The Stage is Set for Solheim Cup 2023
Stacy Lewis to captain U.S. Team; Leona Maguire stars for Team Europe
KPMG Brand Ambassadors Stacy Lewis and Leona Maguire will be on opposite sides of a rivalry this week as they represent the U.S. Team and Team Europe in the Solheim Cup.
Lewis, who has been involved with the Solheim Cup since her debut appearance in 2011, was chosen to be the captain of the U.S. Team. She is tasked with leading a team of the top 12 American female golfers as they work to reclaim the Solheim Cup from Team Europe at Finca Cortesin in Spain.
"I desperately want these girls to experience what winning a Solheim Cup feels like," Lewis said. "I want them to experience the celebration and pulling the shots off when you need to."
After playing in the event in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017, Lewis served as an unofficial assistant captain in 2019 due to an injury that kept her from competing. In 2021, she served as an assistant captain and is excited to take on an increased role with the team.
“I have learned so much from the past captains on the Solheim Cup Committee, and the fact that they chose me to lead this team is one of the proudest moments of my career," Lewis said when she was named captain. "Juli [Inskter] gave me my first taste of captaincy when she asked me to help her with the singles lineup in Germany in 2015. Being an assistant captain for Pat was honestly the most fun week I’ve had at a Solheim Cup. I’m more than ready to step into this role.”
On the other side, Leona Maguire will look to build off of her historic performance in the 2021 Solheim Cup, where she carded four-and-a-half points for Team Europe and led them to a 15 to 13 victory. Not only was she the first rookie to claim four-and-a-half points, but she was just the third player in Solheim Cup history to earn her team more than four points. Still, she is not letting the lofty expectations get to her head.
"Obviously last time went about as well as it possibly could have, but it's a brand-new event this time," Maguire said in her pre-tournament press conference. "It's a brand-new venue and a brand-new team, both on the Europe and the US side... Ultimately, I'll try and win as many points as I can, but we'll just prepare as well as we can and go in with very little expectations like the last time, the same way that I approach any other event."
The action begins on Friday at Finca Coresin Golf Club in Andalucia, Spain. Here is a breakdown of the competition:
- Friday, September 22 - four foursomes matches and four fourball matches, all featuring two players from each team
- Saturday, September 23 - four foursomes matches and four fourball matches, all featuring two players from each team
- Sunday, September 24 - 12 singles matches
Scoring Format - One point is up for grabs in each match, with a half-point going to each team in the event of a tie. Twenty-eight points will be awarded in total, with the U.S. Team needing to reach 14.5 to win. As the defending champions, Team Europe only needs 14 points to retain the Cup.
Good luck to Stacy and Leona!