Team Europe are searching for more Solheim Cup success this week at Finca Cortesin, live on Sky Sports, but can they make history over Team USA in Spain?
Europe arrive on home soil as back-to-back Solheim Cup winners, having followed a dramatic 14.5-13.5 victory at Gleneagles in 2019 by defending their title on American soil by triumphing 15-13 in 2021.
Catriona Matthew guided Europe to both of those victories, while Suzann Pettersen – who holed the winning putt in 2019 – now captaining the hosts as they look to claim third consecutive win for the first time in the history of the biennial contest.
Pettersen has the strongest European side ever at her disposal, with five of the world’s top 20 and most of the winning team from two years ago, although Team USA boasts two of the world’s top three and several players who have won in recent months on the LPGA Tour.
Can Stacy Lewis’ side take the trophy back to the USA for the first time since 2017? Will Team Europe complete the threepeat? We asked the Sky Sports team for their predictions, the star name to watch and why this week’s event could be one to remember…
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A look back at the best shots in Solheim Cup history.
Catriona Matthew, nine-time Solheim Cup player and two-time winning captain
It’s the leading women’s golf event in the world really and it brings so much excitement and passion. It has been a huge part of my career and one I’ve always wanted to be a part. The excitement of match play is just something special.
Score prediction: Team Europe 15-13 Team USA
Player to watch: From an American perspective, it is going to be really interesting to see how Rose Zhang does. For the Europeans I think Maja Stark and Linn Grant are coming in on great form and it will be good to see how they cope with the pressure of a Solheim Cup.
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Henni Koyack takes a look at who will feature for Team Europe as they hope to secure a third consecutive Solheim Cup which starts on Friday.
Christina Kim, three-time Solheim Cup player
I’m looking forward to the Solheim Cup because we’re going to be able to showcase the best in golf, in front of a unique format in match play. We’ll get to see the emotions that are going to be coming out of everyone, which is not something that we usually see.
Prediction: Team Europe 13-15 Team USA
Live Solheim Cup Golf
Player to watch: On the European side, you could pick all 12 of them and you would be stupid to miss any of them!
From the America side, I think it could be a wonderful moment of redemption for Lexi Thompson and vindication for everything she has gone through in the last 18 months. I also have a soft spot for Ally Ewing, as I love seeing her passion, I love the patriotism she shows and she is just one of the best human beings on the planet.
Sarah Stirk, Sky Sports presenter
I can’t wait for the Solheim Cup! It has massively grown in stature in recent years and is now one of the best sporting spectacles in the world! Europe will win to make it three in a row and make history.
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Dame Laura Davies believes the European team is the strongest she can remember in the history of the Solheim Cup.
Score prediction: Team Europe 15-13 Team USA
Player to watch: I think Charley Hull will be the standout performer for Team Europe and continue her recent run of great form.
Live Solheim Cup Golf
Josh Antmann, Sky Sports Golf podcast presenter
I love that a Solheim Cup brings out the emotion, animation, and fist pumping that you don’t see in a normal 72-hole stroke play tournament. With the added storyline of Europe, trying to make history, with three in a row, and it’s on home soil, means this could be a classic.
Score prediction: Team Europe 16-12 Team USA
Player to watch: Linn Grant has had an incredible past two years. Last year’s rookie of the year won her first LPGA Tour event this season and made the semi-finals in the Bank of Hope Match Play. Four other Swedes will help her and I think she’ll show why she’s a Solheim player for years to come.
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Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir catches up with good friends Linn Grant and Maja Stark who are part of Team Europe for this year’s Solheim Cup.
Richard Kaufman, Sky Sports commentator
I agree with Suzann Pettersen that Europe are favourites. A team with strength in depth playing on home soil, who have momentum from the past four years. But maybe I’m not quite as certain as I was back in January that those cries of “Ole ole ole” will be heard on Sunday evening.
Score prediction: Team Europe 15-13 Team USA
Player to watch: There’s every chance Linn Grant has never watched the Solheim Cup on television. She prefers horse riding, but who cares. This is a rookie only in name and a player who exudes a calm authority backed by a game that’s amongst the best in the world.
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Team Europe captain Suzann Pettersen sparked a Tina Turner singalong as her players displayed a few dance moves ahead of the Solheim Cup.
Jamie Weir, Sky Sports News presenter
Absolutely nothing beats team golf, especially when it’s Europe against the USA. Whether that’s Solheim Cup or Ryder Cup! Everything is set up perfectly for an exciting fortnight.
Score prediction: Team Europe 15.5-12.5 Team USA
Player to watch: Linn Grant is a superstar born for the occasion and, together with Maja Stark, will get under the skin of the Americans and are going to prove very hard to beat.
Who will win the 2023 Solheim Cup? Watch exclusively live this September on Sky Sports! Live coverage from the opening ceremony begins at 5pm on Thursday, with the opening day’s play live on the Friday from 6.30am. Stream the Solheim Cup and more with NOW.