7 Solheim Cup Controversies Through The Years

The Solheim Cup is one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the women’s golfing calendar, so it goes without saying that players want to do their very best for their country and continent. However, over the years many a match has become heated when, in the moment, a player (or pairing) has made a controversial decision to get the upper hand on their opponent. 

Solheim spats are as much a part of the Cup as the memorable shots or moments that won. Controversy has followed the tournament since the beginnings. 

Here are some of the regrettable moments from over the years...

1992: Dalmahoy, Scotland: A Dodgy Wet Weather Decision 

You have to flash back just over thirty years ago to recall one of the first well-documented Solheim Cup controversies. England's now Dame Laura Davies and Alison Nicholas were playing America’s 'big guns' Beth Daniel and Betsy King in 1992. If you read Dame Laura’s “dream team” in the latest issue of Golf Monthly you’ll hear her recall how nervous she and Alison were as young players in those early years as a pairing. 

In the latter part of their match the Americans asked for a squeegee from just off the green on a rather wet Scottish day, Davies put her foot down and insisted it shouldn’t be allowed as their ball was actually off the green on the fringe. As Daniel and King waited for a second opinion, Davies said she’d go ahead and hit. When the American's protested at her actions Nicholas told them to “shut it,” King got fiery mad at her good friend. Daniel said it was ultimately a misunderstanding, but tempers flared.

2000 Loch Lomond, Scotland: Sorenstam Chips In Out of Turn

When Annika Sorenstam holed a 25-foot chip shot to halve the 13th hole in a match against Kelly Robbins and Pat Hurst the crowds erupted. Little did she know it wouldn’t count! Robbins said she had played out of turn and she should have gone first.

US captain Pat Bradley stepped in and decided to make Sorenstam replay the shot, which caused angry feelings among the Europeans and some regret and embarrassment for the American side. 

"When people ask me what I wanted to be known for, I always said sportsmanship," Sorenstam said. "When that happened, that was no sportsmanship at all, and that made me upset.

"It wasn't about losing the hole or the match. It was more the principle that somebody could do something like that."

2003 Barsebäck Golf & Country Club, Sweden: Call It Quits

In 2003 Europe equalled the record home-win in Solheim Cup history with a 17.5-10.5 scoreline, but the seven-point victory didn't tell the full story.

Needing five points on the final day to take the title, Europe got off to a flying start with Janice Moodie, Sophie Gustafson, Iben Tinning and Annika Sorenstam all making early victories. Shortly after Catriona Matthew holed the winning putt over Rosie Jones at the penultimate hole, it was decided the rest of the matches still being played would be conceded by the person trailing.

US captain Patty Sheehan said it wasn't her decision and hoped there wouldn't be a finish like it again, with four of her five players still out on course ending their singles matches early.

2007 Halmstad GC, Sweden: An Inappropriate 'On-Air' Blunder

When Dottie Pepper was part of the commentary team for the Solheim Cup at Halmstad in Sweden she forgot to follow the No. 1 rule of broadcasting - turn your mic off when you're finished talking! A few derogatory comments about the Americans were caught on air, leaving her embarrassed and unpopular with the team.

The two-time major winner was heard referring to Laura Diaz and Sherri Steinhauer as "choking freaking dogs" after they failed to close their match.

It wasn't the first time Pepper had been involved in Solheim Cup controversy, having screamed 'Yes' after opponent Laura Davies missed her putt in 1998. 

2013 Colorado GC, USA: A Wrong Drop Ruling

Momentum is huge in match play. No-one felt that more than the American four-ball duo of Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson who had to endure a 25-minute wait while a free drop ruling was made by referees for opponent Carlotta Ciganda’s ball. It turns out the ruling was wrong and worked well in Ciganda’s favour. It left Lewis irate and throwing her hands up in the air in disgust. It ultimately cost them the match as the momentum swung the European way and they ended up winning 1-up.

2015 St.Leon-Rot, Germany: Gimme Or Not Fiasco

American Alison Lee picked up an 18-inch putt for par on the 17th green that she thought Europe had conceded in her four-ball match. As opponent Charley Hull walked off the green her playing partner Suzann Pettersen told the group’s rules official that the putt hadn’t been given.

The miscommunication resulted in a loss of hole for Lee and partner Brittany Lincicome, who walked to the 18th tee stunned, failed to make birdie at the last and Europe finished the match 2 up. 

It angered Team USA and with fire inside them they responded with the biggest come-from-behind victory in Solheim Cup history, overcoming a four-point deficit to triumph, winning 8.5 points in singles play on Sunday.

2021 Inverness Club, USA: Korda’s Hanging Putt

Playing in the fourball for the US, Nelly Korda just missed an eagle putt on the par-5 13th at the Inverness Club in Toledo, USA, her ball hanging over the edge of the cup. Seconds later Europe’s Madelene Sagstrom picked it up and tossed it to Korda. Sagstrom thought she and her partner Nanna Koerstz Madsen had halved the hole with Korda and Ally Ewing with birdies. 

But when Sagstrom left the green she was approached by a rules official who told her that she’d broken Rule 13.3b: “If the opponent in match play deliberately lifts or moves the player’s ball overhanging the hole before the waiting time has ended, the player’s ball is treated as holed with the previous stroke.” Sagstrom picked the ball up before the allotted 10 seconds, so Korda’s putt was ruled as in. Korda/Ewing won the hole and ultimately the match, 1-up.