The 2021 Solheim Cup was the 17th edition of the Solheim Cup matches, held from September 4–6 at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. The Solheim Cup is a biennial team competition between the top women professional golfers from Europe and the United States. Pat Hurst was captain of the U.S. team for the first time and Catriona Matthew was captain of the European team for the second time. The Inverness course was a par 72 and 6,903 yards (6,312 m).[1]

2021 Solheim Cup
Logo
DatesSeptember 4–6, 2021
VenueInverness Club
LocationToledo, Ohio
Captains
United States 13 15 Europe
Europe wins the Solheim Cup
Location map
Inverness Club is located in the United States
Inverness Club
Inverness Club
Location in the United States
Inverness Club is located in Ohio
Inverness Club
Inverness Club
Location in Ohio
← 2019
2023 →

The 2021 competition was won by Europe with 15 points to 13. It was the second victory by the European team in America, having first won there in 2013.[2]

Format

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The competition is a three-day match play event between teams of twelve players with a similar format to the Ryder Cup, with each match worth one point. The format is as follows:[3]

  • Day 1 (Saturday): Four foursome (alternate shot) matches in a morning session and four fourball (better ball) matches in an afternoon session. A total of eight players from each team participate in each session.
  • Day 2 (Sunday): Four foursome (alternate shot) matches in a morning session and four fourball (better ball) matches in an afternoon session. A total of eight players from each team participate in each session.
  • Day 3 (Monday): 12 singles matches. All 12 players from each team participate.

With a total of 28 points, 1412 points are required to win the Cup, and 14 points are required for the defending champion to retain the Cup.[3] All matches are played to a maximum of 18 holes. If the score is even after 18 holes, each team earns one-half point.[4]

Team qualification and selection

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Eligibility criteria

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The European and United States teams had different eligibility criteria:

Team Europe

Members of the European team must:

  1. be current members of the Ladies European Tour in any category or membership;
  2. must be a "European national". To be a "European national", the player must satisfy the criteria set out in the "Nationality Policy" issued by the International Golf Federation.[5]

There is no longer a minimum number of LET Ranking Events that must be played.

Team USA

Members of the United States team must be current members of the LPGA Tour and meet one of these three citizenship criteria:

  • U.S. citizens by birth, regardless of their birthplace.
  • Those who were naturalized as U.S. citizens before age 18.
  • Those who became U.S. citizens by adoption before age 13.[6]

Team selection

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The European and United States teams are selected by different methods.

Team Europe

Team Europe consists of the top two players from the LET Solheim Cup standings, followed by the top four LET members on the Women's World Golf Rankings who were not already qualified via the Solheim Cup standings, and six captain's selections. The 2021 Women's British Open, held at Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland, ending on August 22, was the final event of the qualification period, and the full team, including the captain's picks, was announced on August 23.[7]

Team USA

Team USA consists of the leading seven players from the LPGA Solheim Cup points rankings, the top two players in the Women's World Golf Rankings not already qualified via the points rankings and three chosen by the team captain. LPGA Solheim Cup points are earned for top-20 finishes on the LPGA Tour over a two-year period ending on August 22 with the 2021 Women's British Open. Points are doubled in major championships, and top-20 finishes during the 2021 LPGA Tour season earned 50% more points than those in 2019 and 2020.[8]

Teams

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Ages on first day of matches, September 4; Rolex rankings at team selection on August 23. Captain's picks shown in yellow.

  Team USA
Player Age Points
rank[9]
Rolex
ranking
Previous
appearances
Matches W–L–H Winning
percentage
Pat Hurst 52 Non-playing captain
Angela Stanford 43 Non-playing assistant captain
Michelle Wie West 31 Non-playing assistant captain
Stacy Lewis 36 Non-playing assistant captain
Nelly Korda 23 1 1 1 4 3–0–1 87.50
Danielle Kang 28 2 7 2 8 4–4–0 50.00
Ally Ewing 28 3 22 1 4 1–3–0 25.00
Lexi Thompson 26 4 12 4 15 5–4–6 53.33
Austin Ernst 29 5 27 1 4 2–2–0 50.00
Jessica Korda 28 6 17 2 8 4–2–2 62.50
Megan Khang 23 7 36 1 3 0–2–1 16.67
Lizette Salas 32 8 14 4 14 6–6–2 50.00
Jennifer Kupcho 24 12 28 0 Rookie
Brittany Altomare 30 8 54 1 4 2–1–1 62.50
Mina Harigae 31 10 61 0 Rookie
Yealimi Noh 20 11 31 0 Rookie

Source:[10]

  Team Europe
Player Country Age Points
rank[11]
Rolex
ranking
Previous
appearances
Matches W–L–H Winning
percentage
Catriona Matthew   Scotland 52 Non-playing captain
Laura Davies   England 57 Non-playing assistant captain
Kathryn Imrie   Scotland 54 Non-playing assistant captain
Suzann Pettersen   Norway 40 Non-playing assistant captain
Emily Kristine Pedersen   Denmark 25 1 68 1 3 0–3–0 0.00
Georgia Hall   England 25 2 29 2 9 6–3–0 66.67
Anna Nordqvist   Sweden 34 3 16 6 23 12–9–2 56.52
Sophia Popov   Germany 28 30 0 Rookie
Charley Hull   England 25 7 39 4 15 9–3–3 70.00
Carlota Ciganda   Spain 31 20 41 4 16 6–6–4 50.00
Céline Boutier   France 27 9 65 1 4 4–0–0 100.00
Matilda Castren   Finland 26 71 47 0 Rookie
Nanna Koerstz Madsen   Denmark 26 4 48 0 Rookie
Leona Maguire   Ireland 26 16 43 0 Rookie
Mel Reid   England 33 25 53 3 12 4–6–2 41.67
Madelene Sagström   Sweden 28 10 46 1 3 1–2–0 33.33

Source:[12][13]

Day one

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Saturday, September 4, 2021

Morning foursomes

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  Results  
Kang/Ernst   1 up Nordqvist/Castren
Ewing/Khang halved Boutier/Hall
N Korda/J Korda   1 up Reid/Maguire
Thompson/Altomare   1 up Hull/Pedersen
012 Session 312
012 Overall 312

Afternoon four-ball

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  Results  
N Korda/Ewing   1 up Madsen/Sagström
Kupcho/Salas   1 up Ciganda/Popov
Thompson/Harigae   4 & 3 Nordqvist/Castren
Noh/Altomare   1 up Hall/Maguire
2 Session 2
212 Overall 512

Day two

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Sunday, September 5, 2021

Morning foursomes

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  Results  
Kang/Ernst   1 up Hall/Sagström
Thompson/Altomare   2 & 1 Hull/Pedersen
N Korda/Ewing   5 & 4 Reid/Maguire
Salas/Kupcho   3 & 1 Nordqvist/Castren
3 Session 1
512 Overall 612

Afternoon four-ball

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  Results  
Noh/Harigae   3 & 1 Boutier/Popov
J Korda/Khang   1 up Ciganda/Madsen
Kupcho/Salas halved Reid/Maguire
Kang/Ernst   3 & 2 Hull/Pedersen
112 Session 212
7 Overall 9

Day three

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Monday, September 6, 2021

Singles

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  Results  
Lexi Thompson halved Anna Nordqvist
Ally Ewing   3 & 2 Madelene Sagström
Jennifer Kupcho   5 & 4 Leona Maguire
Nelly Korda   1 up Georgia Hall
Mina Harigae   5 & 4 Céline Boutier
Austin Ernst halved Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Lizette Salas   1 up Matilda Castren
Brittany Altomare   2 & 1 Carlota Ciganda
Megan Khang   3 & 2 Sophia Popov
Yealimi Noh   1 up Mel Reid
Jessica Korda   3 & 1 Charley Hull
Danielle Kang   1 up Emily Kristine Pedersen
6 Session 6
13 Overall 15

Source: [14]

Individual player records

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Each entry refers to the win–loss–half record of the player.

United States

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Player Points Overall Singles Foursomes Fourballs
Brittany Altomare 2 2–2–0 1–0–0 1–1–0 0–1–0
Austin Ernst 1.5 1–2–1 0–0–1 1–1–0 0–1–0
Ally Ewing 1.5 1–2–1 0–1–0 0–1–1 1–0–0
Mina Harigae 1 1–2–0 0–1–0 0–0–0 1–1–0
Danielle Kang 1 1–3–0 0–1–0 1–1–0 0–1–0
Megan Khang 1.5 1–1–1 1–0–0 0–0–1 0–1–0
Jessica Korda 1 1–2–0 1–0–0 0–1–0 0–1–0
Nelly Korda 2 2–2–0 1–0–0 0–2–0 1–0–0
Jennifer Kupcho 2.5 2–1–1 0–1–0 1–0–0 1–0–1
Yealimi Noh 2 2–1–0 1–0–0 0–0–0 1–1–0
Lizette Salas 2.5 2–1–1 0–1–0 1–0–0 1–0–1
Lexi Thompson 1.5 1–2–1 0–0–1 1–1–0 0–1–0

Europe

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Player Points Overall Singles Foursomes Fourballs
Céline Boutier 1.5 1–1–1 1–0–0 0–0–1 0–1–0
Matilda Castren 3 3–1–0 1–0–0 1–1–0 1–0–0
Carlota Ciganda 1 1–2–0 0–1–0 0–0–0 1–1–0
Georgia Hall 1.5 1–2–1 0–1–0 0–1–1 1–0–0
Charley Hull 2 2–2–0 0–1–0 1–1–0 1–0–0
Nanna Koerstz Madsen 1.5 1–1–1 0–0–1 0–0–0 1–1–0
Leona Maguire 4.5 4–0–1 1–0–0 2–0–0 1–0–1
Anna Nordqvist 2.5 2–1–1 0–0–1 1–1–0 1–0–0
Emily Kristine Pedersen 3 3–1–0 1–0–0 1–1–0 1–0–0
Sophia Popov 0 0–3–0 0–1–0 0–0–0 0–2–0
Mel Reid 2.5 2–1–1 0–1–0 2–0–0 0–0–1
Madelene Sagström 1 1–2–0 1–0–0 0–1–0 0–1–0

References

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  1. ^ "The Solheim Cup, Course Info". LPGA. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  2. ^ "Europe retain Solheim Cup after thrilling victory over USA". The Guardian. September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Berhow, Josh (August 16, 2017). "What to know and how to watch the 2017 Solheim Cup". Golf Magazine. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  4. ^ "Solheim Cup format, terminology". ESPN. September 9, 2003. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  5. ^ "The 2019 Solheim Cup European Team Selection" (PDF). Ladies European Tour. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  6. ^ "Solheim eligibility criteria changing for U.S. team". Golf Channel. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  7. ^ "The 2021 Solheim Cup Team Europe rankings". Ladies European Tour.
  8. ^ "How to qualify". Solheim Cup.
  9. ^ "2021 Solheim Cup Team USA Standings". U.S. Solheim Cup. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  10. ^ "Brittany Altomare, Mina Harigae And Yealimi Noh Added To 2021 U.S. Solheim Cup Team". LPGA Tour. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  11. ^ "2021 Solheim Cup Team Europe Standings". Ladies European Tour. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "Three Rookies Picked by Catriona Matthew for Team Europe at 2021 Solheim Cup". LPGA Tour. August 23, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  13. ^ Stafford, Ali (August 23, 2021). "Solheim Cup 2021: Who is playing for Catriona Matthew's Team Europe in Ohio this September?". Sky Sports. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  14. ^ "Solheim Cup 2021 Leaderboard". LPGA. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
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