Special family ticket packages are now on sale for The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles, 11^th to 15^th September.

With the ambition of creating the most family orientated Solheim Cup experience to date, the family ticket will provide exclusive access to a dedicated family area to include child friendly catering and furniture, fun interactive activities, high chairs and baby changing facilities. In addition, family ticket holders will have the opportunity to access special on-site parking at the venue.

The launch of the special family package, available at SolheimCup2019.com, coincides with Scotland’s inaugural Women and Girls in Sport Week running 1 to 8 October 2017 aiming to address the lower participation and activity rates among women.

Catriona Matthew, one of Scotland’s most decorated professional golfers and captain of the European team for The 2019 Solheim Cup, has given her backing to Scottish Women and Girls In Sport week and outlined the importance of major events to encouraging more women and girls into sport.

She said: “Scottish Women and Girls In Sport week is a great initiative and helps to shine a spotlight on some of the great work already being done to showcase sporting opportunities to women and girls. Having two daughters myself I am aware of the challenges of continuing to engage young girls in sport as they progress through school. Major events such as The 2019 Solheim Cup can undoubtedly play a key role in promoting participation in sport and I’m delighted that special family packages are being launched to maximise the attendance of families at Gleneagles. I really hope that women and girls will see the top class action taking place at Gleneagles in 2019 and be encouraged to take up the game for themselves.”

Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell, said: “I am thrilled that Catriona Matthew, one of Scotland’s most iconic sporting figures, is backing the Women and Girls In Sport week and I welcome the family-focussed packages being launched today for The 2019 Solheim Cup. Encouraging women and girls to attend top class sporting events is a terrific way to engage them in sport and ultimately encourage them to try it for themselves.”

The staging and delivery of The 2019 Solheim Cup is being led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate. Paul Bush, Director of Events at VisitScotland, added: “One of our overriding objectives for The 2019 Solheim Cup is to encourage more women and juniors into golf so it is the perfect week to announce the launch of our family ticket options. We are very focused on creating a strong family spectator offering both on and off course at Gleneagles, with equality and experience key pillars of our delivery strategy.”

Special early bird discounts are also currently available at Solheimcup2019.com as the dust settles on the 15^th edition of The Solheim Cup played in Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa in August.

Matthew, who was recently appointed captain following her ninth playing appearance at The 2017 Solheim Cup in Des Moines, will be looking to return the trophy to Europe in 2019 after an inspired USA team retained their trophy by 16 ½ to 11 ½ points, in front of record crowds in Iowa. Organisers are now aiming to set a new record for a European edition in 2019.

The week will begin with the PING Junior Solheim Cup taking place at Gleneagles with the participants made to feel an important part of the main event. This unique U18 event will be showcased as never before as Scotland seeks to ensure that this is the most family orientated Solheim Cup ever staged. The Scottish Government, has stated the ambition to ensure the 2019 edition of the Solheim Cup in Perthshire will serve to both grow golf and leave a lasting legacy of increased participation in women’s sport.

Themes of equality, innovation and experience will be thread through all the events communications as The 2019 Solheim Cup aims to engage both the traditional golf audience and the wider sport fan, raising the profile of women’s golf both in Scotland and internationally. The Scottish Government and VisitScotland have been long-time supporters of the women’s game having partnered with the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the recently significantly enhanced Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, which took place as a co-sanctioned LET and LPGA event for the first time this year.

The 2019 Solheim Cup will not only showcase the stunning assets of Scotland, the Home of Golf, but also build on the legacy of the successful 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. It will underline that Scotland is the perfect stage for major golf events as it seeks to help inspire a new generation of children to take up the game invented in their home country.

• Scot chosen to lead Europe on home soil

• “It’s a great honour and a dream come true to be the captain at home in Scotland”
  

Catriona Matthew has been appointed as European captain for the next Solheim Cup, which will take place on the world-famous PGA Centenary Course at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, on 13-15 September 2019.

Matthew made her ninth appearance as a player for the European team at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa last month, having served as a vice-captain to Annika Sörenstam.

Selected as the travelling alternate by the captain, she stepped into the player role after Suzann Pettersen withdrew through injury and the Scot proved to be one of the stars of the team, earning three points for Europe from her four matches.

With a career total of 22 Solheim Cup points, Matthew moved up to third on the all-time points list, behind Laura Davies (25) and Sörenstam (24). She also moved into joint third with Cristie Kerr on the all-time match victories list, with 18 career match wins, behind only Davies and Sörenstam with 22 apiece.

Now Matthew is looking forward to her next challenge: leading Europe to its sixth victory over the United States of America. She said: “It’s a great honour and a dream come true to be the captain at home in Scotland. Since my first appearance in 1998, I have always loved playing in The Solheim Cup. It’s always such an incredible atmosphere and over the years that I’ve played, I’ve enjoyed it more and more. From the extremely high standard of play, to the enormous crowds, huge infrastructure and fantastic media coverage, the event just keeps getting bigger and better. Scotland will provide the perfect stage for The 2019 Solheim Cup and Gleneagles will be a terrific venue. I was lucky enough to win there in 1998 and there is nothing better than winning in your home country.”

The outgoing captain, Annika Sörenstam, who was also Matthew’s first Solheim Cup partner at Muirfield Village in 1998, commented: “I am very happy that Catriona was chosen as the next Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe.  She has had a wonderful Solheim Cup career and she deserves the opportunity to take on this prestigious role.  With the next Solheim Cup taking place in Scotland, her home country, it’s the perfect scenario for her to lead the European Team. She helped us a lot over the past year as a vice-captain, but then stepped in and won us three points as a player. Catriona is very well respected by the players, so she is a natural choice.”

The Ladies European Tour’s Chairman, Mark Lichtenhein, (pictured above left, with Catriona Matthew), said: “Everyone at the Ladies European Tour is absolutely delighted that Catriona has accepted the captaincy. Her experience, combined with her outstanding record and passion for The Solheim Cup, make her the perfect choice to lead Team Europe and not just because, as a Scot, she will be leading on home soil. Catriona’s contribution to the European Team over nine editions has been immense and her performance in Des Moines was simply brilliant. As the captain, she will continue to inspire not just her own team, but millions of fans around the world.”

Commenting on the appointment, The Right Honourable Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland MSP, said: “I’m thrilled to offer my congratulations to Catriona Matthew on being named the European Team Captain for The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. Catriona is without doubt one of Scotland’s most successful sporting icons and I am delighted that she has been given the honour of captaining the European side in her home country. I have no doubt that Catriona will prove to be an inspiration as captain as she has done throughout her playing career and serve as a role model for thousands of junior golfers, not just in Scotland but across the globe. I’m confident the people of Scotland will get fully behind Catriona’s captaincy and line the fairways of Gleneagles in support of the European team come September 2019.”

“We’re delighted with the choice of Catriona Matthew as the 2019 European Solheim Cup captain,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “She’s an excellent and deserving choice for many reasons. As a nine-time participant in The Solheim Cup with an incredible record of 18-11-8, Catriona brings tremendous experience to a team that is determined to reclaim the event on home soil. Of course, leading the team in her home country of Scotland will undoubtedly inspire her and add even more excitement and passion to the galleries at Gleneagles which we know will be large and supportive. I’ve long admired Catriona’s calm, quiet and thoughtful approach to the game which will serve her very well as she prepares and motivates her team to reach its goal of winning The Solheim Cup.”

Matthew played in nine Solheim Cups from 1998-2017 (1998, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017) and was a member of three victorious teams, in 2003, 2011 and 2013.

She joined the Ladies European Tour in 1995 and won her maiden LET title at the 1998 McDonald’s WPGA Championship on the King’s Course at Gleneagles in the same year that she made her Solheim Cup debut at Muirfield Village in Ohio.

Her first home match was at Barsebäck in Sweden in 2003, when, as a captain’s pick, she earned 3 ½ points and holed the winning putt in her singles match against Rosie Jones, in front of some of the largest galleries ever witnessed in the competition.

On her second winning side at Killeen Castle in Ireland, she earned 3 points for the European team, including an an emphatic 6 and 5 victory over Paula Creamer in the opening singles match.

In 2013, Matthew was a member of the first European team to win in the United States and secured the half point to win the Cup outright at Colorado Golf Club.

The 48-year-old from North Berwick, who counts the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open among her 10 international titles, becomes the 10^th European captain, following Mickey Walker, Pia Nilsson, Dale Reid, Catrin Nilsmark, Helen Alfredsson, Alison Nicholas, Liselotte Neumann, Carin Koch and Annika Sörenstam.

About The Solheim Cup:

The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of the game of golf with passion for one’s country and continent. This biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition features the best European players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the best U.S. players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. The Solheim Cup is named in honour of Karsten Solheim, the founder of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING golf equipment. In 1990, the Solheim family, in conjunction with the LET and the LPGA, developed the concept and became the title sponsor for the Solheim Cup, professional golf’s international match-play competition for women. Today, the global partners of The Solheim Cup are PING, Scotland, The Home of Golf, and Rolex. Held every two years, the event has grown into the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team event. The Solheim Cup is the most highly coveted trophy in women’s professional golf team competition; some of the most memorable moments in the sport have happened during past Solheim Cups and berths on the European and U.S. teams are highly sought-after by players from both organisations. The 2017 Solheim Cup took place on August 14-20 at Des Moines Country Club in Iowa, United States.  The U.S. Team retained the coveted Waterford Crystal prize by 16 ½ to 11 ½ points. For more information log on to www.solheimcup.com.

About EventScotland:

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews. EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.org or for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.

About the Ladies European Tour:

The Ladies European Tour (LET) celebrates women’s professional golf on a global stage. In 2017, the schedule features tournaments across five continents, including The Solheim Cup, with a diverse membership of 324 professional golfers representing 38 countries worldwide. Since its formation in 1978, the Ladies European Tour has witnessed 248 different winners celebrate a total of 719 championship titles between them, and has celebrated its diversity as players from 28 different countries have won on the Tour. The Ladies European Tour broadcasts live coverage of its tournaments to more than 304 million homes in more than 116 countries every week, generating 425 global broadcast hours per tournament. It also enjoys the support of many of the world’s leading business brands. The Ladies European Tour also manages the LET Access Series, which is its official developmental tour, formed to give players not part of any major Tour the opportunity to compete and progress onto the LET. The top five players on the 2017 LETAS Order of Merit will earn membership of the Ladies European Tour for 2018.

About Gleneagles:

Located one hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh, The Gleneagles Hotel is set in an 850-acre estate, with its own railway station just minutes away. Gleneagles is synonymous with golf, and home to three championship golf courses - The PGA Centenary Course - venue for the Ryder Cup 2014 - and the stunning King’s and Queen’s Courses.  But there’s even more to keep guests entertained off the course: a choice of more than twenty activities can be found in the grounds, from clay target shooting, archery and trout fishing on three lochs within the resort’s estate, to horse-riding, Segway tours and gun dog training. Throughout the hotel you will find the finest comfort – from its 232 luxury bedrooms and suites, to the calming environment of the spacious destination spa by ESPA, home to one of only two ESPA Life wellness centres in the world. Gourmands will have plenty to discover, with four on-site restaurants, including Scotland’s only two Michelin-starred restaurant Andrew Fairlie.

Today marks exactly two years until the biggest women’s event in golf returns to Scotland when the Solheim Cup is played at Gleneagles, 13^th to 15^th September, 2019.

Returning to the scene of an historic European victory at the 2014 Ryder Cup, the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles will host the 16^th edition of The Solheim Cup. Europe’s leading women golfers will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of their victorious male counterparts after a dominant American team retained the trophy by 16 ½ to 11 ½ points last month at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in Iowa.

A variety of packages and tickets are now available with special family ticket packages and early bird discounts on offer. With record crowds predicted, seven official global Tour operators are now in place: leading UK travel companies, Executive Golf & Leisure, Golf Breaks, Your Golf Travel, Scotland Golf Tours, Germany’s Golf Extra and US Travel companies, Celtic Golf, Premier Golf LLC.

All information regarding the 2019 Solheim Cup is available at WWW.SOLHEIMCUP2019.COM.

The week will begin with the PING Junior Solheim Cup, also taking place at Gleneagles.This unique U18 event will be showcased as never before as Scotland seeks to ensure that this is the most family orientated and inclusive Solheim Cup ever staged. VisitScotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, has stated the ambition to ensure the 2019 edition of the Solheim Cup in Perthshire will serve to both grow golf and leave a lasting legacy of increased participation in women’s sport.

Themes of equality, innovation and experience will be thread through all the events communications as The 2019 Solheim Cup aims to engage both the traditional golf audience and the wider sport fan, raising the profile of women’s golf both in Scotland and internationally. The Scottish Government and VisitScotland have been long-time supporters of the women’s game having partnered with the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, including recently significantly enhancing the Aberdeen Asset Ladies Scottish Open which took place as a co-sanctioned LET and LPGA event for the first time this year.

The 2019 Solheim Cup, staged in conjunction with IMG – the world’s leading sports marking company - will not only showcase the stunning assets of Scotland, the Home of Golf, but also build on the legacy of the successful 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. It will underline that Scotland is the perfect stage for major golf events as it seeks to help inspire a new generation of children to take up the game invented in their home country.

Ticket sales launched today for The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles, 11^th to 15^th September. 

A variety of packages and tickets, starting from £10, are now available at SolheimCup2019.com with special family ticket packages and early bird discounts available soon.

After a successful 15^th edition of The Solheim Cup in Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa, which saw an inspired USA team retain their trophy by 16 ½ to 11 ½ points, all eyes have now turned to focus on the next European edition to be played on the renowned PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in Scotland. Record crowds for a US Solheim Cup attended in Iowa and Organisers are looking to set a new record for a Europe edition in 2019.

Catriona Matthew, an official ambassador for Scotland the Home of Golf, played in her ninth Solheim Cup in Iowa winning three points and said afterwards, “The players are really looking forward to coming to Scotland to experience a Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. They watched an amazing Ryder Cup played there in 2014 and now can’t wait to be part of something similar for The 2019 Solheim Cup. Their experiences of the world’s best golf courses in Scotland, along with the renowned Scottish hospitality, both at past Solheim Cups as well as Ricoh Women’s British Open and Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, means that everyone is anticipating that this will be  the best Solheim Cup ever.”

Scotland’s staging of The 2019 Solheim Cup is being led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s events directorate. Paul Bush, Director of Events at VisitScotland, added: “A high bar has been set by The 2017 Solheim Cup in Des Moines and we are all relishing the challenge of taking The 2019 Solheim Cup to an even higher level. We have a strong track record of hosting and enhancing major events in Scotland and we look forward to making The Solheim Cup the must-attend sporting event of 2019. It is important to us that this is seen as a bucket-list event and we want everyone to consider attending, regardless of whether they are an ardent golf fan or a family who may have never considered a golf event as a day out before.”

The week will begin with the PING Junior Solheim Cup taking place at Gleneagles with the participants made to feel an important part of the main event. This unique U18 event will be showcased as never before as Scotland seeks to ensure that this is the most family orientated Solheim Cup ever staged. VisitScotland, on behalf of the Scottish Government, has stated the ambition to ensure the 2019 edition of the Solheim Cup in Perthshire will serve to both grow golf and leave a lasting legacy of increased participation in women’s sport.

Themes of equality, innovation and experience will be thread through all the events communications as The 2019 Solheim Cup aims to engage both the traditional golf audience and the wider sport fan, raising the profile of women’s golf both in Scotland and internationally. The Scottish Government and VisitScotland have been long-time supporters of the women’s game having partnered with the Ricoh Women’s British Open and the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, including recently significantly enhancing the Aberdeen Asset Ladies Scottish Open which took place as a co-sanctioned LET and LPGA event for the first time this year.

The 2019 Solheim Cup will not only showcase the stunning assets of Scotland, the Home of Golf, but also build on the legacy of the successful 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. It will underline that Scotland is the perfect stage for major golf events as it seeks to help inspire a new generation of children to take up the game invented in their home country.

Scotland is celebrating becoming the next host nation of The Solheim Cup following the official handover to Gleneagles at the culmination of the 2017 event at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in Iowa.

The American team triumphed over Europe in a thrilling contest which showcased the very best of women’s golf and now the responsibility for staging the biggest event in the women’s game rests with Scotland when Team USA will look to defend the title at Gleneagles in 2019.

The official handover was recognised at the closing ceremony of The 2017 Solheim Cup during which junior golfers Anna Mackay and Eilidh Henderson accepted the honour of hosting the 2019 event on behalf of Scotland.

Anna and Eilidh were chosen to represent Scotland as part of the #Project19 initiative which saw six junior girls attend The 2017 Solheim Cup as part of Scotland’s delegation to experience a major event and inspire them looking ahead to 2019.

The closing ceremony, which was broadcast worldwide, also featured a performance from up-and-coming Dundee band BeCharlotte to showcase the very best of young Scottish talent in both sport and music.

The 2019 Solheim Cup will take place at Gleneagles from 13-15 September 2019 with the PING Junior Solheim Cup played at the same venue earlier in the week. The event underlines Scotland’s commitment to supporting women’s golf and growing junior and female participation as well as showcasing Scotland as a world-class golf tourism and events destination.

Scotland’s staging of The 2019 Solheim Cup is being led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s events directorate. Paul Bush, Director of Events with VisitScotland, said: “We have witnessed a truly world-class exhibition of golf in Des Moines for The 2017 Solheim Cup with huge crowds supporting both teams and a massive worldwide TV audience. I hope this success has whetted the appetite of spectators for Gleneagles and demonstrated the sheer scale of the event coming to Scotland in 2019.

“It was a great experience for our junior golfers Anna and Eilidh, and an up-and-coming band in BeCharlotte, to represent Scotland in the handover and demonstrates our commitment to using The Solheim Cup as a vehicle to supporting young Scottish talent.”

Tickets for The 2019 Solheim Cup will be going on sale from Thursday 24th August on http://www.solheimcup2019.com with daily, weekly and family packages available. As well as attracting a strong golfing audience in Scotland, the event will also be aimed at families with a host of family-orientated activities available on site.

It is also a key event in Scotland’s goal of growing golf tourism with a number of Authorised Tour Operators already promoting travel packages to The 2019 Solheim Cup. Currently 12 per cent of golf visitors to Scotland are women but The Solheim Cup offers the opportunity to promote Scotland, the Home of Golf, to many more female golfers.

Golf tourism is currently worth £286 million annually to Scotland with a target to grow that to £300 million by 2020.