Solheim Cup preview, golf’s subsequent made-for-TV match

Verify in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most popular subjects within the sport, and be part of the dialog by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we preview the Solheim Cup, talk about golf’s newly introduced made-for-TV match and share our picks for the very best offers in golf. And for those who’re searching for our writers’ ideas on final week’s Presidents Cup captain’s picks, you’ll be able to learn up on that right here.

The nineteenth taking part in of the Solheim Cup will get underway Friday to Sunday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Gainesville, Va. Final 12 months, the U.S. and Europe tied for the primary time within the occasion’s historical past, permitting Europe to maintain the Cup for the third straight assembly. Who wins this 12 months, and why?

Josh Sens, senior author (@joshsens): Workforce USA. Partly due to home-crowd benefit, but additionally as a result of– with Lexi taking part in in what could be very possible her final, and Korda coming off an epic season, and the workforce having a pleasant steadiness of youthful hearth and expertise–it simply appears like the best way the spirits of the sport would need it scripted.

Sean Zak, senior author (@sean_zak): Wow, Josh Sens — massive spirits man! Put your tarot playing cards down and take a look at who’s taking part in effectively. As a lot as Charley Hull, Esther Hensleit and some Euros could also be flashing in the intervening time, the very best participant is on Workforce USA, and so is the second-best participant in Lilia Vu. Andrea Lee performed nice in St. Andrews and Rose Zhang is on the cusp of one other nice run herself. To not point out the dawgs which are Lauren Coughlin and Ally Ewing. Workforce USA goes to win, and I concern it will not be shut. 

Sens: Sorry. I promise to ditch the ‘shrooms earlier than our subsequent roundtable and stick strictly to shot information. 

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): I just like the Euros to proceed their dominance. The People might have some stable type, however that hasn’t helped them a lot the previous few occasions round. When the lights shine the brightest in these workforce occasions, the Europeans all the time appear to come back up clutch.

Final 12 months it was Spain’s Carlota Ciganda who stole the present, ending 4-0 and beating Nelly Korda 2 and 1 in singles play. Who might be an important participant for either side come subsequent week, and who would be the occasion’s MVP?

Sens: For extra feel-good functions, I’d wish to say Lexi. However I’ve bought a sneaky sense about captain’s choose Jennifer Kupcho, in a fiery bounce-back from her tough exhibiting in Spain. (The caveat is that data on this format could be misleading, as they’re largely depending on how each your companion and your opponents play. For good motive, the MVP is usually the lead level earner, who isn’t all the time the participant who carried out the very best or meant essentially the most to their workforce)

Zak: Most necessary? Lilia Vu. She’s able to profitable 5 matches, and is in adequate type to do it. She went 1-3 final 12 months, throughout the identical season the place she gained two majors. That’s not chopping it. MVP goes to be Nelly Korda, who will play 5 matches and be favored in each certainly one of them. She’s on the precise path again to dominance after a bizarre summer time, and it could all click on this week. 

Melton: Gimme Leona Maguire from Workforce Europe. She’s had an uneven 2024 to date, however she’s been an absolute stud on this occasion the final two playings. I like her to proceed that pattern and enhance on her 7-2-1 Solheim Cup report. So far as the People go, it’ll be powerful for them to come back away victorious except Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu play effectively.

Golf’s subsequent made-for-TV match will see Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler face off towards Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka in December in Las Vegas. What do you consider this matchup? And can the PGA Tour vs. LIV angle assist with scores?

Sens: It higher assist with the scores as a result of, actually, is there another motive for the match? That is designed to feed immediately off golf’s civil warfare, and –outdoors of the majors, with a deal between the 2 excursions nowhere in sight—it’s as shut as the 2 circuits are going to get to giving folks what they need. It helps, after all, that you simply’ve bought 4 mega-names with numerous subplots/tensions of their relationships. However greater than something, that is an extension of the continued battle within the males’s professional recreation. Followers and media alike will assign all types of fabricated which means to it as effectively, utilizing the outcomes as some form of proof of which tour is extra worthy. Birdies will abound. Rankings might be excessive. And individuals who have already got some huge cash will make extra of it by entertaining the lots with an occasion filled with manufactured ‘which means’. An ideal confection for our occasions.

Zak: It truly is a compelling matchup, placing two of the Tour’s three greatest towards two of LIV Golf’s greatest. You’ve bought Mr. Entertainer in Bryson, Mr. Jock in Brooks, Mr. Worldwide in Rory and Mr. Finest-Since-Tiger in Scottie. It’s as compelling a product as you’ll be able to subject with out the names Woods, Mickelson and Spieth. I’m certain it will likely be marketed as a warfare of kinds, however I hope that isn’t the case. As a result of these guys don’t dislike one another. I hope it’s a proving floor for a lot of issues. Finally, it’s in all probability simply 12 or 18 holes of enjoyable match play. 

Melton: I’m actually intrigued by the occasion, and having a LIV-PGA Tour angle ought to do an important job including hype to the match. Will that be sufficient to generate some much-needed excessive scores? I’m doubtful.

Does the PGA Tour vs. LIV tie trace that the perimeters is perhaps coming nearer collectively on a deal? Or at the very least studying the right way to co-exist? How helpful may mini treaties like this be for the way forward for professional golf?

Sens: Does anybody, even the primary actors themselves, have any concept how far or shut they’re from the deal? With so many shifting components and events to appease, I get the sense even these immediately concerned aren’t certain what a last deal would appear to be. Meantime, a match like this does look like a seek for methods to profitably coexist. Purists may not see it as an important signal for professional golf, however for those who take a look at the sport purely as an leisure product, it strikes me as a savvy strategy to go.

Zak: Let’s name this a mini-treaty then. I feel it’s helpful within the sense that scores might be improved from the final match: a skins recreation that includes Rory vs. Lexi Thompson vs. Max Homa vs. Rose Zhang. I feel it’s helpful to place LIV Golfers on the identical taking part in subject as Tour stars within the month of December (after they may usually be absent from public eye). I feel it’s helpful to do all of it in a non-major championship setting, too. Will it deliver any “nos” from the boardroom nearer to “yesses”? I don’t actually suppose so. 

Melton: I’m a bit exhausted analyzing each little factor in golf within the context of the Tour vs. LIV battle. The reality is nobody is aware of what’s coming subsequent aside from a choose few on the ins of the negotiations. I’m not placing an excessive amount of inventory on this occasion being a harbinger of issues to come back.

Talking of LIV Golf, it launched its dates and venues for the primary 4 tournaments of 2025, and whereas all of them might be performed internationally, additionally they all might be performed throughout the identical weeks as a few of the PGA Tour’s largest occasions — the WM Phoenix Open, Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Gamers Championship. Why would LIV Golf schedule these to compete immediately with the Tour? Does it matter?

Sens: On the face of it, you would learn it as a flex by LIV, particularly going up towards the hard-partying Phoenix Open, which might be the closest the Tour provides to the atmospherics of a LIV occasion. However I don’t suppose it’s value assigning an excessive amount of which means to any of it, aside from to underscore that LIV is soldiering on, propelled by an countless funds, and that these dates on these venues match effectively sufficient. As a critical competitor for the Tour’s essential viewers, it doesn’t appear far more than a lot spit into the wind.

Zak: LIV can’t compete with the Tour for eyeballs, however I suppose it may possibly attempt to put a dent within the scores the Tour is most pleased with? It could additionally stage the very best occasions it may possibly and produce social clips of gamers consuming beers out of footwear throughout weeks the place the PGA Tour is cool, calm and relaxed at Riviera. It gained’t matter, in the end, to subject tournaments throughout these weeks as a result of the worldwide time zones the place LIV might be taking part in means they gained’t really compete immediately. And on the finish of the day, there’s about 10- to fifteen golfers at LIV who followers actually need to watch. And there are at the very least twice to 3 occasions that on the PGA Tour. 

Melton: Fact be informed, it doesn’t actually matter when LIV schedules their occasions because it pertains to Tour occasions. Whereas Tour scores is perhaps down, they nonetheless dwarf the variety of eyeballs drawn by LIV. I’m certain there’s some deeper which means to this scheduling resolution, however in the end it doesn’t change the truth that LIV doesn’t transfer the needle. 

Final week, we launched our first-ever listing of America’s greatest golf programs you’ll be able to play for $100 or much less. What’s the very best course beneath this standards — whether or not it’s on this listing or not — that you simply ever performed?

Sens: Since I simply made this case on our web site on Friday, I’m going to have to stay with George Wright, simply outdoors Boston. An ideal Donald Ross-designed muni beneath the care of a miracle-worker superintendent who has made absolutely the most of a minimal upkeep funds. It’s an important stroll and an entertaining problem in a inexperienced house that will get you distant from the city bustle, despite the fact that it’s lower than 8 miles from downtown.

Zak: It’s troublesome to consider a greater golf course for $35 than The Aiken Golf Membership, in Aiken, S.C. It’s so easy and so good. Drivable par-4s, lengthy par-3s, pinestraw, tight lies, agency greens, tall pines and elevation adjustments. And all a 35-minute drive from Augusta, Ga. Should you’re bringing the golf equipment on a Masters journey in early April, you higher not miss this one. 

Melton: Zak is spot on in his evaluation of Aiken. I performed it for the primary time this spring and completely liked it. So far as the very best offers up in my neck of the woods, it’s onerous to beat the $75 inexperienced price for residents of NY at Bethpage Black. Having the ability to tee it up on a serious championship and future Ryder Cup host for lower than $100 is an unbelievable cut price.