Recognized as the top team competition in women’s golf, the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup is set to take place this week. Set at the Finca Cortesin in Casares, Andalusia, Spain, this competition is similar to the Ryder Cup as the best female professional golfers from Europe and the United States are set to clash. Per reports, Stacy Lewis will captain the U.S. team for the first time while Suzann Pettersen is set to lead the European squad for the first time as well. This course is a par 72 and measures in at 7,367 yards and will be the first time the competition has been played since 2021 when the Europeans won 15 to 13. This three-day match play event will kick off this week and each match won will be worth one point to the winning team.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each squad, a predicted winner, and also more notes about betting on professional golf.
The Americans feature a handful of players inside the top ten of the LPGA rankings and include the No. 1 and No. 2 overall ranked players in Lilia Vu and Nelly Korda, respectively. The former, at only 25 years of age, has three titles on the Symetra Tour and has already taken home two major titles, her last being the 2023 Women’s British Open earlier this year. Meanwhile, Korda won the Olympic gold medal at the women’s individual golf event representing the U.S. at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Corda also had a 5-2-1 record in Solheim Cup matches as well.
While the Americans came up short at the last two Solheim Cups, 2021 in Ohio and 2019 in Scotland, they do have the firepower to make it another close event this time around. Beyond the top duo, Allisen Corpuz is another player to watch as she is another top ten player on the LPGA and won the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. Both Vu and Corpuz are Solheim Cup rookies. Beyond that trio, Jennifer Kupcho (2-1-1) and Angel Yin (3-2-1) both feature winning records in Solheim Cup play.
Opposing the Americans is the European squad which should enjoy some great home-field advantage with the event in Spain. Leading the team will be Céline Boutier who is No. 3 in the LPGA rankings and has an impressive 5-1-1 record in Solheim Cup play. In fact, the top four of the European Solheim Cup lineup features a ton of veteran experience in matches for this event. Charley Hull, the fourth player on the squad, has a strong Cup record of 11-5-3, meanwhile, veteran Leona Maguire from Ireland has posted a mark of 4-0-1 in Solheim Cup play. Additionally, a player to look out for from the Europeans is Maja Stark who is a rookie at 23 years of age making her Solheim Cup debut. She is positioned as the No. 2 player on the European team and has already won six titles on the LPGA Tour.
In terms of other players to look out for, Linn Grant is a Solheim Cup rookie who is a top 20 player on the LPGA rankings. Moreover, the Europeans have eight players on their team who have made multiple Solheim Cup appearances giving them perhaps a more veteran and experienced team to tangle with what the Americans have to offer. Finally, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist is a reliable player for the Europeans with an overall record of 14-10-3 at the event.
Similar to the Ryder Cup, the event of a tie at the Solheim Cup would be a rare proposition. In fact, since the event started in 1990, there has never been a tie at the Solheim Cup.
Prediction: For sure another stacked event, take the Americans to eke out a surprise win here given their more top-heavy star power.
Once you are all done getting your ducks in a row for the 2023 Solheim Cup, make sure to also look into the wide variety of resources that SBS has ready for you to utilize. Of course, for even more insights and betting markets on the topic at hand, our golf betting sites guide has your back with all the latest notes and information on golf tournaments across the globe. Moreover, if you are trying to maximize your bets, and who isn’t, then the best bonus betting sites rundown is a must-read page. Here you can find a detailed catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those on the go, you can always stay on top of the action with our best betting apps breakdown where you can learn more about the nuances of mobile betting.