The Solheim Cup is a prestigious women’s golf tournament held every two years.
The competition pits the best female golfers from Europe and the United States, and it always produces some of the most exciting golf action you’ll ever see.
Stay put because we will see how many days is the Solheim Cup and learn other interesting facts you must know about the thrilling event.
How Many Days Is the Solheim Cup Played Over?
The prestigious biannual Solheim Cup is held over three days and features 28 games. It is usually held on a weekend, and the majority of the Cups are held between mid-August and mid-September.
Since 2002, the first two days have 8 games each. 4 foursome matches are played in the morning sessions, and the afternoon is reserved for 4 four-ball games.
On the third day of the Solheim Cup, there are 12 single golf matches.
| Day | Morning sessions | Afternoon sessions |
| Day 1 | 4 x foursome | 4 x four-ball |
| Day 2 | 4 x foursome | 4 x four-ball |
| Day 3 | 12 singles rounds |
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Why Is It Called Solheim Cup?
The Solheim Cup is named after the Norwegian-American founders of PING golf equipment, Karsten and Loise Solheim. They own the Karsten Manufacturing Corporation and handle the Solheim Cup’s presence at major golf events.
The inaugural Solheim Cup was a three-day event held at the Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, USA, from 16 to 18 November 1990.
The Solheim Cup Format Explained
The Solheim Cup is a competition between two teams of 12 players each, having a captain and three assistant captains. One team represents the United States, while the other represents Europe.
The Solheim Cup has three match-play formats: foursome, four-ball, and single matches.
Every Solheim Cup match earns the team one point, so foursome matches earn eight points, four-ball matches earn eight points, and single games earn a maximum of 12 points.
That totals 28 points, and the defending Solheim Cup champion must win at least 14 points to retain the title. If the other team scores 14.5 points, they will win the Cup.
Foursome Match
During the foursome matches, the two teams made up of two players have one golf ball each, and they alternate playing the strokes until the hole is played out.
The foursome format is also called an alternate shot.
Four-ball Match
Two teams of two golfers play as partners in the Four-ball Match, but each team member uses her own golf ball. On each hole, the team’s score is determined by the lower of the partners’ scores.
Singles Match
On the last day of the Solheim Cup, one player from the Europe team and the USA team play against each other. The match is won by the player who wins the most holes.
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What Is 4 Ball in Solheim Cup?
The four-ball is a team Solheim Cup format of golf in which two partners from one team compete against another team. Each of the four contestants has her own golf ball, meaning playing with four balls.
All points of both partners are counted, and the score of the team on each golf hole is the lower score of both players.
The winner of the four-ball is the team with the lowest sum of the set number of holes. If the low scores are tied, the hole is divided in half.
In addition to the Solheim Cup, four-ball is played at the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. The golf form is also referred to as the best ball or better ball.
Conclusion
Overall, the Solheim Cup is the best opportunity to devote an unforgettable weekend to golf and cheer on your favourite team.
Golf fans cannot wait to see what will the next Cup bring.
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FAQs:
How many games are in the 2021 Solheim Cup?
The Solheim Cup has 28 games.
How do they decide who plays who in the Solheim Cup?
The European representatives must be LET (Ladies European Tour) members. Two European players are the top-ranked competitors in the LET Solheim Cup Points during the Qualifying Period. Six players are chosen from the Rolex Women’s World Rankings, and the European Solheim Cup Team Captain chooses four.
The USA Solheim Cup Team comprises 12 American LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) members, including 7 golfers with the highest rankings on the US Solheim Cup, two best players from the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, and three players chosen by the US Solheim Cup Team Captain.
Who qualifies for Solheim Cup?
The criteria for taking part in the selection process for the Team Europe are:
- Being a full member of the Ladies European Tour
- Taking part in 8 Ranking Events while a member of the LET during the Qualifying Period
- Have a European nationality during the qualifying period and the Cup.
As for the Solheim Cup team coming from the USA, the qualifying criteria are:
- Be US citizens
- Members of the LPGA Tour
Why is the Solheim Cup finishing on a Monday?
Although there are no rules governing when does Solheim Cup finish, it is usually held over the weekend and concludes on Sunday. However, the Solheim Cup 2021 had symbolic dates, with the start date moved from the usual Friday to Labor Day. However, there were no changes on how many days is the Solheim Cup, so it lasted 3 days as usual.