News: Gleneagles wins bid to host 2019 Solheim Cup

A process that began with 10 countries has closed with Scotland, and Gleneagles, winning the battle to host the 2019 Solheim Cup.

The resort, which staged the 2014 Ryder Cup, beat The Bro Hof Slott Golf Club in Sweden. Originally Denmark, England, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and Wales were also part of the bid.

This will be the third time that Scotland will have staged the biennial competition, the first was at Dalmahoy in 1992, the first time the matches has been played in Europe, and Loch Lomond in 2000. Both ended with wins for the home side.

Dale Reid is the only Scot to have captained the team, taking the reins twice, while Catriona Matthew is their most well-known Solheim Cup player. The North Berwick star has twice secured the decisive point and played in 33 matches over the last eight meetings. She will be 50 in 2019 and could well be the European skipper, a role that she has said that she would like to do at some point.

The match will take place over the Centenary Course, one of Gleneagles’ three courses and the venue for the Ryder Cup two years ago. It is hoped that over 100,000 fans will attend the matches.

Scotland will host the Open Championship in 2016 and 2018, the Senior Open Championship in 2016 and the Women’s British Open in 2017 in addition to the Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open on an annual basis. Plenty of food for thought for England.