GOLF
Who has won the most points for Europe and the USA in Solheim Cup history?
Who were the most successful European and United States female golf players in the biggest international teams competition throughout its sports history?
The next edition of the Solheim Cup will be held from September 12th to 15th at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville.
As always, it will feature the top 12 female European golfers competing against the 12 best American golfers. The tournament format includes three days of competition with a mix of fourballs, foursomes, and singles matches to determine the winning team.
This year, the event will be held at Virginia’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, marking the first time in over 20 years that the Solheim Cup has been held in back-to-back years. Team Europe holds the title after a 14-14 tie last year in Finca Cortesin, Málaga, Spain. This Andalucian draw allowed them to retain the trophy following their impressive 15-13 victory at Inverness Club, Ohio, in 2021.
In this prestigious international team competition, the tournament format differs from the usual individual stroke play on the LPGA Tour and LET in regular weeks. Instead, players engage in thrilling match play, directly competing against each other rather than simply aiming to outscore the course.
The defending champions must secure 14 out of the possible 28 points to retain the Cup. The previous event in Spain concluded in a historic 14-14 tie, marking the first occurrence of such an outcome in the competition’s history. If either team scores 14.5 points, that magic number, they will secure an outright win.
Who has won the most points individually for Europe and the USA in the Solheim Cup history?
The prestigious biennial female golf competition has a rich history spanning back to 1990. The player who holds the record for earning the most points for her team is Laura Davies (USA), who has amassed an impressive 25 points. Davies narrowly surpasses Annika Sorenstam (Europe) in the second spot.
Laura Davies - Team USA
Davies played 46 matches in 12 appearances for Team USA in the Solheim Cup, participating in the years 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011.
Her overall record was 22 wins, 18 losses, and 6 draws, resulting in a 54.3% winning percentage.
Her performance in different formats was as follows:
- Fourball: 9 wins, 7 losses, and 3 draws, earning 10.5 points
- Foursomes: 8 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw, earning 8.5 points
- Singles: 5 wins, 5 losses, and 2 draws, earning 6 points
It’s interesting to note that although Davies is the all-time leader in points earned in the Solheim Cup, she has the lowest winning percentage (54.3%). This can be attributed to her extensive participation in the event, allowing her to accumulate many points and play the long-run game.
Annika Sorenstam - Team Europe
Annika Sorenstam participated in 37 matches across eight Solheim Cups: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2007, achieving an overall record of 22-11-4 (64.9% winning percentage).
Fourball: 7-5-2 (8 points)
Foursomes: 11-3-1 (11.5 points)
Singles: 4-3-1 (4.5 points)
Among the golfers on the Solheim Cup best players list, Sorenstam has the best winning percentage at 65%.
Before retiring from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she was considered one of the greatest female golfers in history. Sorenstam’s impressive record of 96 international professional tournament victories makes her the female golfer with the most wins.
Her wins include 72 official LPGA tournaments, including 10 majors, and 24 other international tournaments.