The prestigious private club which provided the setting for Team USA’s victory lies just 35 miles west of Washington D.C. Former US President Barack Obama, who has been a member of the club since 2017, attended a team dinner with captain Stacy Lewis and her US squad on the eve of the event.
The words of encouragement from Obama, who is said to have a handicap of 13, proved inspirational for the Americans who went on to defeat Europe 15.5 points to 12.5. World number two Lilia Vu holed the winning putt on the 18th to secure a half point against Albane Valenzuela after reigning champions Europe had pushed the hosts close.
There were positive signs on the final day for Team Europe’s skipper Suzann Pettersen as Charley Hull thrashed world number one Nelly Korda 6&4 and Georgia Hall produced a dominant 4&3 victory over Alison Lee.
But America proved too strong on home soil, finally winning the biennial team competition after losing the previous three times. It was the 19th Solheim Cup to have been contested, which returned to even-numbered years in 2024 for the first time since 2002 to avoid clashing with the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
Located in the town of Gainesville, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club is named after its designer, the legendary American golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Snr.
Opened in 1991, Trent Jones Snr’s course is built around the beauty of Lake Manassas which takes centre stage, particularly on the back nine. He considered it to be one of his finest designs. “The terrain is aesthetically perfect,” he said. “I don’t think we could have done anything better anywhere.”
Home to the first four Presidents Cups in the United States between 1994 and 2005, the course is known for its challenging layout with the par-3 9th and its peninsula green and the par-3 11th hole, played over the lake, two standouts.
The course bears many classic Trent Jones Snr design hallmarks with expansive fairways, strategically placed bunkers, undulating greens and plenty of exciting risk-reward opportunities, perfect for match-play events.
A legacy of world-class golf courses
Team USA’s 2024 Solheim Cup victory came after they lost in 2023 at another fantastic venue, Finca Cortesin on Spain’s Costa del Sol. About 30 minutes from Marbella, it’s arguably Spain‘s premier golf resort.
There’s a 5-star boutique hotel, the state-of-the-art Jack Nicklaus Academy and the incredible golf course designed by Cabell Robinson, a manicured layout which weaves through a valley of olive trees with stunning views of the Casares Mountains and the Mediterranean.
That victory in 2023 made it three on the bounce for Team Europe following the 14.5-13.5 success at the Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course in Scotland in 2019 and the 15-13 win at the Inverness Club in Ohio in 2021.
In 2026, the Solheim Cup heads to the Netherlands with Bernardus Golf named as the venue. Set in the village of Cromvoirt close to Eindhoven, Bernardus Golf opened in 2018 and hosted the Dutch Open on the DP World Tour between 2021-23.
Designed by renowned American course architect Kyle Phillips, it’s a tight heathland layout with steep-faced bunkers and water hazards which should add plenty of drama to the contest. It also has a futuristic clubhouse complex, an enormous practice facility and an eight-room lodge. Golfers can pay a reasonably priced day ticket to play at this superb course.
In 2028, The Solheim Cup heads back over the Atlantic to Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, this famous course hosted the 1996, 2000, 2014 and 2024 PGA Championships as well as the 2008 Ryder Cup, which Europe lost.
20 years later, let’s hope Team Europe can bring home the win.
