The Solheim Cup is one of the biggest events in women’s sports. Over the years it’s produced some incredibly memorable moments and has become one of the world’s leading team competitions.
But why is the Solheim Cup named the way it is? Let’s find out.
Who Is The Solheim Cup Named After?
Who Is The Solheim Cup Named After?
The Solheim Cup is named after Karsten Solheim, the founder of PING golf equipment manufacturer, who was instrumental in creating the first event in 1990.
Solheim had created one of the leading club manufacturers in golf and was always a huge supporter of women’s golf during the 1980s.
His company was the sponsor of three LPGA Tour events at the time and when discussions about creating a Ryder Cup style, match play event for the women’s game began, Solheim was happy to back it with a 20-year commitment.
As a thanks to Karsten and his support of the event and continued support in women’s golf, the Solheim Cup was named after him.
The first Solheim Cup took place in 1990 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, with PING as the leading sponsor and since then has grown in stature and become one of the biggest events in women’s sports.
The Solheim Cup trophy was created for the inaugural cup, a glass-cut crystal cup which comes in at just over nine kilos and is almost half a metre in height.
The trophy, named after the PING founder is handed out to the winning team when the event takes place every two years.
Who Is Karsten Solheim?
Karsten Solheim is the founder of PING golf equipment but was also the driving force behind the creation of the Solheim Cup in 1990.
The Norwegian-American golf club manufacturer began playing golf at the age of 42 and quickly began to revolutionise the design of putters.
His early putters were designed differently from what was currently on the market and they began gaining popularity amongst touring professionals.
In 1967, his ‘Anser’ putter was used by Julius Boros to win a PGA Tour event and later that year Solheim decided to go full-time with Karsten Manufacturing, which would later become PING.
The company quickly began to create irons and other types of golf equipment, which would become very popular in the golf market.
By the 1980s, PING was one of the biggest brands in golf and Karsten was heavily involved in women’s golf, sponsoring multiple events on the LPGA Tour.
When discussions began about creating a women’s version of the Ryder Cup team competition, Solheim was the driving force behind it and happily backed the event for 20 years.
PING continues to sponsor the event to this day and also created the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2002.
Karsten Solheim passed away in 2000, however, his name continues to live on in golf through the incredible success of both the Solheim Cup and the PING golf brand.
Final Thoughts
The Solheim Cup is one of the sport’s best team golf events, with a fierce but respectful battle (despite not winning any prize money) between some of the best woman golfers in the world.
In 2023, Team Europe will be hoping to make it three wins in a row against Team USA at home in Spain and create their own Solheim Cup history.
FAQs
How did the Solheim Cup get its name?
The Solheim Cup got its name from the founder of PING, Karsten Solheim, who was a major part in creating and backing the event in 1990.
Who is the founder of the Solheim Cup?
The founder of the Solheim Cup is Karsten Solheim, who, alongside his wife Louise Karsten, was a huge advocate for women’s golf.
Where did the Solheim Cup originate?
The Solheim Cup is a creation between the LPGA Tour and the LET Tour, which was started to produce an event similar to the Ryder Cup, which was backed by Karsten Solheim, a successful golf club manufacturer.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.