La Zagaleta, in the Malaga town of Benahavís, will host the junior version of the Solheim Cup on September 18th and 19th, a competition created in 2002 and which has become one of the most significant amateur events worldwide
Twelve years after Karsten and Louise Solheim created the Solheim Cup, John Solheim, current president and CEO of PING, wanted to complete the legacy of his parents with the creation of a similar event but designed exclusively for junior players.
A transatlantic competition that would also pit the U.S. and Europe against each other, and that, in the image and likeness of the Solheim Cup, would become the best scenario for the future stars of women’s golf to compete at the highest level and begin to live and feel the passion of the most important tournament in women’s golf.
And the best way to achieve that goal, that of turning a junior tournament into the seedbed of future golfers who could one day compete in the Solheim Cup, was to play it a few days earlier at a nearby course, making it the best possible preamble.
Thus, 2002 marked the birth of the PING Junior Solheim Cup and very soon became on its own merits, one of the most important international events in the women’s amateur calendar.
Just look at the magnificent roster of players who over the eleven editions have made the leap from the PING Junior Solheim Cup to the Solheim Cup, with names like Paula Creamer, Azahara Muñoz, Britanny Lincicome, Melissa Reid, Anna Nordqvist, Carlota Ciganda, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda and Georgia Hall.
In this 2023 edition, which will be staged on the magnificent Old Course of the La Zagaleta urbanization, located in the town of Benahavís in Malaga, Europe will have the opportunity to defend the title won in 2021 on home soil, just as the “seniors” did.
If successful, it will be the first time that Europe will win the PING Junior Solheim Cup for the second consecutive time and will reach four victories to eight of the U.S. team in the history of the competition.
The European team that will try to make history will be captained by the French Gwladys Nocera, who will be assisted by the Swiss Nora Angehrn as vice-captain, and will be formed by the Spaniards Cloe Amión, Anna Cañadó, Andrea Revuelta and Rocío Tejedo; Sweden’s Nora Sundberg, Josefin Widal and Meja Örtengren; Switzerland’s Yana Beeli; Germany’s Helen Briem; Belgium’s Savannah de Bock; Italy’s Francesca Fiorellini and Czech Republic’s Denisa Vodickova.
Facing them will be the U.S. team, which will do everything possible to regain the trophy. They will be led by Amy Alcott and Libby Burroughs, captain and vice-captain respectively, and completed by Leigh Chien, Gianna Clemente, Anna Davis, Kathryn Ha, Irene Kim, Ryleigh Knaub, Jasmine Koo, Megan Meng, Elizabeth Rudisill, Anna Song, Asterisk Talley and Yana Wilson.
Remember the names of these players because many of them will become the protagonists of the next editions of the Solheim Cup in the not-too-distant future.
The Solheim Cup 2023, an event of exceptional public interest whose official venue is Finca Cortesin, is sponsored by PING, Costa del Sol Tourism and Rolex as global partners; and by the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte de la Junta de Andalucía, with co-financing from the European Union, Acosol, the Marbella Town Hall and the Benahavís Town Hall as official partners, and Casares Town Hall and Reale Seguros are official sponsors. Solán de Cabras, Eversheds Sutherland, Toro, Vithas, E-Z-GO, Jet Set Sports and Olin are official suppliers. BMW Automotor Premium is official sustainability car. Peninsula and Trablisa are sustainability partners. Marca and Radio Marca are official media. Promoted and organised by Deporte & Business. LET, LPGA, RFEG, CSD and RFGA collaborate in its organisation.
More information on the website www.solheimcup2023.eu, on the Twitter account @SolheimCup2023, on the Instagram account @solheimcup2023esp and on the Facebook page Solheim Cup 2023.
