It is dubbed the “most prestigious team trophy” for women amateur golfers. It is a biennial event. It is the Curtis Cup! Seems enough of a buildup right? Well, as mentioned, the tournament is hosted every two years between two teams, just like the Solheim Cup, but a bit different. Different in the sense that the event will take place between two squads, of which one will represent Great Britain and Ireland and the other, the United States.

Dating back to an informal match played in 1905, per the Curtis Cup records, when the 1900 U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion, Frances Griscom, suggested a group of eight Americans to play in the British Ladies Open Amateur. Although the team from the U.S.A. was beaten by the squad from Britain, the exhilaration it brought about stayed with two of the golfers, namely Harriot Curtis and Margaret Curtis.

Interest in the match was piqued over the years, and the USGA decided to finance the American team after many hurdles. They also resolved to administer the contest following which a cup, donated by the Curtis sisters in 1927, was made the official trophy. Lo-and-behold! The first edition of the event took place in 1932 and the U.S.A. team won over Great Britain & Ireland with a figure of 5.5-3.5.

Over the years, a lot of renowned professionals have managed to compete in the same back when they were just amateur golfers. From two-time winning Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew to AIG Women’s Open champ Georgia Hall, many have competed in the biennial tournament.

The two teams will duke it out against each other in three foursome matches each day followed by three fourball matches every day for the first two days. However, the final day of the tournament will witness eight singles matches where one golfer from each team will tee off against a player from the opposing squad. And come 2024, the fans will be hoping to see some exhilarating golf at Sunningdale’s Old Course.

The 2024 Curtis Cup is set to tee off soon

The American team, led by Rachel Kuehn, will face against the team from Great Britain and Ireland, the latter of which is captained by the like of Hannah Darling. Both the skippers will lead their teams to tee off on August 30, in hopes of clinching the Curtis Cup and the title of champion on September 1, Sunday.

Out of the 42 editions that have taken place from 1932 till 2022, the team from the United States of America has won 31 of the same with the squad from GB&I raking in just 8 victories and the rest three editions ending in a tie. Keuhn will hope to continue the momentum while Darling will be looking forward to clinching GB&I’s first win since 2016, the last time when they emerged victorious! Who will “The Women’s International Cup” this year go to?