It's fair to say that not everyone associates the Solheim Cup with equipment manufacturer PING, but thanks to the late Karsten Solheim, the company's founder, the biennial women’s match between the USA and Europe was established in 1990 and first played at Lake Nona, Florida.
According to John Solheim, who succeeded his father as Chairman and CEO of PING, he shared that both he and his mother Louise had a great passion for women's golf. They felt that female professionals did not receive the same level of recognition as their male counterparts and it was this realisation that led them to sponsor various LPGA events dating back to 1975. When the opportunity to sponsor a Ryder Cup-like women’s event was presented to the couple, they embraced the idea wholeheartedly and PING is now in its third decade of sponsorship for the Solheim Cup and Junior Solheim Cup.
Karsten Solheim passed away in 2000 and Louise in 2017, but had they still been with us, they would have been immensely proud of how the Solheim Cup has developed. Moreover, they would have been even more gratified that the tournament is still played in the spirit they intended. This sentiment was acknowledged by the then LPGA commissioner, Ty Votaw, during his opening address at the sixth edition of the match at Loch Lomond, shortly after Karsten's passing.
“The Solheim Cup always stood for integrity, sportsmanship, fellowship, dedication and passion,” he said. “All of these, to me, represent the high road. All that is positive and good about women’s professional golf. But that should come as no surprise because these same qualities can also be used to describe the founder of the Solheim Cup, the late Karsten Solheim and his wife, Louise.
John Solheim cherishes many fond memories and favourite moments from the 17 editions of the match played so far. He especially highlights the first event in Europe at Dalmahoy, near Edinburgh in Scotland, as an early turning point for the Solheim Cup. "The match was extremely close from day one and continued right up to the end with the Europeans achieving what most described as a huge upset. From that moment on, it was clear the event would be hard-fought and bring women’s golf the attention it deserved."
The Solheim legacy is undoubtedly destined to continue for generations to come, as the family remains devoted to fostering the growth and advancement of girls' and women's golf. "If we can accomplish those goals, everything else takes care of itself," said John Solheim, who continued, "We're honoured to have our name on the Solheim Cup, and we look forward to continuing our support and making it even more meaningful in the years to come. I'll never forget how much my parents, Karsten and Louise, put into the event and the joy they received watching it grow into the premier team event in women's golf."
