The historic Sunningdale Foursomes gets underway on Tuesday 11th March and, among the names in the field are Solheim Cup stars, as well as DP World Tour players and even a five-time Champions League winner.
A week-long tournament, the event does bring some big names to it and, for 2025, Charley Hull and Georgia Hall return, with the LPGA Tour stars playing at Sunningdale once again.
The close friends have 10 Solheim Cup appearances and a Major between them and, at Sunningdale, they will get their first match underway at 9.04am on the Old Course.
Along with Hull and Hall, five-time Champions League winner Gareth Bale is also in the field, with the former Real Madrid star playing alongside Matthew Wylie from Rothley Park.
The former soccer player is known for being a huge golf fan and has played in several pro-ams, holding a handicap of scratch. It's not the first time a sports star has played in the Sunningdale Foursomes though. Back in 2023, former England Cricket captain Andrew Strauss featured in the event where he was knocked out in the first round by Monty Scowsill and former Walker Cup player John Gough.
Other notable names in the field include Sky Sports' Iona Stephen, who is another player who has featured in this tournament multiple times. Another pairing is former R&A CEO Martin Slumbers and two-time Solheim Cup winning captain Catriona Matthew. They tee off at 10.24 on Tuesday.
Finally, some players from the DP World Tour are also teeing it up in the tournament. These include winners like James Morrison, Robert Rock, Simon Khan, Callum Shinkwin, Todd Clements, Richard McEvoy and Oliver Fisher.
In fact, Fisher and his partner, Mark Roberts, go up against Golf Monthly's Sam De'Ath and his partner Corey Sheppard in the first round.
What is the Sunningdale Foursomes?
First played in 1934, the tournament features a mixture of amateurs and professionals, as well as a mix of men and women. Being played in a Foursomes (also known as Alternate Shot) format, it is also the most difficult format to play.
Players are also handicapped, but all play from the same tees/par. The handicap system works like this:
- Male Professionals play off +1
- Male Amateurs play off 0
- Lady Professionals play off 2
- Lady Amateurs play off 3*
*previously, Lady Amateurs were off 4, but the Tournament Committee has revised it to 3.
Sunningdale Foursomes Past Winners
Last year Harley Smith and Dylan Shaw won the tournament, claiming a dominant 5&4 victory in the final.
In 2022, current World No.1 Amateur and Augusta National Women's Amateur Lottie Woad and partner, Rachel Gourley, secured the title with a 6&5 win in the final.
Among the other notable winners include:
- 2020: Lily May Humphreys & Will Percival
- 2019: Linn Grant & Maja Stark
- 2016: Sophie Lamb & Marco Penge
- 2014: Annabel Dimmock & Steven Brown
- 2003 & 2004: Ross Fisher & Simon Griffiths
- 1996: Luke Donald & Michael O’Connor
- 1994: Anthony Wall & Steve Webster
- 1985: John O'Leary & Sam Torrance
- 1981: Alan Lyddon & Gordon Brand Jnr
- 1961: Jean Anderson & Peter Alliss
