The Ladies European Tour announced today that Spain will host the 2023 Solheim Cup at the spectacular Finca Cortesin course in Andalusia, and that the dates for the competition will be finalized shortly. The United States and Europe will meet in Spain for the first time in the history of the tournament, a milestone that once again places our country at the forefront of sport and adds to the long list of major top-level events (1982 Soccer World Cup, 1986 Basketball World Cup, Barcelona 92 Olympic Games, 1992 Olympic Games, 1992 World Ryderby Cup, etc.). OO. of Barcelona 92, Ryder Cup 97, America’s Cup 2007 and 2010, etc.) held in our country.
Although it is the first country to organize this prestigious international women’s team competition, Spain has a long history as a host country of high-level golf events, such as the 1997 Ryder Cup or the 75 LET and LET Access Series tournaments that have taken place on its courses. To these figures must be added the event that will serve as the culmination of the 2020 LET calendar, the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, which will also culminate this year’s order of merit, the Race to Costa del Sol. Spain becomes the sixth European country to host this competition after Scotland, the most recent venue on European soil, Wales, Sweden, Ireland and Germany.
Located in the heart of the Costa del Sol, in the heart of Andalusia, Finca Cortesín is a world-famous golf destination that hosted three editions of the Volvo World Match Play Championship of the European Tour and regularly appears among the top five Spanish courses in the lists of Golf World and Golf Digest, two of the most reputable specialized publications. The course, whose greens underwent a thorough remodeling in 2017, is known for its magnificent conditioning and for the challenge posed by its design, an ideal complement to its neat aesthetics.
“We are delighted to announce that Spain will host the Solheim Cup in 2023 when the competition returns to European soil for the eighteenth edition of this great international team tournament. Spain is a country passionate about golf, its fans know the sport in depth and its inexhaustible quarry has produced generations and generations of great players. In addition, the cultural legacy of Andalusia will give players, guests and fans a unique experience,” said Alexandra Armas, executive director of the Ladies European Tour. “The tournament not only reinforces Spain’s reputation as an elite golfing country, but also that of the Costa del Sol and Andalusia as a must-visit destination, something that will undoubtedly inspire future generations to play golf.
Spaniards have had a notable weight in the Solheim Cup since the inaugural edition was held in 1990, and seven compatriots have defended Europe’s colors throughout the competition’s history, a figure that trails only the players contributed by England and Sweden. Carlota Ciganda, one of the local heroines, has taken part in the last four editions, while Marbella’s Azahara Muñoz also has four appearances to her credit since making her debut in 2011. Both have been instrumental in the recent history of the competition, in which Europe has claimed three victories in the last five editions, including a memorable triumph in the 2019 edition held at Gleneagles, Scotland.
Costa del Sol joins the family of global partners for the 2023 edition and joins PING and Rolex, historical sponsors of the Solheim Cup. Deporte & Business will organize the event and will be in charge of all aspects of the tournament together with the Ladies European Tour.
“It is a pride to have achieved that the Solheim Cup comes to Spain. Undoubtedly, the key has been the good understanding that has existed between all the institutions involved: Andalusia, Costa del Sol, Acosol, Marbella Town Hall, Benahavis Town Hall and the Royal Spanish Golf Federation have been able to work in unison to achieve this milestone that will boost quality tourism in Andalusia, and that catapults the Costa del Sol as the undisputed destination for women’s golf,” said Íñigo Aramburu, general director of Sport & Business. “I want to thank the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour for their confidence in the Spanish proposal. We are going to try to organize the best Solheim Cup in history and the most fun. The Costa del Sol is a unique destination in the world and we are going to show it through this tournament. I also want to emphasize that the chosen course, Finca Cortesin, is one of the best in Europe and its hotel has been considered the best in Spain and Portugal, so the hospitality that the teams will receive here in Spain will be of the highest level”.
The next Solheim Cup in 2021 will take place in Toledo, Ohio, from September 4-6 and the U.S. team is aiming to snatch the trophy from Europe, which captured the 2019 edition with a spectacular putt on the last green of the final singles match.
The Solheim Cup was first played in Florida in 1990 and is named after Karsten Solheim, entrepreneur and golf club designer who promoted its creation. Two teams of 12 players compete in the Solheim Cup over three days with the same format as the Ryder Cup and 28 matches in total (eight foursomes and eight fourballs on the first two days and 12 singles on the final day).
The Solheim Cup 2023, whose official venue is Finca Cortesín, is sponsored by PING, Costa del Sol and Rolex as global partners; and by Andalucía, Acosol, the Marbella Town Hall and the Benahavís Town Hall as official partners. The LET, the LPGA Tour, the RFEG and Deporte & Business collaborate in its organization.
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