Gleneagles host for 2019 Solheim Cup
Some of the best golfers in the world will descend on Perthshire when Gleneagles hosts the 2019 Solheim Cup.
Organisers announced on Wednesday this week that the prestigious biennial contest between Europe and USA will head to the world-famous PGA Centenary Course from September 13-15 that year.
Scotland won the right to host the top women’s golf competition after an extensive bidding process, coming out on top of a list of 10 countries which submitted expressions of interest in hosting the event.
Dates for the event have been confirmed after careful deliberation between key partners including VisitScotland, Gleneagles, the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and media group IMG.
VisitScotland director of events Paul Bush said: “Together with the LET, LPGA and other partners we have put a lot of thought and research into making sure this is the optimum week for all involved to ensure the 2019 Solheim Cup is an unreserved success.
“From all the advance sports calendars we have seen and the information gathered, this date will allow the 2019 Solheim Cup to be the highest profile golf event taking place in Europe and the US. It will also be the highest profile event taking place from a global sports perspective.”
Mark Lichtenhein, chairman of the Ladies European Tour (LET), added: “The Solheim Cup has a long, rich, heritage like no other event in women’s golf and we are thrilled to announce the dates for our next home match at Gleneagles in Scotland.
“Since we launched the competition in 1990 with the Solheim family and the LPGA, the event has grown significantly in prominence and profile and today is a strong, world recognised brand.
“As a tour, we recognise that golf is the only Olympic sport that Europe plays together as a team, and take a huge amount of pride in bringing Europe’s leading female golfers to compete in the Solheim Cup.
“We are therefore fully committed to working with our partners to deliver an outstanding event for all concerned.”
The week will begin with the PING Junior Solheim Cup, which takes place from September 8-10 at Gleneagles.
This unique U18 event will be showcased as never before as Scotland seeks to ensure that this is the most family-orientated Solheim Cup ever staged.
The format is similar to when Gleneagles hosted the 2014 Ryder Cup and the Junior Ryder Cup was held at Blairgowrie Golf Club.
National tourism agency VisitScotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, has stated the ambition to ensure the 2019 edition of the Solheim Cup in the Big County will serve to both grow golf and leave a lasting legacy of increased
Team USA, right, won the 2015 Solheim Cup in Germany. The 2019 event will take place at Gleneagles (above). The 2017 Solheim Cup is on August 14-20 at Des Moines Country Club, Iowa, USA participation in women’s sport.
Themes of equality, innovation and experience will be threaded through all the events communications as the 2019 Solheim Cup aims to engage both the traditional golf audience and the wider sport fan, raising the profile of women’s golf both in Scotland and internationally.
The Scottish Government and VisitScotland have been long-time supporters of the women’s game having partnered with the Ricoh Women’s British Open for many years and more recently, significantly enhancing the Aberdeen Asset Ladies Scottish Open as it becomes a co-sanctioned LET and LPGA event for the first time this year. Ticketing plans are now being developed.
General registration for event information is available via www. SolheimCup2019.com.