Just 12 months after Team Europe retained the Solheim Cup in Spain, the biennial team event is back in action this week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. The make-up of both teams is largely the same as it was at Finca Cortesin when the two teams tied 14-14 last fall — and for that, we can all be thankful. If the drama is anything like it was last time around, golf fans are in for a treat.
Solheim Cup preview
If you looked at the matchup on paper, you might assume that Team USA would be the overwhelming favorite. They have the top two players in the world in Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu, and half their roster is inside the top 25 in the world ranking (as opposed to just two for Team Europe). But Team Europe has routinely proven to be greater than the sum of their parts — and this year should be no different.
Team Europe staged an epic rally last year during Sunday singles to retain the Cup, meaning the Euros have not lost in the event since 2017. In fact, Team USA has just two players (Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee) who have ever been on a winning Solheim Cup team.
The betting markets might favor the U.S. as they look to defend their home soil, but make no mistake — Team Europe are no pushovers. Expect this one to come down to the last few matches come Sunday afternoon.
Why is the Solheim Cup in back-to-back years?
If you’re wondering why the biennial event is happening again so soon, you’re not alone. While it is true that the Solheim Cup is typically played every other year, the event is being held in back-to-back years after scheduling conflicts that arose from the Covid-19 pandemic.
When the Ryder Cup was pushed back a year during the pandemic, it meant that the premier team events for both the men and women were to be held during the same year. In order to play the event in Ryder Cup off-years again in the future, the Solheim Cup decided to stage the event in back-to-back years.
2024 Solheim Cup TV schedule
TV coverage of the 2024 Solheim Cup will be provided by NBC and Golf Channel. Golf Channel will air lengthy telecasts all three days of the tournament, with NBC providing late-round broadcasts on on Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s the full Solheim Cup TV schedule for the week:
Thursday, September 12: 4-6 p.m. (Opening Ceremony on GOLF Channel)
Friday, September 13: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Saturday, September 14: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); 3-6 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, September 15: 8:45 a.m.-12 p.m. (Golf Channel); 12-3 p.m. (NBC)
2024 Solheim Cup streaming schedule
Peacock is the primary streaming home of the 2024 Solheim Cup. Peacock will offer live simulcasts of NBC’s TV coverage on Saturday from 3-6 p.m. ET and Sunday from 12-3 p.m. ET.