Solheim Cup 2023: Bernard Gallacher’s preview

 

While much of the focus in recent weeks has been on the Ryder Cup and its somewhat controversial wildcard picks—in contrast, the Solheim Cup is, without doubt, a showcase of either side’s two very best teams.

 

Solheim Cup 2023: What to expect

Golf Care ambassador, Bernard Gallacher

The past two Solheim Cups were very exciting contests which both went right down to the wire, with this year’s European captain Suzann Pettersen holing an eight-foot putt on the last green to secure victory at Gleneagles in 2019 and Europe winning by a narrow two points last time out in the US.

Europe will benefit from strong partisan support on home soil this year, with the team aiming to make history by winning a third consecutive Solheim Cup.

But it won’t be easy. The US have a very strong side, indeed, led by the current women’s world number one, Lilia Vu, who recently won the Women’s Open at Walton Heath.

But Europe should have nothing to fear. Winning team events
like this depends on multiple factors— inspirational talks from the captains,
camaraderie, team chemistry, self-belief, desire, and so on.

This tournament is a fantastic advert for women’s golf on the world stage, and I can’t wait. Great strides have been made in the women’s game in recent years. For me, the last two Solheim Cups were far more entertaining and exciting than the last two Ryder Cups.

This year’s course—the beautiful Finca Cortesín on the Costa del Sol—overlooking the Mediterranean between Sotogrande and Marbella, has hosted three Volvo World Match Play Championships and will be a difficult test for the world’s best women’s golfers.

 

Solheim Cup 2023: Ones to watch

In no particular order, here are five players from either side I’ll be keeping a close eye on.

 

Team Europe

 

Céline Boutier

Age: 29
Nationality: French

Boutier turned pro in 2017 and has won five tournaments both on the LPGA Tour and the LET. She won the Amundi Evian Championship by six strokes in July and currently sits fifth on the Women’s WGR.

 

Charley Hull

Age: 27
Nationality: English

Hull plays mostly on the LPGA Tour and currently has two wins on that, with a further three on the LET. She’s having a great season—finishing T2 in the US Women’s Open and 2nd in the Women’s British Open at Walton Heath.

 

Leona Maguire

Age: 28
Nationality: Irish

Maguire turned professional in 2018 after an outstanding amateur career. She has two wins on the LPGA Tour and was the standout player at the last Solheim Cup in 2021. She’ll be looking for more of the same here.

 

Georgia Hall

Age: 27
Nationality: English

Hall plays mostly on the LPGA Tour, where she has two wins, with a further two on the LET. She also won the Women’s British Open in 2018 at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s—a solid golfer.

 

Linn Grant

Age: 24
Nationality: Swedish

Linn Grant has Scottish
heritage, so of course, I’m biased!

She’s been professional since 2021 after an outstanding amateur career. She has five wins on the LET to date and one on the LPGA Tour.

 

Team USA

 

Lilia Vu

Age: 25

Women’s world number one, Lilia Vu, is having an outstanding season and comes into this tournament having recently also won the Women’s Open at Walton Heath.

 

Nelly Korda

Age: 25

Women’s world #3 Korda turned professional in 2016 and has an impressive eight LPGA Tour wins and one on the LET.

She was also the Ladies’ Individual Winner at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan—one to watch, for sure.

 

Allisen Corpuz

Age: 25

Corpuz was born in Hawaii and played college golf at the University of Southern California. She won the US Women’s Open in July, winning a record $2m—the largest payout in women’s golf to date.

She’ll be hungry for more success in Spain.

 

Megan Khang

Age: 25

Megan Khang turned
professional in 2015 and has been a consistent golfer despite having just one win
on the LPGA Tour.

She’s been part of the past two Solheim Cup teams, so she knows the drill and will be looking to make up for those US defeats at Gleneagles and Ohio.

 

Lexi Thompson

Age: 28

Lexi Thompson has
recorded stunning wins all over the world since first turning pro in 2010. She
has 11 on the LPGA Tour, two on the LET, and one on the Japanese Tour.

She’s an experienced head in this American side, having already played at five Solheim Cups.

 

What are your Solheim Cup predictions? Get in touch and let us know!

 

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