Date, location, format and time for Andalusia

What is the format of the Solheim Cup?

Over three days, 28 matches are played, divided into three categories: foursomes, fourballs and singles.

There are 12 players on each team and they compete as a duo or individually.

Four four-a-side matches and four four-ball matches will be played on Friday and Saturday. Each of these matches will see a European pair face off against a pair from Team USA.

In a four-way match, each team will alternate shots and use a ball between two players. In a four-ball match, each competitor may use their own ball.

Points are awarded to the team with the lowest score on each hole. The match is won when a team’s advantage is greater than the number of holes remaining on the course. If the result is drawn at the end of the match, the match is halved.

The first of the foursomes matches will kick off at 8:10am local time (7:10am BST) on Friday and Saturday. The four-ball matches will be played on Friday and Saturday afternoon and start at 1:40 p.m. local time (12:40 p.m. BST).

On Sunday, all 24 competitors will have the chance to play singles matches, with the first of these matches being played at 11:10 a.m. local time (10:10 a.m. BST).

There are 28 matches in total across the weekend, meaning 28 points are up for grabs. The team that first reaches the 14 and a half point mark will be victorious. Europe will retain the cup if the tournament ends in a draw.

What is the Solheim Cup schedule?

Friday September 22 – Morning quartets
7:10 a.m.: L Thompson & M Khang vs. L Grant & M Stark (Sweden)
7:22 a.m.: D Kang & A Lee against C Boutier (Fr) & G Hall (Eng)
7:34 a.m.: N Korda & A Corpus against L Maguire (Irl) & A Nordqvist (Sweden)
7:46 a.m.: A Ewing & C Knight against C Hull (Eng) & E Pedersen (Den

Afternoon fourballs – to be confirmed

Saturday September 23: Four four-ball matches in the morning, four four-ball matches in the afternoon.

Sunday September 24: 12 singles matches before the closing ceremony.

How can I buy tickets?

General admission tickets are still available for all three days of the Solheim Cup, via the official website.

Access to all three days of the tournament will cost around £210, while individual day tickets are available from £70 for Friday, £82 for Saturday and £103 for Sunday.

Europe will begin its quest for a historic third consecutive Solheim Cup here on Friday morning with one of the most unusual clashes at the start of the four-way session.

While it was surprising to see home captain Suzann Pettersen eliminate two rookies – Swedes Lin Grant and Maja Stark – in the first match, even more eyebrows disappeared under the visors when Lexi Thompson was named alongside Megan Khang in of the first match.

Stacy Lewis, the United States captain, has put her faith in Thompson to lead her team’s bid to a first Solheim in six years, despite the former world number arriving in this Spanish clash in dismal form. Thompson, 28, has played in nine LPGA Tour events in 2023 and missed seven cuts, with her best finish being a tie for 19th.

She was included in the American team due to her world ranking – which had dropped to 26th – and the poor state of her results sheet, with many speculating that she would not have been granted a wildcard otherwise .

However, Lewis touted the value of Thompson’s experience – she has the most appearances in the visitors’ dressing room with five – but nonetheless stunned the sport by placing her in such an exposed role. Yet Lewis denies it was a gamble.

“We started the week and a few people on our team came up and said, ‘She’s doing really well,'” Lewis said. “And then every day, more and more people tell me that. And actually, I have their strokes gained (statistics) from practice over the last couple of days and she’s off the charts.

“She’s worked really hard the last couple of months and I think it was just a matter of time. The driver looked great, I mean, just hitting the ball is better than it has been in a long time.

What makes Thompson’s involvement straight out of the blocks more curious is that Lilia Vu is on the bench for the first session. Vu is the world number 2 and has won two majors this season, including last month’s Women’s Open at Walton Heath where she faced Charley Hull.

The Englishwoman is in the bottom match with Emily Pedersen as they take on Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight. Hull’s pairing with the Dane comes as no shock having claimed two points from three together in the 2021 victory at Toledo. But few expected Pettersen to start the mission with two newbies, no matter how close and adept Grant and Stark are.

“We can call them ‘rookies’ this week, but in my eyes, they’re not rookies,” Pettersen said. “I mean, they all won and some of them are big winners. I’m super impressed with Maja and Linn. Very different personalities, but sometimes the opposite attracts them.

What are the best chances?

• Europe: 21/20
• United States: 11/10
• Draw: 12/1