Last year’s Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles could host the 2019 Solheim Cup after a bid was submitted to bring the tournament back to Scotland. The biennial women’s match play event between Europe and United States was last held in Scotland in 2000. “We would be truly honoured to welcome the Solheim Cup to Gleneagles,” said Gleneagles managing director Bernard Murphy. This year’s tournament takes place from 18-20 September in Germany. Europe are the current holders, claiming their fifth win to United States’ eight in Colorado in 2013.
American Juli Inkster and Swede Carin Koch are this year’s Solheim Cup team captains. Scotland’s top female golfer Catriona Matthew has played in seven Solheim Cups and described the tournament as “a special event, which is growing in profile and stature with each passing staging”. “I have no doubt that a Solheim Cup in 2019 at Gleneagles would be the biggest and best yet and further help to enhance the stature of the event and women’s golf as a whole,” she added.
“Golf in Scotland is a national past-time and the Scottish crowds would come out to support The Solheim Cup in droves. Equally, both players and media love coming to golf events in Scotland. “It is the Home of Golf and there is always that something extra every time you tee it up in a competition here.”
The bid is being led by VisitScotland in conjunction with the Scottish government. “Last year Scotland showed what it can do on the world-stage when it not only held, but significantly enhanced, some of the biggest events in the world of sport,” said Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
“The 2014 Ryder Cup was a magnificent spectacle and will be remembered for many years to come, while the XX Commonwealth Games was another huge success story for our country. We want to do the same thing with The Solheim Cup in 2019. “Scotland is now renowned as a world-class tourism and events destination. “Not only would hosting the Solheim Cup in Scotland, the Home of Golf, provide a huge boost to the profile of this fantastic event, it would continue to promote equality across the game and show that golf in Scotland, where it began, is a sport for all after the successful hosting of the Ryder Cup.”
Source: www.bbc.co.uk