Gleneagles hopes for 2019 Solheim Cup

SCOTLAND is facing a straight fight with Sweden to host the 2019 Solheim Cup.

Gleneagles is hoping to see off competition from Sweden to host the 2019 Solheim Cup. Picture: Ian Rutherford

It follows a bidding process that started with ten countries expressing an interest in the event being whittled down to just two.

As part of the final phase, the submissions from Scotland and Sweden will now be scrutinised by the Ladies European Tour.

That process will include official site inspections of the two bidding parties including the venues - Gleneagles in Scotland’s case and Bro Hof Slott Golf Club for the Swedes - and associated facilities.

These are likely to take place either this month or early next month, with the LET Board set to make a final decision on 29 October.

“On behalf of the Ladies European Tour, I’d like to thank the bid teams from Sweden and Scotland for bidding to host what is the biggest event in women’s golf,” said Solheim Cup director Mark Casey. We are delighted to have received two bids from such high-quality venues.

“We also want to thank the ten countries who expressed an initial interest in hosting the event in March and who attended the bidding seminar at The Buckinghamshire Club earlier this year, many of whom have indicated their interest in submitting a bid for the 2023 event. This shows the long term interest in The Solheim Cup and ladies professional golf in Europe.”

Gleneagles, of course, hosted last year’s Ryder Cup, an event that was hailed as a resounding success.

The Perthshire venue has also staged various other top events over the years, including the Bell’s Scottish Open, Johnnie Walker Championship and the McDonald’s WPGA Championship.

However, the Swedish bid is equally strong due to the fact Bro Hof Slott Golf Club, located around 50km north west of Stockholm, is the home of the Nordea Masters on the European Tour.

Both countries have staged the event twice already - Scotland at Dalmahoy and Loch Lomond in 1992 and 2000 respectively while Sweden hosted it in 2003 at Barseback then four years later at Halmstad.