Should the Solheim Cup be more inclusive?

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

At the Solheim Cup on Sunday, Team Europe beat Team USA 7-5 in singles to win the Cup. What was your take on the competition and who was your MVP for the matches?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Unfortunately, I didn’t get to watch any of the matches, but from the media coverage I’ve read, it seems the two best performers were Linn Grant for the Euros and Alison Lee for the US, with a perfect four points each.   Neither of them would’ve been predicted to dominate, so well done, ladies!  As for MVP, I’d have to give it to Alison Lee, who finished with five birdies in the last six holes to nip Esther Henseliet 1-up in their singles match — a huge win   I was glad that Europe won, but also that it was such a closely and hard-fought competition.  Good for golf!

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: It’s tough to decide an MVP between Alison Lee and Linn Grant. Each earned four points. Europe not only had a strong team that worked together; Americans will have an extra burden for quite a while.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): Europe earned it. Singles always seems to expose the truth, and Team Europe looked more composed when the pressure peaked. My MVP was probably Linn Grant, 4-0-0, not too bad for the week. I’m not sure who else you could pick.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: It is the temper of the times, but it was great to see the USA lose. That was a brilliant singles session, and it was all teed up by Cup MVP Captain Nordqvist. She put her best out first, had the guts to have faith in rookies — even sending them out together — and had the team believing from day one.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: Perfect records usually get the hardware so Linn Grant and Alison Lee would be co-MVPs in my book. But my eyes were glued on the Jennifer Kupcho – Carlotta Ciganda match right from the start, feeling that if it were close, it might come down to that battle. One of America’s best players and one of Europe’s steadiest. Ciganda held firm and scored the winning point. That’s worth more than a mention.

The Solheim Cup was conceived at a time when most of the world’s best players were from the US or Europe. Currently only 4 of the top 20 players in the world are from there, while the majority are from Asia. Should the Solheim Cup change its format to include a broader mix of players and if so, how should they do it?

Deeks: Yes, indeed, as I suggested last week.  I think all international competitions should pit North America (US, Canada, Mexico) vs. the Rest of the World.  Excluding all but US and Euro players just doesn’t make sense to me, in view of the good players from so many other countries.

Schurman: Yes, add a third team. Still play the four ball and alternate shots but the pairings would be by draw with each team fielding an equal number of players. Sunday would be low ball in a threesome made up of one player from each team.

Loughry: I’d keep the Solheim Cup as Europe vs. USA. Its value comes from history, identity, and rivalry. Not every event needs to reflect the world rankings. That said, women’s golf absolutely deserves a premier international team competition that includes Asia and the rest of the world. Create a Presidents Cup-style event alongside the Solheim Cup rather than changing what already works. Tradition and innovation can coexist without cannibalizing each other.

Quinn: No. The Solheim is the last refuge of the non-Asian players. Let them enjoy it.

Mumford: The LPGA already has the International Crown which features eight teams, including several from Asia, and is played in opposite years to the Solheim. That’s enough. Leave the Solheim Cup as it is.

LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy protection last week, which, according to reports, is a necessary step to clear a path forward for a revamped league. What’s left is a handful of top players (maybe) and a few dozen journeymen, hardly enough to get anyone excited about the league, or concerned about it being a competitive threat. The organizers keep insisting there’s a market for team golf. Having just witnessed successful Walker Cup and Solheim Cup matches, there’s certainly high interest in occasional team golf matches based on geographic affiliations, but can fans get behind a whole season of team golf? And if so, how?

Deeks: Team golf puts a bit of a damper on individuality, and unless there’s tremendous marketing and an inherent desire for continual team competition among players and fans (which there isn’t), I don’t see any chance for the success of golf teams.  Certainly, zero interest from me, other than the Ryder and the Solheim.

Schurman: We go down this road again. There should be a 28-team league featuring 12 men and 6 ladies per team operated like any other sports franchise. Players could be bought and sold or traded. An off-season draft to add new players. Matches played exactly like the Ryder Cup. The draw is made the night before the round with men and ladies drawn at random. Or, if you are biased, just have 12 men per team. Each team would play a 14-week schedule ending with an NFL type play-off system ending with the FedEx Cup. Teams could represent cities, countries or corporations around the world. Nothing would “grow” the game more.

Loughry: Fans can support season-long team golf, but in my opinion only if the teams mean something. Geography, alumni ties, countries, regions, or cities create natural loyalty. Arbitrary franchises with rotating rosters just don’t. The Walker Cup and Solheim Cup succeed because players represent something bigger than themselves. Team golf also needs continuity, rivalries, and consequences. If LIV or anyone else wants fans invested, they need authentic identities and a reason for people to care beyond just prize money.

Quinn: Again, the short answer is No. There wouldn’t be any protests, or even a moment’s silence, if the Presidents Cup went away. But a large part of the allure of the legit team/nations events is the years gap between their playing. A Ryder Cup every Fall — fuhgeddaboudit! The team game itsownself, the Prez thing excluded, is in pretty good shape as configured. Unlike the rest of the game, it is not teetering at the saturation point.

Mumford: Apart from bi-annual outings like the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, or the Olympics every four years, I haven’t ever felt a need, demand or desire for team golf. It’s an individual sport and needn’t be perverted because the marketing folks can twist it into another dubious product with $millions attached to it. The Cups are terrific because they’re rare. Let’s keep it that way.