O ne of the largest tournaments in women ’ s golf is coming to the Commonwealth in 2024 , and the preparations have already begun .
The 19th Solheim Cup will be held Sept . 10 – 15 , 2024 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club ( RTJ ) in Gainesville , where Team USA will attempt to win back the cup on home soil . This will be the first time the tournament has been held in Virginia , and RTJ ’ s first time hosting a major women ’ s competition .
Hosted in September at Finca Cortesin in Spain , the 2023 Solheim Cup ended in a 14-14 tie , with Europe automatically retaining the title as a result — making it the first time Europe has won the tournament three times consecutively . While the tournament is typically biennial , in 2020 the LPGA announced that the Solheim Cup would be moved back to even years , in part to prevent competition with the men ’ s Ryder Cup .
“ Probably the most challenging part is doing this back-to-back — it ’ s a quick turnaround for us ,” said Lindsay Allen , executive director of the 2024 Solheim Cup . “ We just want to make sure that everyone knows that the Solheim Cup is coming , how unique it is , how this is kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity .”
LPGA TOUR / JEFF MARSH
Golf in Gainesville
In 2022 , the LPGA announced that the 2024 Solheim Cup would be held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club , less than an hour away from Washington D . C . Opened to the public in 1991 , RTJ is a private club designed by and named for famed golf architect Robert Trent Jones , Sr .
“ I would say it is one of the best golf courses in the country — it ’ s the quality of the golf , the course always highly maintained , the variation of shots needed ,” said Penny Lee , 2024 Solheim Cup tournament chair and longtime RTJ member . “ It ’ s a course I could play every single day .”
While the event is still months out , preparation for the Solheim Cup began as soon as RTJ was announced as its venue . Lee says right now , her main task is to build support from the community and gain sponsors . Her team also works closely
Megan Khang
vsga . org N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER
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