The controversial moments that saw the Solheim Cup overtake the Ryder Cup as golf’s fiercest rivalry
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Think the Ryder Cup gets a little heated? Welcome to the Solheim Cup, where spice and rancor are never far away.
The 2023 Ryder Cup saw no shortage of controversy and drama, from Patrick Cantlay’s refusal to wear a hat (yes, it sounds laughable, but it became a big deal) to Rory McIlroy having bust-ups with more than one Team USA caddie, but it’s been positively congenial compared to recent Solheim Cups.
The Solheim Cup rivalry
I’d argue that the Solheim Cup has overtaken the Ryder Cup as the fiercest rivalry in all of golf. The competition is such that just three points have separated the two sides in the last three matches. What’s more, last year’s deadlock was the first in 18 editions of the Solheim Cup. It does raise the question of whether a tiebreaker is needed, though you can bet several players will be treating this year’s event like it is.
The quick turnaround means little has changed in the make-up of both teams. Suzann Pettersen and Stacy Lewis will reprise the role of captains and call upon many of the same players who couldn’t be separated in Spain. Those of a European persuasion will tell you this is the strongest group ever assembled and yet it is reasonable to suggest that the American team is blessed with three of the game’s biggest stars in Nelly Korda, Lilia Vu, and Rose Zhang.
Home advantage means America are favorites to win the trophy back, but they have the scar tissue of letting slip a 4-0 lead in Spain. Those kind of disappointments do leave a mark.
Solheim Cup controversy
Think the Ryder Cup gets a little heated? Welcome to the Solheim Cup, where spice and rancour are never far away.
Pettersen was at the center of perhaps the most famous incident in 2015 after she enforced a penalty on rookie Alison Lee, who had wrongly picked up an 18-inch putt in the belief a concession had been granted.
If you’ve never seen it or want to relive the awkwardness, you can watch the moment here at the 00:40 mark:
Europe went on to claim the point, much to the disgust of an American team who had their own Medinah moment, fuelled by the sense of injustice. Zach Johnson later branded Pettersen’s actions “a disgrace to the sport”.
There have been other incidents since then, not least in 2021 when another rules dispute reduced Madelene Sagstrom to tears after she did not wait 10 seconds before picking up Nelly Korda’s ball from the edge of hole. She argued that the putt was never going to drop in, but the on-course official sided with the Americans and they won the point.
Last year’s event did pass by without any controversies, but you can guarantee American fans haven’t forgotten about Pettersen’s conduct all those years ago. It could make for a hostile atmosphere in Virginia if tempers threaten to boil over again.
Who will win the 2024 Solheim Cup?
The history of the Solheim Cup can be told in one sentence: American dominance followed by a sustained European fightback. In the early years, Team USA won four of the first five matches, including the first event in 1990. They didn’t lose on home soil until 2013, though the Europeans have had more than their fair share of highs since then.
Under Catriona Matthew, they completed the home and away double for a second time in 2021, which means it’s been seven years since the Americans have got their hands on the Cup, their longest run without a victory. All the momentum is now with the blue and gold brigade, who are looking to become the first side in history to complete the ‘fourpeat’. With a more settled and experienced team than their rivals, they might never get a better chance.
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About the author
Michael Catling – Features Editor
Michael Catling is an award-winning journalist who specializes in golf’s Majors and Tours, including DP World, PGA, LPGA, and LIV.
Michael joined Today’s Golfer in 2016 and has traveled the world to attend the game’s biggest events and secure exclusive interviews with the game’s biggest names, including Jack Nicklaus, Jordan Spieth, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Gary Player, Martin Slumbers and Justin Thomas.
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Think the Ryder Cup gets a little heated? Welcome to the Solheim Cup, where spice and rancour are never far away.
