Less than 12 months ago, Team Europe hoisted the Solheim Cup after playing the U.S. Team to a 14-14 tie. The Europeans retained the cup after winning it narrowly in 2019 and 2021.
Now the Solheim Cup is returning to even-numbered years, and both teams are running it back, the host venue changing from Malaga, Spain, to Gainesville, Va.
Europe captain Suzann Pettersen was asked Tuesday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club if either team could glean an advantage from the back-to-back Solheim Cup setup.
“I don’t really think it matters, to be honest,” Pettersen said. “I think the nice thing, it literally feels like the ‘23 Solheim was just yesterday. It’s so fresh in mind, it literally feels like it. So it’s kind of nice to kind of get that feel and kind of energy going again.”
The Solheim Cup was established in 1990 as an even-numbered year event and pivoted to odd-numbered years in 2003 to avoid overlapping with the Ryder Cup, which had been postponed a year due to the Sept. 11 attacks. Then the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the 2020 Ryder Cup back a year, so the Solheim Cup is now returning to the evens.
Pettersen is captaining her team for the second year running, with Stacy Lewis doing the same for the Americans.
“I think it was only the right thing to do for both Stacy and myself to kind of do this because I think it would have been an awful hard job for someone new to come in and do everything in 11 months’ time,” Pettersen said.
The Norwegian will benefit from the existing infrastructure of last year’s victorious team. Ten of her 12 players from 2023 are back, with Esther Henseleit of Germany and Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland the only newcomers.
“I wouldn’t say a lot of challenges. It’s just a lot of work,” Pettersen said. “Even before we hit a tee shot last year that we had already kind of done the outfits for this year. So really just kind of a lot of crisscross stuff and admin stuff, logistics.
“From the players’ perspective, the rankings kind of overlap quite a bit. I think it’s going to be nice once we kind of get this one out of the way and then we’re back on the regular every other year. I think that’s good for the game.”
Pettersen said she’s glad to leave the pressure of trying to win at home to the Americans, who will rely on Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, Rose Zhang, Lexi Thompson and a host of other accomplished players to end their drought.
The European captain wouldn’t buy much into the idea that her team has built-in advantages, but the positive vibes from their win last September are undeniable.
“It’s been a quick year since Spain,” she said. “Obviously it was a quick turnaround, fast celebration. … I think it’s a great challenge to try and go out there again and get the job done. The players are all up for it, and they’re always going to be a big task.”
–Field Level Media
