Solheim Cup to be shown on BBC as part of a ‘stellar summer of women’s sport’
● Daily one-hour highlights programme will add to the live coverage by Sky Sports
Catriona Matthew’s bid to top off her Solheim Cup career by becoming a winning captain on Scottish soil is to be captured by BBC cameras.
Daily highlights of this year’s event at Gleneagles, where Matthew will be aiming to steer Europe to a first victory in the biennial event since 2013, will be shown on terrestrial TV as part of the BBC stepping up its coverage of women’s sport. The Solheim Cup, a match against the US, joins the Fifa Women’s World Cup, the Netball World Cup and Wimbledon on the BBC schedules this summer.
A one-hour highlights programme from Gleneagles – the event is live on Sky Sports – will be shown on either BBC Two or BBC Four after the conclusion of each day’s play on 13, 14 and 15 September.
“We’re delighted that the BBC will bring Europe’s team game to the whole of the UK for the first time,” said Mark Lichtenhein, chief executive of the Ladies European Tour.
“Team golf is always an exciting way to engage fans and this year’s Solheim Cup promises to be another fantastic showcase for our sport and players. We are confident that this highlights arrangement will introduce this excitement to a new audience which has yet to experience how unique the Solheim Cup is, not just in golf, but in women’s sport altogether.”
Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, added: “We are thrilled to add the Solheim Cup to an already stellar summer of women’s sport. We’ll be there to bring all of the key moments to the widest possible audience as the tournament unfolds.”
Tickets for the biennial event are available from just £10, with children being admitted free. Paul Bush, director of events at Visitscotland, said: “Not only will this enhance the exposure of world-class women’s golf to a greater audience, it will further showcase Scotland’s outstanding assets when it comes to hosting the biggest events in world golf.”