the need to get to know the players for fans to become connected to them.

Seeing stars celebrate and dance around, embracing their teammates and rejoicing in the joy that is this game, helps the fans see them as people. Not just birdie-making machines with straight faces. Match play allows us to get to know these players and who they really are as humans. It exposes raw emotions as they play for each other with tears of joy, or are brought to their knees as the putt to stay in a match slides by.

So give me match play in bucketloads, because I cannot get enough of it. Show me team colours and I’ll coordinate my laces and sing the chants. If I could have taken my non-golfing pals to Bernardus, golf would have won itself a load of new fans and inspired more women to take up the game.

So next time a county or international match play event rolls into a town near you, gather up groups of women and girls and take them to showcase what this game can really be like. Here’s how golf will grow, and here’s to the magic of match play.

For fans in attendance and those tuning in from home, the 2026 editions of the Curtis Cup, Walker Cup and Solheim Cup provided a proper spectacle of golf.

First up, Team USA secured a 13-7 victory to reclaim the Curtis Cup at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles in June.

Then, the Walker Cup at Lahinch across the weekend of September 5-6 was perhaps the most thrilling in the tournament’s history as Team GB&I staged a comeback for the ages to take a famous 13.5-12.5 win over the USA.

And hot on the heels of that, last weekend’s Solheim Cup also featured another sublime Sunday as Europe won seven of the 12 points on offer to triumph 15-13.

But now that the dust has settled, a look to the near future paints what is likely to be a pretty disappointing picture for fans of these three superb cup competitions.

As pointed out by golf journalist Geoff Shackelford, the organization of the 2028 tournaments leaves plenty to be desired.

The Curtis Cup is set to be staged at Royal Dornoch across the weekend of September 1-3, pushed back from its June slot of this year.

Then, the following weekend, there is a clash, with the Solheim Cup taking place at Valhalla Golf Club at the same time the Walker Cup will be contested at Bandon Dunes.

As remarked by Shackelford: “What a dreadful ask of fans to cram three of the four premier Cup events into a two-week window.”

Sharing an excerpt from Shackelford on X, Kyle Porter, another well-known golf journalist, asked: “What are we doing here?”

It’s a pertinent question.

With space to breathe in 2026, each of these tournaments got the attention and spotlight they deserved, and each one delivered accordingly.

In 2028, there is now a real threat they could be impacted by this scheduling mayhem.

If fans were considering going to all three, that is now not possible, so which one(s) will they prioritize?

For those watching on TV, will they choose to tune in for the Solheim Cup or the Walker Cup? Or will they try and split their time between the two?

There is also the risk of saturation. One of the reasons matchplay is so popular is that we get to see so little of it. Now, we are getting five days’ worth of it jammed into three across the second weekend of September in 2028. And that’s right on the back of the Curtis Cup, which finishes just five days prior.

Whatever way you slice it, it feels inevitable these wonderful events will suffer in some way as a result.

Clashes in sport and in golf are not uncommon. This year's Solheim Cup had to compete with a star-studded Irish Open, for example, but to have two of these three cup competitions is a major faux pas.

While the Ryder Cup gets to sit out on its own next year and every other year, is it too much to ask that these other tournaments, at the very least, get their own weekend slot?

Having experienced the electric atmosphere at Bernardus Golf first-hand as Team Europe reclaimed the Solheim Cup trophy in a thrilling 15-13 victory, it was a brilliant spectacle for women's golf. It's an event that gets better and better, smashing records and showcasing world-class drama on a global stage. Here are my 7 takeaways from the 2026 match:

Short, Sweet, And Spectacular

This was easily one of the best Solheim Cup Opening Ceremonies in years. This might sound a bit harsh, and while I get that there’s a set protocol, these events usually drag on. All fans really want are the captains' speeches and the player pairings. Flawlessly hosted by Di Stewart, this ceremony nailed the balance: a few quick thank-yous, a short celebratory film, and straight into the main event. Fireworks signalled the start of the Solheim Cup, and a great live band kept the crowd's energy buzzing long after. Spot on.

Noise And Goosebumps

The 1st tee experience remains the absolute highlight of the Solheim Cup for me, there’s nothing else like it in the game. We spend the rest of the year watching these golfers play as stoic individuals, so seeing them step onto the tee with music blaring, players and captains dancing, and the crowd going crazy is just brilliant. If you ever get the chance to go, the 1st tee atmosphere alone is worth the price of admission.

I’m really glad we’ve found a better balance between the DJ and the crowd. The music definitely hijacked the fan culture at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in 2024, but bringing in the Guardians of the Cup, along with the rest of the chant-makers, restored the true spirit of the event. Having that mix of iconic, customised chants alongside the music gets everyone involved, right down to the players and caddies. It brings an energy you just don’t get anywhere else in golf.

Drama And Dutch Luxury

The layout at Bernardus Golf delivered the match-play drama we all want and have come to expect from a Solheim Cup. The course was presented beautifully, and full marks to the greenkeeping staff, as it also held up extremely well following the torrential rain on Sunday morning.

Perhaps not enough live scoreboards or concession stations dotted around the course, but that’s neither here nor there. In the fan village, I thought the tastefully laid-out food stations really showcased Bernardus’s refined luxury and sleek approach to hosting.

There were plenty of viewing spots, and grandstands were positioned in the best places on holes guaranteed to create the most drama, like the par-3 15th and par-4 16th. In fact, the 1st tee grandstand was the biggest I’ve ever seen at a Solheim Cup, and on the first morning, there wasn’t a spare seat in the house - another indication of the growth of this fantastic event.

A Sea Of Colour (And Bicycles!)

The crowds were phenomenal. Reports put week-long attendance around 80,000, a surge of nearly 15,000 spectators compared to the last European staging at Finca Cortesin in 2023.

While European blue and yellow comfortably outnumbered American red, white, and blue, supporters from both sides created an electric atmosphere out on the course. Naturally, there was also a prominent splash of orange in vibrant tribute to the Dutch hosts, so combined the European fans were very loud and proud.

There’s no doubt this unique golf tournament atmosphere is what hooks people in. I met four women from Virginia who became sold on the Solheim Cup when it was hosted in their home state in 2024. They certainly didn't want to miss the action this time, making the long-haul trip across the Atlantic to take it all in, and even fully embraced the Dutch experience by taking the recommended bike ride from the station to Bernardus!

Fearless Rookies And Historic Comebacks

It’s impossible to pick out just one standout player, they are all part of a team, but I was seriously impressed with the European rookie pairing of Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes. They were totally fearless, enjoyed every single moment, and made history by becoming the first all-rookie duo to win two matches at a single Solheim Cup.

Swedish stars Maja Stark and Linn Grant were equally sensational, putting on a ball-striking masterclass in the Saturday morning foursomes to defeat Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz 3&2, bringing an end to the American pair's historic 5-0 undefeated streak in the format.

On the US side, Alison Lee delivered her own piece of history in the singles, staging an unbelievable comeback against Esther Henseleit. No player has won a Solheim Cup singles match after being four down since at least 2015, putting the perfect finishing touch on an incredible week where Lee finished as the tournament's top overall point scorer with a flawless 4-0-0 record.

Pure Magic From 90 Feet Out

There is one putt that will go down as an historic moment in the history of the Solheim Cup, and that was Jennifer Kupcho’s 90-foot birdie putt on the 17th green during Saturday afternoon’s fourballs. Teaming up with rookie Lindy Duncan against the formidable European pairing of Carlota Ciganda and Céline Boutier, the Americans were 1 down with two holes to play in the final match of the day.

Standing off the back of the green and staring down a nearly impossible distance across the fringe, Kupcho sent her putt rolling down the slope and it sank to tie the match and send the US side into raptures.

Then on the 18th green, Kupcho stepped up once more and drained a 25-foot birdie putt to complete an improbable back-to-back finish, securing a 1-up victory and tying the entire event 8-8 heading into Sunday's singles. In the media centre, our mouths were wide open. I bet she could hit that putt a hundred times and never make it, but that's why you've always got to expect the unexpected!

Retail Therapy Done Right

I was impressed by the shop, which had Ping’s Team Europe and Team USA’s B.Draddy and Zero Restriction clothing on sale, plus there were Solheim Cup logoed items from other brands such as Chervo, adidas and Dolcezza, the latter being a new brand to me. Women want a choice of styles to suit different tastes and budgets, so seeing this level of variety was a welcome change from the limited options often found at major tournaments.

There were also lots of accessories to choose from, a favourite was the European knitted visor, and I suspect the shop sold out of umbrellas on Sunday!

Team USA’s 11-year wait for a Solheim Cup win in Europe will need to wait at least two more years following a 15-13 defeat to Anna Nordqvist’s line-up at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

At the start of the decisive Sunday singles session, there would have been optimism in the US camp that the outcome could have been very different, particularly after a stirring comeback in the Saturday afternoon fourballs to go into day three level with their opponents at 8-8.

In the end, the US was unable to stop the Europeans winning seven of the 12 matches, leaving captain Angela Stanford to reflect on how she might have approached the week differently.

Afterwards, she focused on the US team’s putting, saying: “I mean, Europe played well. I think sometimes it's not about - I don't think we played bad.

“I think we just didn't make enough putts. And if you listen to everything I've ever said, Europeans always putt better. I don't know why. I still don't know why.

“I mean, I have a good idea, but I'm not going to say it right now. Apparently I didn't get to know the superintendent as well as I should have. But I think they played really well, and you have to compliment them, and we gave it our best shot.”

That led to Stanford being asked if the green speeds had been different to what the US had expected.

She agreed, adding: “Yeah, for sure. Even when we showed up in July here, they were faster. And I don't think it had anything to do with the rain either.

“Now, saying that, it's my responsibility to get the team ready. This is the one thing I am kicking myself is that I just didn't keep pushing, you know, we got to figure out how to hit our putts a little bit harder, which is really difficult, like, to change the way you putt.

“So I'm a little frustrated with myself that I didn't drive that point home. But, I mean, that's - you know, there's nothing we could do about that and the team knew that.

“I mean, nobody complained about it at all. It's me saying this right now that I wish I would have maybe hammered it home more.

“Like, they're going to be slow, they're going to be slow, they're going to be slow. But we don't play on greens this slow usually, so, yeah.”

Stanford was also gracious in defeat, praising her counterpart for her captain's picks.

She added: “I mean, I haven't really had a chance to really kind of debrief and look at everything. I think - I said from the beginning her picks were really good.

"She picked well because this golf course needed high-ball hitters and that's what she did. In match play, you know, it doesn't really matter sometimes where you hit it. So I think she did really good with her picks for this venue.

“Those young players are really good for them. So, if anything, that's really good for women's golf for this event in the future.”

The 2026 Solheim Cup promised a tight affair at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, and it delivered.

Both teams were locked at 4-4 after day one, before Team Europe put some daylight between themselves and Team USA after the Saturday morning foursomes to lead 7-5.

That included a 4&3 victory for Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz over Charley Hull and Lottie Woad to give make them the first team in Solheim Cup history to win five consecutive matches together.

The run didn’t extend beyond 5-0-0, though, with Maja Stark and Linn Grant taking a 3&2 Saturday morning foursomes win against the US stars as Europe took the session 3-1.

Angela Stanford’s visitors hit back, winning the afternoon fourballs session 3-1 to finish day two with the scores at 8-8 and everything to play for in the Sunday singles session.

With no clear favorite heading into day three, and with 12 points up for grabs, eventually, Team Europe emerged victorious by 15 points to 13 thanks to singles wins for seven of its players.

When the fourballs pairings were announced, we also knew which players would compete in all five sessions, because the Sunday singles involved all 24 players.

That honor fell to three players - Team Europe's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad, and US player Lauren Coughlin.

None of those three were the highest points scorers for their team, though. Linn Grant tops the table for the hosts, with Alison Lee achieving it for the US after both won all four of their matches.

For Lee, that included a stunning comeback in the Sunday singles - a rare bright spot on the day for the US - where she stormed back from 4-down with seven holes remaining to claim a 1-up win over Esther Henseleit.

At the other end of the scale, two players only appeared in two sessions - Team Europe's Julia Lopez Ramirez and Team USA's Angel Yin.

Despite her lack of playing time, Lopez Ramirez earned 1.5 points, with Celine Boutier propping up the table without making a points contribution.

Yin is at the foot of the US table with half a point from her two matches.

With the caveat that some players had more opportunities to score points than others, it still begs the question: what were the scoring records of all 24 players at the Solheim Cup?

As you will see from the tables below, some players excelled, while for others, it proved a more frustrating affair...

2026 Solheim Cup Individual Points

The Solheim Cup will be decided today and either Team Europe or Team USA will earn a priceless victory at Bernardus Golf.

The opening two days offered up incredibly entertaining and dramatic scenes with the score level heading into 12 singles matches.

But unlike a regular week on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, the primary perk of success is not a huge check - it's a spot in history and a team win with everyone who helped make it happen.

There is no prize money on offer for either team, regardless of the result, but that doesn't mean the individuals involved will leave the weak financially weaker than they entered it.

For a start, the respective teams have had their travel, accommodation, food and all other vital expenses taken care of. And as usual, they will have gear and apparel sorted for them ahead of time too.

There is also the possibility that their club and individual gear sponsors have agreed to various financial incentives for the player. So, for example, a win at the Solheim Cup may result in a little bonus heading the player's way.

But, largely, money is a complete afterthought for anyone involved at the Solheim Cup. Speaking ahead of the action beginning earlier this week, Nelly Korda was one to speak about the immense pride of simply representing your country.

Korda said: “Whenever you get to wear the red, white, and blue and stars and stripes, there’s a different meaning to it.

"You’re playing not just for yourself but for your captains, for your teammates, and for your country, and there’s just nothing like it.”

On a similar note, Carlota Ciganda explained why the motivation is so high in the only team event of the season.

The Spaniard said: "I love team events. I love the Solheim Cup. I love it. There's a lot of passion, it's very intense [with] a lot of emotions.

"And I think there is nothing better than winning as a team, winning all together and it's always very special.

"I think the Solheim Cups you make a lot of, yeah, good friends, good memories, that they last for a lifetime. And I think it's, yeah, it's a very intense and special week."

A golfer's set-up is very personal and, at the Solheim Cup, multiple brands and clubs are present, with one interesting trend becoming apparent in The Netherlands.

Taking place at Bernardus Golf, around 80% of the field have a hybrid in the bag, which is the polar opposite to what we see in the men's game, where the club's numbers are starting to dwindle.

Crunching the numbers, 20 players appear to have a hybrid club in the bag, with nine coming from Team Europe and 11 from Team USA.

Ranging from 17° models, all the way to 26° lofts that can be found in Lauren Coughlin and Andrea Lee's bags, there are numerous reasons as to why hybrids are included in the set-ups.

Firstly, they provide copious amounts of versatility from a variety of lies and are easier to hit than irons of a similar configuration, such as 4, 5 and 6-irons.

Blending the distance and high launch of a fairway wood, as well as the control from a long iron, it's the high launch characteristics that make them so popular in the bags of those at the Solheim Cup.

Not only does Charley Hull have two in the bag, but Leona Maguire's set-up goes down to a hybrid with a loft of a 6-iron, such is the confidence the two-time LPGA Tour winner has with them.

In total, five different manufacturers are present when it comes to hybrids, with TaylorMade, Titleist, Ping, PXG and Callaway all being used by various players.

Hybrids may be incredibly popular in the women's game but, in the men's, it's a completely different story as they opt for utility irons and 5, 7 and 9-woods.

The full reason isn't clear but, according to Golf Monthly's equipment expert, Joe Ferguson, one of the reasons stems from tricky mechanics when it comes to center of gravity placement.

"Because of their shallower front-to-back profile, hybrids place the CG much closer to the face, leaving them less forgiving on off-center hits," Joe writes.

"Conversely, the larger footprint of 5, 7, and 9-woods projects the CG further back, creating superior stability and far less volatility at impact. This added forgiveness is precisely why so many elite players now favor high-lofted fairway woods over their traditional hybrid counterparts."

After the tightest of opening days of the 2026 Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, where Team Europe and Team USA were locked at 4-4, Saturday has belonged to the hosts so far.

The morning session of foursomes finally broke the deadlock, with Anna Nordqvist’s team winning three of the four matches to take a 7-5 lead, and it got even better for the Europeans early in the afternoon fourballs session.

Match one features Swedish duo Maja Stark and Linn Grant against Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin, but the Americans had barely had time to hit their stride before Stark produced a moment of brilliance on the first hole.

Not that the US players did anything wrong. Both found the fairway at the par-4 off the tee, before Coughlin hit a brilliant approach to tap-in range.

With Coughlin piling the pressure on the Europeans to produce a similar result, Stark stepped up and went one better, holing out for a spectacular eagle to put Europe 1-up.

Just moments earlier, Khang and Coughlin would have been confident of taking an early lead themselves, making Stark's eagle all the more significant given the context of the match.

Plenty of golf remains, though. So far, just 12 of the 28 points have been claimed, and as defending champions, Angela Stanford's Team USA only needs to reach 14 points to retain the trophy, while Europe requires 14.5 to win it.

It is unlikely the Swedish pair will be taking anything for granted either. After all, Coughlin was partly responsible for the US's sole point in the morning session, when she and Alison Lee comprehensively beat Charley Hull and Lottie Woad 6&5.

Sure enough, the US pair hit back almost instantly, winning the third hole to tie the match before going 1-up at the fourth.

However, Stark's stunning eagle offered another indication that things were going Europe's way on Saturday as Nordqvist's team looked to build a potentially crucial advantage ahead of Sunday's singles.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This time, it's all about golf's scheduling.

Professional golf is littered with hundreds of tournaments and, this weekend, we are treated to both team and individual golf, which many are calling a blessing and a curse...

The Solheim Cup is, arguably, the biggest event in women's golf, while the Amgen Irish Open is one of the jewels in the DP World Tour's calendar, bringing the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm to its field.

Many would rejoice in the fact that two high quality events are taking place but, with both being staged in Europe, it means a clash when it comes to timings.

At the halfway stage of the Irish Open, it's home-hero Shane Lowry who leads by three, with the Irishman searching for a first solo win in four years and a second title on home soil.

That being a storyline in itself is one thing, but add in a Solheim Cup where both USA and Europe are tied at 4-4 going into the second day, with the morning foursomes on Saturday going close once again, and fans are left with the difficult decision of having to decide on which tournament they'd like to watch on a hectic weekend.

Taking place every two years, the dates for the Solheim Cup are confirmed well in advance, so could, or should, the men's circuits take a back seat and let the team tournament have its own weekend? Or is it simply tough luck when it comes to scheduling?

A few Golf Monthly writers have given their thoughts on the matter, and you can let us know your views in the comments below...

The Solheim Cup isn't just a highlight of women's golf, it’s grown into one of the biggest events in the entire sport.

That’s why it’s so frustrating to see it forced to compete for the spotlight with the DP World Tour’s Irish Open, especially with home favorites Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry drawing massive eyes.

Look, scheduling a packed global calendar is tough, but given that this year's Solheim Cup was locked in two years ago, surely the powers-that-be could have avoided pitting an epic in the Netherlands directly against a star-studded field in Ireland.

Unfortunately, this isn't a one-off. The men's tours consistently ignore the bigger picture, regularly dropping PGA Tour Signature Events right on top of women’s Majors.

It inevitably robs the women's game of the undivided attention it has earned... Come on, guys. Do better!

For me, I think the issue is there's almost too much golf on our television screens.

Take the men's game, for example, the PGA Tour season finishes in mid-August and, from there, we're straight in to the busiest time of the year for the DP World Tour, where Rolex Series events are aplenty.

As Alison alluded to, there have been multiple times when the PGA Tour's big events fall on women's Major weeks and, although not a lot can be done about that, I think the Solheim Cup should be a weekend in itself, just like the Ryder Cup.

There's nothing better than team golf, as we saw at the Walker Cup, so surely there's scope to have the Solheim Cup as the main event for one weekend in 24 months.

The tournament is planned in advance, so the dates are set. If the circuits can communicate with each other then I believe it should be possible for them to come to the conclusion that the Solheim Cup is the showpiece event for three days of action.

In an ideal world, of course it would be great for the Solheim Cup to stand alone this weekend, but i just don't see that ever happening.

The dates for this need to be booked a couple of years in advance and the men's tours are unlikely to be fully set at that time. Plus, they might argue they have enough to consider as it is without thinking about the Solheim Cup.

In golf, as in life, too many people are only worried about themselves, so the chances of external consideration feels low to me.

What golf needs, more widely, is for tours to communicate far better than they currently do. I've said this before, but the game would be in an ever better place if different tours worked together for the good of the game.

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening any time soon.

The 2026 Solheim Cup is taking place in The Netherlands for the first time with Bernardus Golf hosts the three-day match play event.

Anna Nordqvist's Team Europe came into the week seeking to win the trophy back from Angela Stanford's Team USA following the Americans' 15.5 - 12.5 victory last time out.

The Europeans have plenty of experience on their side, including two players who have made their eighth start in the blue and gold this week.

So, can you name the players with the most Solheim Cup appearances? There are now 22 players to have made at least six teams.

Test your knowledge below, where you'll be faced with a 10-minute timer to try and get them all. Can you get all 22?

Quiz: Most Solheim Cup Appearances - How Many Can You Name?

For more fun golf quizzes, head to Golf Monthly's Quiz homepage.

More Solheim Cup quizzes:

• Ultimate Solheim Cup Quiz: Can You Get 10/10?
• Quiz: Can You Name Every Solheim Cup Venue?
• Quiz: Name Europe's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers
• Quiz: Can You Name USA's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers?

It's singles Sunday at the 2026 Solheim Cup, where 12 one-on-one match-ups will take place to decide the trophy at Bernardus Golf.

Europe will be fielding one of the best ever Solheim Cup singles players, who ranks among a small group of just 14 to have won at least four points in the format.

So, can you name all 14?

Test your knowledge below, where you'll be faced with a 10-minute timer...

Quiz: Name USA's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers

For more fun golf quizzes, head to Golf Monthly's Quiz homepage.

More Solheim Cup quizzes:

• Ultimate Solheim Cup Quiz: Can You Get 10/10?
• Quiz: Can You Name Every Solheim Cup Venue?
• Quiz: Name Europe's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers
• Quiz: Can You Name USA's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers?
• Quiz: Name The Solheim Cup Players With The Most Appearances

Located around 60 miles south-east of the Netherlands' capital Amsterdam is a relatively new course that has rapidly developed a big reputation.

Bernardus Golf opened three years after the chairman of Dutch soccer giants PSV Eindhoven Robert van der Wallen purchased the land in the village of Cromvoirt.

Kyle Phillips - who was also responsible for courses including Dundonald Links, Kingsbarns and Yas Links – was handed the task of turning the 85-hectare plot of three flat cornfields into a championship-standard course.

By 2018, it had been transformed into a stunning heathland course, with Phillips having taken inspiration from the nearby Loonse en Drunense Duinen National Park.

It didn’t take long for the layout to make its name on the big stage, with Bernardus Golf hosting three editions of the Dutch Open between 2021 and 2023.

During that run, it was confirmed as the venue for its biggest event yet – the 2026 Solheim Cup - meaning the match would be held in the Netherlands for the first time.

The layout includes water hazards, dunes, heath and gorse, with plateaus on fairways and undulating greens.

The running order of the holes has been changed for the Solheim Cup, with matches starting on what is usually the third.

During the match, the par-4 first hole offers an immediate birdie opportunity, but players will need to be wary of a fairway bunker as they head towards the elevated green.

One of the standout holes at the match will be the par-3 sixth, with water in front and to the right, while the green falls steeply away on the left.

Another par-3 is the 15th, where its sheltered tee makes wind difficult to judge, leaving the constant threat of tee shots missing the green left and into the water.

The hardest hole at Bernardus Golf will be the 18th at the Solheim Cup, with the potential for huge drama in any matches that get that far. It has water on the left with bunkers to the right, making precision of the utmost importance.

While Bernardus Golf is sure to offer the sternest of tests to the game’s elite golfers, it is also open to the public.

Those interested in putting their abilities to the test there can purchase a day membership costing €195 in the low season, and €255 in the high season, which falls between April 1st and October 31st.

The day membership is unlike most green fees in that it gives players unlimited golf for the day, as well as full access to all the facilities Bernardus Golf has to offer.

There are also stay-and-play options, including Golf Weekend packages combining accommodation at Bernardus Lodge with one or two days of golf.

Another option is the Kyle Phillips Dutch Golf Package, which includes a night at the Lodge and golf at both Bernardus and De Lage Vuursche.

Prices for those options range from €625 per person up to €1,890, depending on the package, season and the number of golfers.

Bernardus Golf Day Membership

Bernardus Golf Location

The first Solheim Cup, which was held at Florida’s Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in 1990, was a humble affair, to say the least.

Held a week before Thanksgiving, it is estimated that fewer than 3,000 fans attended the three days of action, as Kathy Whitworth’s eight-player team made light work of Mickey Walker’s Europeans, beating them 11.5-4.5.

It’s safe to say a lot has changed in the ensuing 36 years and, as the Solheim Cup celebrates its 20th edition at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, it is firmly established as one of the biggest events in the game.

Nowadays, the build-up to the biennial match is an event in itself, with TV coverage of the captain’s picks and press conferences involving all the key figures, from the assistant captains to the players.

Of course, the contest itself is also widely televised, with the Solheim Cup broadcast in more than 155 territories, reaching around 620 million homes.

Given its status as the women’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup, it’s not surprising that huge crowds will also cheer on the teams in 2026, but how many are expected throughout the week?

It is reported that around 80,000 fans from over 40 countries will attend the 2026 Solheim Cup.

That’s just shy of 15,000 more than attended the previous edition held in Europe, when the hosts retained the trophy following a 14-14 tie with the US at Finca Cortesin in Spain. On that occasion, the confirmed attendance figure was 65,010.

While the estimated attendance figure for 2026 is impressive, it doesn’t beat the number of spectators who flocked to Gleneagles in 2019, with around 90,000 fans in attendance that week.

Meanwhile, the 80,000 expected at Bernardus Golf can't eclipse figures at recent US matches either.

Around 150,000 spectators were reportedly expected at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia in 2024, although an official attendance figure does not appear to have been published.

Therefore, the confirmed record belongs to the 2021 Solheim Cup at Inverness Club in Ohio, where more than 130,000 fans attended over the week, surpassing the previous record of 124,426 set in 2017 at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa.

The Solheim Cup always features some rules drama and, during the morning foursomes on Friday, a rare ruling occurred involving Europe's Celine Boutier.

Playing the par 5 16th, Boutier and her playing partner, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, were 2-down as they came to the tee and, after the latter found the penalty area with her drive, it looked like the game would be all but over...

That was until Boutier was able to take free relief, despite the fact that the ball was inside the red stakes.

Although Madsen's drive was inside the penalty area, it was still playable as it wasn't in the water and sitting on the grass.

Stepping up to the ball, Boutier claimed her line to the green was blocked by a temporary immovable obstruction, which just so happened to be a bridge that connected one side of the penalty area to the other.

After a lengthy discussion with the Rules Official onsite, Boutier was able to take free relief despite being in the penalty area, with the Major winner forced to take a drop that remained inside the red stakes.

Along with that huge slice of luck, Boutier's first two drops rolled in to the water, which meant she was able to place the ball on the third attempt.

US captain, Angela Stanford, was present and, understandably, questioned the decision, with the Rules Official explaining that Boutier was able to take free TIO relief.

With her second, Boutier found the fairway but, following a poor third from Madsen, that led to a three-putt bogey, with Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin safely parring to claim a 3&2 win.

In the end, the drop didn't play a part in the outcome, but many were still questioning the decision, with No Laying Up tweeting: "I do not have words for the TIO relief that Celine Boutier just got on 16."

The Rules of Golf address movable obstructions in Rule 15.2 and immovable obstructions (one of the four types of abnormal course conditions) in Rule 16.1.

Line-of-sight interference is when the player’s ball is in or touches the TIO, or the TIO is located on a straight line between the ball and the hole, or within a club-length on an equidistant arc where the TIO would be on the player’s direct line of sight to the hole.

Because the shot was lying in the penalty area, the relief must be in the same penalty area.

It's not the first time we have seen controversial TIO relief taken in big events throughout 2026.

At The Open Championship in July, Scottie Scheffler hit his second shot into a hospitality tent at the par 5 17th during his final round.

Despite the ball not being located, he was given a free drop due to the TIO, with the World No.1 spared a penalty drop by Rule 17.1d, which covers instances when it is “Known or Virtually Certain” that a ball has gone into a TIO.

After a two year wait, the Solheim Cup returns, with Team Europe looking to win back the trophy from Team USA after a 15.5-12.5 defeat in Virginia.

For the first time in the competition's history, the Solheim Cup will take place in The Netherlands, where 24 of the world's best will descend on Bernardus Golf.

Like we saw at the epic Walker Cup last week, putting will play a pivotal part in the outcome of who lifts the trophy and, prior to the first tee shot of the Solheim Cup, we've had a look at what putter every player is currently using.

A variety of manufacturers will be present in The Netherlands and, below, we've crunched the numbers to find out the most popular model and brand used throughout the week.

Before jumping into the stats, it's worth noting that these are the putters players were using in their last competitive start, and that changes could be made prior to the first tee on Friday 11th September.

Every Putter Players Are Using At The 2026 Solheim Cup

Top Brands Used At The 2026 Solheim Cup

In total, five brands are present at the Solheim Cup and, as the table shows, it's incredibly close when it comes to which manufacturers are used by the 24 players.

Odyssey and TaylorMade sit at the top with six players apiece and, among those six, there are five separate models present.

Four of TaylorMade's Spider Tour putters are in play, while Charley Hull uses a TP Soto and Nelly Korda an NK Proto. Odyssey, meanwhile, has two White Hot Rossies in the bags of Lottie Woad and Andrea Lee, while there are a variety of different models in other set-ups.

It's a similar story for Ping and Scotty Cameron, where five players apiece are using them.

Breaking the numbers down further, two Ping PLD Prime Tynes make up five of the putters, while two Scotty Cameron Phantom 9R Prototypes are present.

Rounding out the final spot is L.A.B. Golf, with Yealimi Noh using a Mezz 1 Max, while Auston Kim has an OZ.1i HL flatstick in the bag.

What Is The Most Popular Putter Model At The 2026 Solheim Cup?

Looking through the field, 20 different putters feature among the 24 players and, in terms of the most popular model, the Odyssey White Hot Rossie, TaylorMade Spider Tour X, Scotty Cameron Phantom 9R Tour Prototype and Ping PLD Prime Tyne are used by two players each.

A year after the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, it's the turn of the best women golfers from Europe and the US to do battle in the Solheim Cup.

The first edition of the biennial match in 1990 featured just eight players on each team.

For the next two editions, the Solheim Cup had 10 players on each team.

Finally, like the men's equivalent, 12 golfers began playing on each team from 1996.

A total of 24 players will once again go head-to-head in 2026, with the action coming from Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

Alongside each will be the player's caddie, where no doubt all of their expertise will be needed to help the stars navigate the heathland layout's abundance of water, extensive bunkering and undulating greens.

Wind could also play a part, making the caddie's job even more important as both teams go for the points they need to ensure that, come Sunday evening, they are the ones who get to lift the famous Waterford Crystal trophy.

Take a look at every player-caddie partnership at the 2026 Solheim Cup.

Player-Caddie Partnerships At The 2026 Solheim Cup

Charley Hull has been with Adam Woodward since 2015 and six of her seven Solheim Cup appearances, so he's well equipped to provide her with the necessary expertise to navigate Bernardus Golf.

Another well-known player-caddie pairing on the European team is Esther Henseleit and Reece Henseleit Phillips.

Reece is Esther's husband, and he was also alongside her as she came within a whisker of winning the AIG Women's Open before missing out in a playoff to Shiho Kuwaki.

Ryder Cup rookie Lottie Woad had been with Dermot Byrne. However, ahead of the 2026 season, she turned to David Taylor. Among other players he has worked with are Woad's Solheim Cuo teammate Linn Grant.

For Team USA, Nelly Korda will have long-time caddie Jason McDede alongside her. They have worked together since 2018.

During that time, as well as four Solheim Cup appearances, Korda has also won multiple LPGA Tour events, including four Major titles.

Megan Khang, who will make her fifth Solheim Cup appearance at Bernardus Golf, has Lexi Thompson's former caddie Jack Fulghum on her bag, after the pair began working together in 2023.

Another experienced caddie assisting a US player is Andrea Lee's looper Jason Gilroyed. Among the others he has previously worked with are Jessica Korda, Minjee Lee and Lee's Solheim Cup teammates Rose Zhang and Alison Lee.

Team Europe

Team USA

The 2026 Solheim Cup takes place in The Netherlands for the first time as Bernardus Golf hosts the three-day match play event.

Angela Stanford's Team USA will look to win back-to-back matches after a 15.5 - 12.5 victory last time out at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

And as it's Solheim Cup week, you can get in the mood for the golf with this testing quiz.

Can you name USA's top 20 Solheim Cup points scorers? That's the task we're challenging you with!

Test your knowledge below, where you'll be faced with a 10-minute timer to try and get them all. Can you get all 20? Find out...

Quiz: Name USA's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers

For more fun golf quizzes, head to Golf Monthly's Quiz homepage.

Solheim Cup 2026: dates and past results

The 2026 Solheim Cup, which will be the 20th edition, takes place from September 11-13, with two days of doubles action on the Friday and Saturday before 12 singles matches on Sunday.

Three-time KLM Open venue Bernardus Golf will be the star of the show, with The Netherlands hosting the match for the first time in history.

The action is set to be tight with both teams very strong. Nelly Korda headlines Team USA, while Solheim Cup stalwart Charley Hull heads a strong and experienced home team that features rising star Lottie Woad as a debutant.

After failing to capture the Solheim Cup three times in a row, Team USA finally managed to get the better of their European counterparts in 2024, claiming a 15.5-12.5 win at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

This time around, the competition visits The Netherlands for the first time, with Bernardus Golf on hosting duties, a course that has staged the DP World Tour previously.

One of the most important aspects for success around the layout is the tee shots and, at this week's Solheim Cup, there will be plenty of different drivers on show from the world's best in the women's game.

Previously, Golf Monthly looked at the most popular drivers at last week's epic Walker Cup, as well as the most popular and successful models used throughout the PGA Tour season.

Below, we've crunched the numbers to find out what driver every player is using on Team Europe and USA, with every model listed being from the respective players last competition.

Every Driver Players Are Using At The 2026 Solheim Cup

Top Brands Used At The 2026 Solheim Cup

A total of five different manufacturers are represented at the Solheim Cup, and Ping leads the way with seven players using its driver throughout the week.

Ranging from the new G440 K and G440 Max, all the way to the older G425 LST from 2021, a total of four different heads are present, with all providing various levels of forgiveness.

Both Titleist and TaylorMade are the second most popular brands in The Netherlands, with five players each using various models.

In terms of the former, four GTS models and one GT driver are in play, while TaylorMade's Qi4D Core and LS make up the five players at the team event.

The Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond has four users, while PXG's Lightning Tour model has three, meaning the driver standings are very competitive at the Walker Cup.

What Is The Most Popular Driver Model At The 2026 Solheim Cup?

Once again, the battle for the most popular driver at the Solheim Cup is a close one, but it's the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond that edges it, with Carlota Ciganda, Mimi Rhodes, Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang putting it in play.

Narrowly behind Callaway is the TaylorMade Qi4D LS, Titleist GTS3, PXG Lightning Tour and the Ping G430 LST, which is in the bag for three players each.

The Ping G440 K and TaylorMade Qi4D Core, meanwhile, are used by two players apiece, with the latter in the hands of World No.1 Nelly Korda.

The 20th edition of the Solheim Cup is underway at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands as Europe hosts the US in the biennial match.

Unlike the last time the Solheim Cup came to Europe, when it was held at Finca Cortesin in Spain, the sun never appeared during Friday's play.

Instead, umbrellas rather than sun hats were the order of the day, with rain falling as the four matches progressed.

That continued the unsettled, sometimes wet conditions that accompanied the practice rounds leading up to day one.

Here's how Saturday and Sunday are shaping up.

Weather Forecast For The Solheim Cup

Saturday September 12th

Day two in the Netherlands is underway - and it's good news on the weather front: scattered cloud and some blue skies.

The foursomes and fourball sessions on day two should coincide with the best weather of the match.

The weather should remain largely dry with the chance of an isolated shower.

Much of the wetter weather, mainly light rain and drizzle, is forecast for Saturday night.

Wind gusts aren't expected to exceed 13mph, while temperatures should reach around 73F.

Sunday September 13th

The rain is expected to return for Sunday's singles session, with up to half an inch of rainfall anticipated.

Players will likely bear the brunt of this during the earlier part of the session, and there is an outside chance of a few thunderstorms.

Gusts of wind could reach 20mph, while temperatures are forecast to peak at 68F.

Solheim Cup 2026: Forecast Summary

• Saturday: Areas of fog early with isolated showers; Low: 52F; High: 73F; Winds: SSW 3-7mph G 15mph
• Sunday: Rainy and breezy; Low: 57F; High: 68F; Winds: W 10-15 mph G 20mph

Bernardus Golf Sunrise And Sunset Times

• Saturday: 7:08am-8:02pm
• Sunday: 7:10am-8:00pm

Two days of the Solheim Cup have been completed, but after eight more points were earned on Saturday, we are still no nearer to knowing who will lift the trophy.

After day one, Team Europe and Team USA were locked at 4-4 at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

For a time on Saturday, the hosts put daylight between themselves and the US, going 7-5 ahead in the morning foursomes after winning three of the four matches.

However, the US hit back in the afternoon fourballs session, where the scores were reversed for a 3-1 US win to leave both teams on eight points with the Sunday singles ahead.

In the morning foursomes session, Maja Stark and Linn Grant claimed a 3&2 win against Allisen Corpuz and Nelly Korda, ending the US duo's run of five consecutive Solheim Cup wins in the process.

Elsewhere, Leona Maguire and Esther Henseleit beat Jennifer Kupcho and Rose Zhang, while Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud claimed a 4&3 win against Andrea Lee and Auston Kim.

The one bright spot for the US came in match 4, when Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin comfortably beat Charley Hull 6&5.

That left the Europeans one good session away from taking control of the match, and they got off to the perfect start in the afternoon fourballs when Stark - again paired with Grant - made a brilliant hole-out eagle on the first hole to go 1-up against Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin.

All the momentum appeared to be with Anna Nordqvist's team, but it didn't take long for the pendulum to swing back the other way.

At the fourth hole, Khang and Coughlin turned things around by taking a 1-up lead.

By that point, there was red on the board in other matches, too. In match 2, Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee were 1-up against the strangely subdued duo of Hull and Woad, while Jennifer Kupcho and Lindy Duncan were also 1-up against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier.

Ciganda can generally be relied on to bring drama to the Solheim Cup. She did it in the afternoon fourballs on Friday, earning half a point for Europe with some late heroics, and she was at it again on Saturday afternoon, holing a 28-foot birdie putt at the fifth to go 1-up.

At the next hole, Ciganda repeated the feat, holing a putt from an even greater distance to send Europe 2-up in the match and apparently take control.

While Ciganda was providing the heroics for the Europeans, for the US Noh was offering most of the inspiration, helping her team go 2-up over Hull and Woad with a birdie at the ninth.

Stark and Grant then hit back for Europe in match 1 after Grant's birdie putt at the 11th got things back to all square.

The Swedish pair went ahead with another birdie at the 12th, and that became a 2-up lead with a third consecutive birdie, this time from Stark, at the 13th.

Soon afterwards, a Rose Zhang eagle gave her and Auston Kim a 2-up lead over Nastasia Nadaud and Leona Maguire.

A little later, another birdie putt from Ciganda at the 13th saw her and Boutier go 1-up over Kupcho and Duncan.

The first point of the session came for Europe, when Stark birdied the 17th for a 2&1 win in match 1 - it would be the team's final point of the day.

The US fightback began when Zhang and Kim saw off Nadaud and Maguire 3&2.

The other two matches were close, with Noh and Andrea Lee 1-up over Hull and Woad and Ciganda and Boutier also 1-up in their match against Kupcho and Duncan.

When neither Hull nor Woad could birdie the 18th, the match went to the US and the points gap was down to one at 8-7.

That left match four. The US duo got back to all square at the 17th, leaving it all on the outcome of the final hole.

For Europe, there was the chance to take a two-point advantage into the Sunday singles, while for the US, the opportunity to make it 8-8 was well and truly on.

Ciganda had another chance to take the glory with her birdie putt, but it strayed wide. However, the odds of a US win seemed long with both Duncan and Kupcho facing sizeable putts to win it.

Duncan was first, but she didn't find the right line. However, Kupcho, from even further out, did.

Her ball disappeared into the center of the cup to take the final point of the day and ensure that, with 12 points to play for, the outcome of the 2026 Solheim Cup remains firmly in the balance.

Afterwards, Kupcho said: "I think me and Lindy played a really great match and really brought the momentum to the team. I think everybody's super excited to get out there tomorrow and I think we're going to take our momentum with us."

Solheim Cup 2026: Schedule And Session Times

Friday Morning Foursome Results

• Charley Hull & Lottie Woad 4&3> Nelly Korda & Allisen Corpuz
• Nanna Koerstz Madsen & Celine Boutier 3&2> Alison Lee & Lauren Coughlin
• Leona Maguire & Esther Henseleit <2-up Andrea Lee & Lindy Duncan
• Linn Grant & Maja Stark <3&2 Rose Zhang & Jennifer Kupcho

Friday Afternoon Fourballs Results

• Charley Hull & Lottie Woad Tied Yealimi Noh & Angel Yin
• Nanna Koerstz Madsen & Celine Boutier 5&3> Megan Khang & Alison Lee
• Mimi Rhodes & Nastasia Nadaud <2&1 Allisen Corpuz & Auston Kim
• Carlota Ciganda & Julia Lopez Ramirez Tied Nelly Korda & Lauren Coughlin

Saturday Morning Foursomes Results

• Maja Stark & Linn Grant <3&2 Allisen Corpuz & Nelly Korda
• Leona Maguire & Esther Henseleit <1-up Jennifer Kupcho & Rose Zhang
• Mimi Rhodes & Natasia Nadaud <4&3 Andrea Lee & Auson Kim
• Charley Hull & Lottie Woad 6&5> Alison Lee & Lauren Coughlin

Saturday Afternoon Fourballs

• 1:05pm (7:05am): Maja Stark & Linn Grant <2&1 Megan Khang & Lauren Coughlin
• 1:20pm (7:20am): Lottie Woad & Charley Hull 1-up> Yealimi Noh & Andrea Lee
• 1:35pm (7:35am): Leona Maguire & Nastasia Nadaud 3&2> Rose Zhang & Auston Kim
• 1:50pm (7:50am): Carlota Ciganda & Celine Boutier 1-up> Jennifer Kupcho & Lindy Duncan

Sunday September 13th

Singles

• 11:10am (5:10am): Charley Hull vs Megan Khang
• 11:22am (5:22am): Esther Henseleit vs Alison Lee
• 11:34am (5:34am): Linn Grant vs Angel Yin
• 11:46am (5:46am): Mimi Rhodes vs Nelly Korda
• 11:58am (5:58am): Nanna Koertz Madsen vs Allisen Corpuz
• 12:10pm (6:10am): Nastasia Nadaud vs Andrea Lee
• 12:22pm (6:22am): Julia Lopez Ramirez vs Yealimi Noh
• 12:34pm (6:34am): Lottie Woad vs Auston Kim
• 12:46pm (6:46am): Leona Maguire vs Lauren Coughlin
• 12:58pm (6:58am): Maja Stark vs Lindy Duncan
• 1:10pm (7:10am): Carlota Ciganda vs Jennifer Kupcho
• 1:22pm (7:22am): Celine Boutier vs Rose Zhang

The 2026 Solheim Cup is the 20th edition of the prestigious team event and takes place at the newest golf course in the match’s history, Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

The venue will also become the first course in history to host both the Solheim Cup and the Junior Solheim Cup in the same year.

Bernardus Golf describes itself as “a unique moment where the future and the world’s best in women’s golf come together.”

Anna Nordqvist's Europe look to win back the trophy after losing at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club last time. They'll be doing so in The Netherlands at a new venue, so how well do you know the course?

Here are seven facts about 2026 host venue, Bernardus Golf...

Bernardus Golf's location

Bernardus Golf sits in the natural landscape of North Brabant and is located in the small village of Cromvoirt, near Den Bosch in the Netherlands. It is around 30 minutes from the city of Eindhoven.

The area is renowned for its quiet and rural setting, surrounded by nature reserves and farmland.

The golf club is also just 40-minutes from the Colin Montgomerie-designed course, The Dutch, which has previously hosted the DP World Tour's Dutch Open.

A new venue

Bernardus Golf becomes the youngest golf course ever to host the Solheim Cup, having opened in the summer of 2018. It is a highly acclaimed course already, sitting 8th in Top 100 Golf Courses’ Netherlands ranking.

The record was previously held by Finca Cortesin, which hosted the 2023 edition of the tournament in Casares, Spain.

Having opened in 2006, the course was 17 years old when it hosted a thrilling 14–14 tie, the first in the history of the match.

Famous Dutch soccer team's owner

Dutch businessman, Robert van der Wallen, who is also the owner of soccer club PSV Eindhoven, purchased the land in 2015 before construction of the golf course began in 2017.

The 18-hole heathland championship course was designed by American architect Kyle Phillips.

The club is named after Bernardus Marinus "Ben" Pon, a Dutch Olympic athlete and racing driver who founded Bernardus Wines in California.

Kyle Phillips

Kyle Phillips is a world-renowned architect who has designed and remodelled some of the world’s most acclaimed courses.

His designs incorporate natural features, while taking into account the landscape and natural history of each location.

Some of Phillips’ most well-known designs include:

Kingsbarns, Scotland – Ranked 14th in Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK&I course rankings, Kingsbarns shifted hundreds of thousands of tons of earth to achieve Phillips’ signature style of natural-looking contours that shape the golf course. It co-hosts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship alongside the Championship Course at Carnoustie and the Old Course at St Andrews, which sits just six miles away.

Yas Links, UAE – Part of a huge entertainment complex including a Formula 1 track and a Ferrari amusement park, it is another course designed as a challenging, contoured links. Yas Links, regarded as one of the UAE's best courses, hosts the DP World Tour's Abu Dhabi Championship.

The Grove, England – Operating as a pay-and-play championship course, The Grove boasts an impressive history, including hosting the 2006 WGC-American Express Championship, where none other than Tiger Woods claimed victory.

DP World Tour host

Despite opening in 2018, Bernardus Golf hosted the KLM Open, otherwise known as the Dutch Open, for three consecutive years, with the first edition taking place in 2021.

Kristoffer Broberg won the first DP World Tour event hosted by the club, followed by Frenchman Victor Perez in 2022, who beat the current Champion Golfer of the Year, Ryan Fox, in a playoff.

Nine-time DP World Tour winner Pablo Larrazábal won the most recent KLM Open hosted by Bernardus Golf in 2023.

Layout

With architect Phillips focusing on the strategic qualities of golf courses rather than perhaps a more US Open-style approach of long holes and punishing rough, Bernardus Golf is likely to test the players' decision-making throughout the Solheim Cup.

The course features a number of strategically placed bunkers, tricky water hazards and a collection of dunes, heath and gorse that will force both teams to carefully think their way around the golf course.

One of the most notable holes to look out for is the par-5 seventh, where a huge lake sits to the right of the fairway and green.

In the matches that make it to the 17th and 18th holes, expect some drama. The penultimate hole is a short par 3, but anything left of the green will immediately find the water.

While not all matches will make it to the final hole, it is reminiscent of the 18th at Wentworth Club.

Cost

While most courses operate a membership system that runs for year before being renewed, Bernardus Golf has offered a different approach.

It runs a day membership system in which the golfer will have full access to all facilities, custom trolleys waiting and more importantly, unlimited golf for the whole day.

The price for day membership starts from €195 which includes a non-golfing partner to enjoy all of the facilities completely free of charge.

With it being such a new championship course, some of the ideas brought with it provide golfers with experiences rather than simple tee times.

The Solheim Cup celebrates its 20th edition in 2026, when it will be held in the Netherlands for the first time.

As with every previous match since 1990, teams from Europe and the US will battle it out over three days, with Bernardus Golf hosting this year.

But what exactly is the Solheim Cup format? And how many points are on offer?

Solheim Cup Format Explained

The Solheim Cup features two teams of 12 players, one representing Europe and the other the US.

It is played over three days in a match play format, with 28 points available - one per match.

One point is awarded to the winning team in a match, with half a point given to each team for a tie.

As the defending champions, the US needs only to achieve a tie to retain the trophy, meaning the points total it needs is 14.

To reclaim the Solheim Cup it lost in 2024, Team Europe needs 14.5 of the available points.

Four foursomes and four four-ball matches will be played on both day one and day two, with day three featuring 12 singles matches.

In 2026, the foursomes matches will be played in the morning on both Friday and Saturday, followed by the four-ball sessions in the afternoon.

Foursomes

Foursomes sessions are held on both day one and day two of the Solheim Cup.

Eight of the 12 players in each team will be selected by their captains to play in the foursomes sessions.

Foursomes, which is also known as alternate shot, sees teams of two take turns on each hole using the same ball.

Players on each team take turns to tee off, so one will tee off from the odd-numbered holes and the other from the even-numbered holes.

After the tee shot, the other player in each pair hits the second shot, with the teammates alternating until the ball is holed.

In match play, whichever player or team takes the fewest shots to hole the ball wins the hole to go 1-up.

If both teams hole the ball in the same number of shots, the hole is halved.

The team that is leading at the end of the match earns one point. If the teams are level after 18 holes, each receives half a point.

In foursomes, four-ball and singles, sometimes, a match finishes before all 18 holes have been played.

That's because if one team leads by more holes than there are left to play, the match ends at the point where it is mathematically impossible for the other team to catch their opponent.

Four-Ball

Solheim Cup four-ball has some similarities with foursomes. For example, the captains select eight players, divided into four pairs, for each session.

The big difference is that, unlike foursomes, all four players in each match play their own ball. The lowest individual score from each pair counts as the team's score for the hole.

A hole is halved if both teams hole the ball in the same number of shots.

Once again, the team that is leading at the end of the match earns one point. If the teams are level after 18 holes, each receives half a point.

Singles

Unlike days one and two, day three is devoted to one singles session.

It is also the only day when all 12 players on each team are guaranteed to play.

Rather than team up in pairs, as the name suggests, singles sees one player take on an opponent from the other team.

Each captain chooses the order in which all 12 of her players will go out.

The two lists are submitted without the captains knowing the other's order.

Once they're matched together, the first player on Europe's list plays the first player on the US list and so on.

Typically, the captains pick the strongest players first to give them the best chance of winning some early points, but they are under no obligation to do so.

The player who is ahead when the match finishes earns a point for their team, while a match that is level after 18 holes earns each team half a point.

Solheim Cup Format And Schedule

The 2026 Solheim Cup takes place in The Netherlands for the first time as Bernardus Golf hosts the three-day match play event.

Anna Nordqvist's Europeans will look to win the trophy back from Angela Stanford's Americans, and you can get in the mood for the golf with this testing quiz.

Can you name Europe's top 20 Solheim Cup points scorers? That's the task we're challenging you with!

Test your knowledge below, where you'll be faced with a 10-minute timer to try and get them all. Can you get all 20?

Quiz: Name Europe's Top 20 Solheim Cup Points Scorers

For more fun golf quizzes, head to Golf Monthly's Quiz homepage.

Solheim Cup 2026 preview

Anna Nordqvist's Team Europe look to win back the iconic trophy at Bernardus Golf after losing 15.5 - 12.5 last time out at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

The legendary Swede leads her team after recently announcing her retirement from professional golf.

Her opponent will be Angela Stanford, who takes the reins for a strong Team USA headlined by Nelly Korda and Major winners like Allisen Corpuz and Jennifer Kupcho.

They will have a tricky task ahead of them to bring the cup back, though, as Nordqvist's European team is a vastly experienced one - including some of Europe's all-time leading points scorers.

Charley Hull, Carlota Ciganda, Leona Maguire, Linn Grant, Maja Stark, Celine Boutier, Esther Henseleit and Nanna Koerstz Madsen all have plenty of Solheim Cup wins on their record. Lottie Woad makes her highly anticipated debut, as do exciting talents Julia Lopez Ramirez, Nastasia Nadaud and Mimi Rhodes.

The 2026 Solheim Cup takes place from September 11-13, with two days of doubles action on the Friday and Saturday before 12 singles matches on Sunday.

This Week In Golf: Our regular look at the biggest stories in professional golf, tournament previews and other key details you need to know.

Fresh off the back of a simply awesome Walker Cup and with PGA Tour golf still a couple of weeks away, there is a huge few days ahead for the sport.

While the number of competitions is minimal, the quality of said tournaments could hardly be any greater with a top-drawer DP World Tour event and the biggest team event in women's golf, bar none, on the agenda.

Outside of that, there are still a handful of interesting storylines from around the world of golf that you might want to know about, and here they are...

EUGENIO CHACARRA ARGUES WITH EX-CADDIE

Former LIV golfer Eugenio Chacarra was filmed having a disagreement with ex-caddie Adolfo Juan Luna at the DP World Tour's European Masters on Sunday.

While much of the attention was on a scintillating finale at Crans-sur-Sierre, where Thriston Lawrence took down Paul Casey on the fourth playoff hole, Chacarra and his old bagman were involved in a passionate exchange of words close to the 18th green which was filmed by a fan before being posted to Reddit by Local_Quality_2182.

According to The Telegraph's James Corrigan, the pair have held bad blood for a long time because of a disagreement about money and Chacarra claimed he was hit during the incident.

Luna - who now works for Angel Ayora - was with Chacarra during his early days on the LIV Golf League and helped the Spaniard to victory at LIV Golf Bangkok in 2022.

But, since parting ways, the duo have evidently not worked out their frustrations with the other.

Per The Telegraph, both Chacarra and Luna will be spoken to and reminded about their future conduct, with the pair potentially meeting again at this week's Irish Open.

THE SOLHEIM CUP

Undoubtedly the biggest event of the year in the women's game, the Solheim Cup is finally here and Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands will host the biennial event as Team Europe try to win back the beautiful glass trophy.

Team USA made home advantage count back in 2024 as they held off a spirited fightback from the visitors to reign supreme at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

But Anna Nordqvist's charges are confident they can make it a fourth Solheim Cup success in the past five editions with the crowd on their side this time.

Nelly Korda leads Team USA on the playing side while Team Europe stands behind Charley Hull.

The three-day match begins on Friday with fourballs and foursomes before the same formats on Saturday set up singles Sunday.

Given Angela Stanford's side are the holders, they only need 14 points to regain the trophy while Team Europe will be looking to reach 14.5 as quickly as possible.

DONALD TRUMP COULD ATTEND IRISH OPEN

The DP World Tour returns to the British Isles this week as the Amgen Irish Open takes place at Trump International Doonbeg.

Rory McIlroy headlines an excellent field as he defends his title on the fresh links layout, with other key names such as Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald also in attendance.

Also expected to be watching on at the weekend is US President Donald Trump, who owns the course on which this year's tournament is being played.

Trump has coincided his two-day visit to Ireland with the $6 million tournament and could even present the winner with the trophy come Sunday evening.

Speaking about Trump's likely presence, Rory McIlroy said it can "only be a good thing."

McIlroy said: "The President of the United States wants to come watch a little bit of golf. I think we are all happy to be here, grateful to be here.

"His presence at The Irish Open makes it a truly international event. That brings more attention and eyeballs to The Irish Open, and it can only be a good thing."

PINEHURST CONFIRMS NO.11 OPENING DATE

Pinehurst Resort has confirmed its newest addition will open to the public in March 2027.

Pinehurst No.11 has been designed by the iconic duo of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and is the pair's first original design at the world-famous resort.

It is located across a corner of Pinehurst Sandmines and features jutting ridges, massive mounds, and native vegetation which Pinehurst says makes it "as intriguing to walk as it is demanding to play."

Due to open on March 27, 2027, Pinehurst will begin taking tee-time and reservation inquiries later this week. Information on prices is not yet available, however.

FOUR CONSECUTIVE MAJOR WINS (IN SPEEDGOLF)

PGA Professional James Hardy has just won his fourth consecutive Major championship in speedgolf.

The sport effectively involves playing golf as efficiently as possible (lowest score and in the quickest possible time) and Hardy has apparently cracked the code, despite only discovering it last year.

The 2026 British Championship - which followed the French, US and Benelux Speedgolf Championships earlier this summer - was contested over 36 holes at Sunningdale Heath, with Hardy achieving a ridiculous pair of scores.

He went round in 63 strokes and 25:06 during round one before shooting an extraordinary 61 in 25:55 in round two.

Speedgolf scores of 88:06 and 86:55 gave Hardy an overall total of 175:01 and helped him win by almost three minutes from Will Robson.

Meanwhile, Ben Walmsley recorded the first-ever hole-in-one in the British Speedgolf Championship, making his ace at the par-3 fifth during the second round and going on to win the Senior Men's title.

WHAT ELSE TO KNOW

• Defending champion Michael Kim will join LIV Golf's Cameron Smith and the PGA Tour's Ryan Gerard at the DP World Tour's FedEx Open de France in October
• Ryan Gerard has moved up to World No.21, leapfrogging Justin Thomas in the OWGR's latest figures
• LIV Golf applied for bankruptcy filing in order to try and create a new player-first ownership model in 2027. LIV 2.0 could well feature 75-man fields and Monday qualifiers while also introducing a cut
• Kai Trump competed in her first event as a Miami Hurricanes golfer, finishing 102nd out of 120 at the 2026 Golfweek Fall Classic
• Team USA defeated Team Europe 13-11 at the Junior Solheim Cup on Tuesday. The American team were 9.5 - 2.5 up after Monday's action but the Europeans fought back with 8.5 points, though sadly it wasn't enough to claim the trophy
• US Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk unveiled his team's new-look qualification criteria, which features a much tighter window than in previous years

After two editions of the Solheim Cup where both Team Europe and Team USA were led by the same respective captains, Suzann Pettersen and Stacy Lewis, it’s all change at the top for the 2026 edition at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.

Both Pettersen and Lewis had mixed results during their tenures, with Team Europe retaining the trophy it won in 2021 at Finca Cortesin two years later courtesy of a 14-14 tie.

The following year, Lewis had her revenge, captaining Team USA to its 11th Solheim Cup win, beating the Europeans 15.5-12.5 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

So, who is tasked with leading the two teams in 2026, and who are their assistants?

Who Is The Team Europe Solheim Cup Captain?

Anna Nordqvist

Until recently, three-time Major winner Anna Nordqvist was still pursuing her playing career.

However, just weeks before the Solheim Cup, she announced her retirement.

Nordqvist, who had 16 professional wins including nine on the LPGA Tour, also has an enviable Solheim Cup playing career to look back on.

The Swede made nine playing appearances, with an overall record of 17-15-3.

In her 2023 and 2024 appearances, Nordqvist also took on the role of vice-captain to Pettersen, which is sure to stand her in good stead in the hotseat for the first time.

Who Are The Team Europe Solheim Cup Assistant Captains?

Caroline Hedwall

The Swede made five Solheim Cup appearances between 2011 and 2023, with an overall record of 9-7-1.

Memorably, in 2013, she became the first Solheim Cup player to win all five of her matches, including two foursomes sessions alongside Nordqvist.

She didn’t make the team for the 2024 match, but two years later she is back in the fold as one of Nordqvist’s three assistant captains.

Hedwall has 18 professional wins, including seven on the LET.

Mel Reid

The Englishwoman has been an assistant captain twice before, in 2019, when she worked under Catriona Matthew at Gleneagles and in 2024 under Pettersen.

Reid made four playing appearances on the Solheim Cup, winning 7.5 points.

Her most recent Solheim Cup appearance came in 2021, when Europe won on American soil for only the second time in the match’s history.

Anne Van Dam

With the omission of Dewi Weber from the European Solheim Cup team, the 2026 match will take place without a Dutch player in front of the home fans.

However, Anne van Dam’s role as an assistant captain ensures that there will be some Dutch influence on the team at Bernardus Golf.

Van Dam, who has five LET wins, has made one playing appearance at the Solheim Cup, in 2019, when she won one of her four matches.

Who Is The Team USA Solheim Cup Captain?

Angela Stanford

Major winner Angela Stanford brought the curtain down on a glorious playing career in 2024.

That included six Solheim Cup appearances between 2003 and 2015, with her final appearance featuring a pivotal Sunday singles win over Suzann Pettersen to help Team USA to a 14.5-13.5 win at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot in Germany.

Stanford also played a big role in the last three editions of the Solheim Cup, working as an assistant captain to Pat Hurst in 2021 and twice under Stacy Lewis in 2023 and 2024.

Now, she has taken on the responsibility from Lewis, where she is plotting to guide the US to its first success on European soil since that famous win 11 years ago.

Who Are The Team USA Solheim Cup Assistant Captains?

Kristy McPherson

Kristy McPherson was named the first of Stanford’s assistant captains in 2025.

At the time, Stanford said: “Kristy and I have been friends since 2006. We traveled and played on Tour together, and I was just always impressed with her attitude.

"It didn’t matter what was going on around her or in her life. She showed up with a positive attitude and was always ready to give it her best.”

The three-time LPGA Tour runner-up made one Solheim Cup appearance as a player, in 2009, when she won one of her four matches.

Paula Creamer

Paula Creamer is one of the most successful players in US Solheim Cup history, having helped the team claim the title five times in her seven appearances between 2005 and 2017.

The 2010 US Women’s Open champion is also no stranger to the assistant captain role. She took it on for the first time under Stacy Lewis in 2024.

Creamer has 12 professional wins in her career, including 10 on the LPGA Tour.

Brittany Lang

Former US Women’s Open champion Brittany Lang made five Solheim Cup appearances between 2009 and 2017, emerging on the winning team three times.

During that time, she forged a formidable four-ball partnership with Brittany Lincicome, going 4-0-0.

Stanford, who was a Solheim Cup teammate of Lang’s four times, outlined the qualities she will bring to the role, saying: “The traits that have always impressed me the most about Brittany are her confidence and her demeanor.

“If Lang has ever been rattled, you would never know. She has a very no-nonsense look about the task at hand and that's what makes her perfect for an away game.”

Carlota Ciganda's last Solheim Cup on home soil had everything - a King watching on, a shank and a thrilling Sunday singles victory that ultimately saw Europe retain the trophy.

And all that came in her native Spain, with a dramatic 14-14 tie at Finca Cortesin seeing defending champions Europe retain the Solheim Cup with Ciganda very much the hero.

She won a perfect four points from four matches culminating in that epic singles win over Nelly Korda, with Ciganda describing it "like a movie" in a dream tournament for her.

"It really was amazing and will stay with me forever," Ciganda added. "Our King was also there watching which made it so special."

After a fast start against Korda, Ciganda hit a dreaded shank on the 15th as the match went all square, but she showed tremendous resilience to win the match and retain the Solheim Cup on the 17th.

And to highlight just how important a captain can be in term competition, Ciganda credited Suzann Pettersen for being on hand to help her recover from that shank.

"It was good to have Suzann there on 16, she came to me on the fairway and she was like, this is your moment, just go and win this point," added the Spaniard.

And if Europe need her down the stretch again on Sunday, Ciganda will be ready, as one of the most fierce matchplayers in the sport.

"I think I am a very tough competitor," she says. "I won't give up and I will fight until the end. I love matchplay and, if it's a Sunday in the Solheim, you just want to win. I've played in lots of different positions and I'm happy to go wherever."

Nordqvist will be 'great captain' - will Ciganda follow?

If this week in the Netherlands turns out anything like 2023 then captain Anna Nordqvist will have her work cut out for her, but after playing in nine Solheim Cups she has the experience to cope.

"I know her very well and I think she's going to be a great captain, very prepared, very structured," Ciganda said of the Swede.

And at 36 and playing in her eighth Solheim Cup this week, Ciganda is entering the veteran stage of her career, and her name could soon start popping up in talks about future captains.

"I would love to be captain if the girls wanted it," she admitted. "I haven't really thought much about it, I think you would just try to be yourself. Don't try to be anyone else. Obviously after playing all these many times, you learn from all your captains and the things that you like and don't like as much."

For this 20th Solheim Cup, though, Ciganda is still very much a player and she revealed that while she's methodical, tough and scrappy out on the golf course, in the team room she's exactly the opposite.

"I like to have a good time," Ciganda revealed. "It's always good to put some music on, have a little bit of dancing and then we also play a lot of games on the team room.

"It's all about having a few jokes and trying to get the team together. We are all pretty close. It's always fun, with the bus rides and the team rooms and all the helpers and everyone is just very happy and very positive to be there."