LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Valhalla Golf Club will host the Solheim Cup in 2028, bringing the women’s team competition to a venue that has hosted the Ryder Cup and four PGA Championships, including earlier this year.
The Solheim Cup began in 1990, a biennial three-day match between women from the United States and Europe with a similar format to the Ryder Cup. Europe holds the Solheim Cup after retaining it last year in Spain. This year’s competition will be played from Sept. 13-15 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. The matches are being held in back-to-back years to move away from the Ryder Cup.
Mollie Marcoux Samaan, commissioner of the LPGA said Valhalla was an easy choice. “We can use the natural landscape to bring in so many fans that can see so many different holes and can get views and having big crowds be able to pack in and see all of the action that that's one of the things that makes this so fantastic.”
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, D-Ky., estimated the Solheim Cup will generate an economic impact of approximately $60 million. They estimate 140,000 will attend the event. Coleman said, “We know that companies and corporations are picking Kentucky now more than they ever had before and we are convinced that it's because of our people.”
Tuesday’s announcement by the LPGA Tour marks a reprieve for a course that appeared to have shaky prospects for staging future major events after top-ranked Scottie Scheffler was arrested outside the entrance before the second round of the PGA Championship in May.
Scheffler was charged with not following an officer’s commands during a pedestrian fatality investigation and detained in downtown Louisville before returning to Valhalla hours later. He shot a 5-under 66 in the second round and finished the tournament in a tie for eighth, eight shots behind Xander Schauffele. Several weeks later, a Louisville prosecutor dropped all charges against Scheffler.
Jimmy Kirchdorfer is co-owner of Valhalla he said, “I think it's more the community than the golf course. I mean, this community embraces golf, embraces women's sports and I think when the LPGA was looking, they're not only looking at the golf course, but they were looking at, you know, which community is going to welcome us and come out and support it”
Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Valhalla opened in 1986. Mark Brooks won the PGA Championship there in 1996. Tiger Woods won the PGA in a memorable duel with Bob May in 2000, and Rory McIlroy won in 2014 for the last of his four majors.
The United States beat Europe in the Ryder Cup at Valhalla in 2008. Valhalla joins The Greenbrier, Muirfield Village and Gleneagles as the only venues to host a Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup.
The 2026 Solheim Cup will be played at Bernardus in the Netherlands.