Two years after visiting Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands for the 2026 Solheim Cup, the match heads back to the US for its first-ever edition at Valhalla.
The Kentucky course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1986, but it didn't take long for it to rise to prominence when it was confirmed as the host venue for the 1996 PGA Championship.
Since then, it has been a regular venue for some of the game’s highest-profile events. It hosted further editions of the PGA Championship in 2000 and 2004, while it was also the location for the Major in 2014 and 2024, where Xander Schauffele overcame the challenge of Bryson DeChambeau.
Valhalla was also the scene of the 2011 Senior PGA Championship, and, perhaps most significantly where the Solheim Cup is concerned, it was the venue for the men’s equivalent, the Ryder Cup, in 2008.
On that occasion, Paul Azinger’s Team USA recorded its largest victory since 1981, beating Nick Faldo’s Team Europe by 16.5 points to 11.5 points.
Valhalla hosted the 2008 Ryder Cup
With that safely in the history books, it seems natural for it to host the women’s equivalent, albeit 20 years after its Ryder Cup debut. When it does, it will become only the fourth venue to host both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup after previous editions of each at The Greenbrier, Muirfield Village and Gleneagles.
Following the August 2024 announcement, LPGA Tour commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan explained the decision to host the match at Valhalla will help grow the profile of the women’s game.
Per LPGATour.com, she said: “Showcasing our extraordinary athletes at venues that have hosted the world’s largest and most prestigious golf tournaments and that are recognizable to fans around the world will continue to elevate the LPGA Tour and the Solheim Cup.
“Hosting the 2028 Solheim Cup at Valhalla Golf Club, with its rich tradition of competitive excellence, exemplifies this commitment.”
Since the 2008 Ryder Cup, the course has undergone renovation, with greens rebuilt and bunkers either added or renovated in time for Rory McIlroy to lift the PGA Championship title there in 2014.
Nowadays, there are 62 bunkers at Valhalla, more or less evenly distributed between the rolling fairways and greens. Meanwhile, the course is known for its memorable closing stretch, culminating in the par-5 18th, named Photo Finish, which has a large fairway bunker to the left and a lake. A bunker also guards the front of the green, while there’s a pot bunker to the left.
The 18th hole provides a fitting finale
With an impressive history of hosting big events and plenty of challenges for the players, Valhalla promises to be a fitting venue for the most prestigious team match in the women’s game.
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