This year marks the 10th anniversary of the PING Junior Solheim Cup, where 12 of the best junior golfers from the United States and Europe square off in a match-play event. Annika will captain the European squad who is looking for its first win since 2007.
The PING Junior Solheim Cup started as an opportunity for junior golfers to gain international match play experience as well as the chance to meet, learn, and be inspired by the professional players playing in the Solheim Cup. The event has alternated between an American and European host site and starting in 2015, it is held at the same site as the Solheim Cup, but a different course.
The first Junior Solheim Cup was inaugurated in 2002 and held at the Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins, Minnesota with Team USA earning a 17-7 victory. After that, the home team would go on to win until Team USA retained the trophy at Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort in Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland in 2011.
Here are some fun facts about the PING Junior Solheim Cup:
Team USA leads the event 7-2-1 and has won six consecutive matches.
Team Europe last won, 14-10, in 2007 when the event was hosted in Sweden.
The format of the event is like the Solheim Cup with six fourball and six foursomes matches on the first day with 12 singles matches on the second day of competition.
Sweden has hosted the event twice, once at Bokskogens Golf Club in 2003 and at Båstad Golf Club in 2007.
Alison Lee (USA), Azahara Muñoz (Europe), and Jane Rah (Europe) hold the record for most events played with three each.
Kristen Park (USA) holds the all-time record for the event at 6-0-0, followed by Jane Rah (Europe) with a 5-3-1 record.
Past PING Junior Solheim Cup participants who went on to participate in the Solheim Cup include Brittany Lang, Paula Creamer, Alison Lee, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Angel Yin, Lexi Thompson, Carlota Ciganda, Georgia Hall, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Caroline Masson, Azahara Muñoz, Anna Nordqvist, Florentyna Parker, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Beatriz Recari, and Melissa Reid.
Annika has quite a history with the prestigious Solheim Cup as well. She represented Europe on eight occasions between 1994 and 2007 and was the event’s all-time leading points earner until her record was surpassed by Laura Davies at the 2011 Solheim Cup. Annika participated as Vice Captain in 2013 and 2015 before transitioning to the junior event in 2017. The 2013 Solheim Cup marked the first time Team Europe won on American soil and defended the cup.
Best of luck to the teams competing in this year’s event, which will be hosted at Sylvania Country Club on September 1-3, immediately prior to the Solheim Cup. Sylvania Country Club is the birthplace of the Golf Course Superintendents’ Association of America.