Golf is, by its very nature, an individual sport – through good times and bad, the players are, support from their caddy aside, out on their own.

But put them in the rarefied air of team golf and they become different animals entirely – one of the reasons you cannot afford to miss the Solheim Cup, the premier team event in women’s golf that pits teams from the United States and Europe against one another.

Heading to Andalusia in Spain from September 22-24, the 2023 edition is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet.

A 50/50 Contest

When one team takes on another in any sport, it’s rare that the contest can be considered a true 50/50 battle – typically, one team has something of an edge over the other.

But that’s not the case at the Solheim Cup in 2023, with the golf odds this week confirming that both Team America and Europe can be backed at even money – essentially, the bookmakers believe there’s a 50% chance (notwithstanding the slim possibility of a tie) that either side will win.

As an armchair viewer, that close proximity between the teams should get the juices flowing.

Best in the Business

Although Australasia is the dominant force in women’s golf, there’s still a stack of high-quality players representing the United States and Europe.

America has three players inside the world’s top 10 according to the official rankings, including number Lilia Vu and Allisen Corpuz, the recent US Open champion.

But there’s no shortage of quality on the European team either, with Leona Maguire – who won 4.5 of a possible five points at the 2021 Solheim Cup – joined by Georgia Hall, Céline Boutier and Charley Hull.

A Whole Lot of History

The biennial Solheim Cup has been contested since 1990, so there’s a long heritage for an event that has been played 17 times in the interim period.

As if to confirm just how equally matched the two teams have been over the years, America leads the way in the head-to-head standings 10-7 – but Europe have won four of the last six editions.

An advantage is usually enjoyed when playing on home soil – 12 of the 17 renewals have been won by the team on hosting duty. Will that trend continue in 2023?

Magic Moments

With more than three decades of action to call upon, it’s unsurprising that the Solheim Cup has played host to some incredible moments – be it dazzling displays of skill or controversy that has made headlines around the globe.

The 2019 edition at Gleneagles saw the teams locked neck-and-neck, with the competition going to the final singles rubber between Suzann Pettersen and Marina Alex. There was deathly silence as Pettersen stood over her putt on the eighteenth green – miss and the Solheim Cup would be tied, make it and Europe would claim the victory.

The rest, as they say, is history…

There was controversy in 2015 when Alison Lee picked up her ball when she incorrectly thought Europe had conceded a four-balls game – to say it created acrimony between the teams would be a major understatement, while in 2000 Annika Sorenstam was docked a hole after the Americans accused her of playing out of turn.

More of the same and brilliance in 2023, please!