Curtis Cup begins at Nairn Golf Club

The Curtis Cup gets underway today at the Nairn Golf Club in Scotland, with team GB & I looking to capture victory for the first time since 1996.

The biennial tournament is contested between female amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland and America in a Ryder Cup-esque format.

The sanctioning bodies for the tournament are the United States Golf Association and the Ladies Golf Union, who select their respective teams.

The Americans have won the last seven Curtis Cups and, despite the presence of world number five Charlie Hull and the forecast of inclement weather, team GB & I are 5/2 outsiders.

Team GB & I is captained by Tegwen Matthwes and the American team is captained by Patricia Cornett.

Team GB & I:

Amy Boulden, 18 - ranked 11 in the Women's Amateur Ranking and claimed the 2012 Welsh Amateur Championship in May

Holly Clyburn, 21 - arguably the most internationally experienced member of team GB & I and one of only three returning from the 2010 match

Charley Hull, 16 - ranked number five in the world and made the cut at the LPGA Tour's Kraft Nabisco Championship this season, the first Major of the year

Bronte Law, 17 - won the 2011 Under-16 Girls' Open Stroke-Play Championship

Leona Maguire, 17 - another returning from the 2010 match and silver medalist at the 2011 Ladies European Amateur

Stephanie Meadow, 20 - a sophomore at the University of Alabama and topped the 2011 Ladies European Amateur Rankings

Pamela Pretswell, 23 - became the first amateur to win on the Ladies European Tour Access Series since its inception in 2010

Kelly Tidy, 20 - won the 2010 British Ladies Open Amateur Championship

Team USA:

Amy Anderson, 19 - won the 2009 U.S. Girls' Junior Championship and made the cut at the 2011 U.S. Women's Open

Lindy Duncan, 21 - also made the cut at the 2011 U.S. Women's Open and was a semi-finalist at the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur, aged 15

Austin Ernst, 20 - world number 12 and current All-American at Louisiana State University

Tiffany Lua, 21 - only returning member of the 2010 American Team and semi-finalist at the 2011 Women's Amateur Public Links

Lisa McCloskey, 20 - tied for first at the 2012 NCAA Central Regional and runner up at the 2010 Women's Amateur Public Links

Brooke Pancake, 22 - received the 2012 Honda Award, presented annually to the nation's top female athlete accross 13 sports

Erica Popson, 21 - current senior at the University of Tennessee and four time winner in her sophomore year

Emily Tubert, 20 - won the 2010 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship in only her second USGA event