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The Ladies European Tour (LET) and LPGA today jointly unveiled the new official Solheim Cup logo ahead of the matches at Golf Club St Leon-Rot, near Heidelberg, Germany, on September 18-20, 2015.
This is the first time in the event’s 24-year history that a new logo has been introduced, with the iconic cup flanked by the European and United States flags to visually express the event’s strong trans-Atlantic rivalry.
The new logo was developed in joint consultation with PING CEO and Chairman John A. Solheim, whose parents Karsten and Louise established The Solheim Cup with the LET and LPGA in 1990.
Speaking at the launch of the logo in Germany, with a year to go until the matches, Solheim commented: “The new Solheim Cup logo represents a continuation of the tradition our family proudly started nearly 25 years ago. It symbolizes the honor and pride that come with representing your country in the spirit of competition and inspires the next generation of women golfers who hope to someday put their name in the Solheim Cup record book.”
Adding to Solheim’s comments, LET CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh said: “The Solheim Cup is a global sports event with a rich history of world class golf and unforgettable drama. With this being the first staging of the contest in Germany, we wanted a fresh and inspiring image to reflect the unique competition and connect with new audiences.”
LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan said: “”The Solheim Cup and its excitement represents everything that players and fans truly love about this great game. This logo offers a contemporary take on the exciting history of the rivalry between Europe and the United States.”
The 2015 event, supported by global partners PING, SAP, Allianz and Rolex, marks the 14th time The Solheim Cup will be contested with the United States Team currently leading the series 8-5.
In 2013, the European team made history by winning The Solheim Cup for the first time in the US with a score of 18-10 and a record eight point margin of victory. Next year, in Germany, Europe is targeting three wins in a row.
About The Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of the game of golf with passion for one’s country. This biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition features the best U.S.-born players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and the best European members from the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The Solheim Cup is named in honor of Karsten Solheim, the founder of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which makes PING golf equipment. In 1990, the Solheim family, in conjunction with the LPGA and the LET, developed the concept and became the sponsor for The Solheim Cup, professional golf’s international match-play competition for women. Held every two years, the event has grown into the most prestigious international women’s professional golf team event. The Solheim Cup is the most highly coveted trophy in women’s professional golf team competition; some of the most memorable moments in women’s golf have happened during Solheim Cups, and berths on the U.S. and European teams are highly coveted by players from both organisations.
The 2015 Solheim Cup will take place at Golf Course St. Leon-Rot in Germany. The European Team enters the competition holding the Cup and will need 14 points to retain it, with the U.S. Team needing 14½ points to regain the coveted Waterford Crystal prize. The U.S. squad holds an 8-5 lead in the series, which began in 1990.
In addition to founding sponsor PING, Global Partners of The Solheim Cup include Rolex, SAP and Allianz. For more information about The Solheim Cup and updated standings for each team, log on to www.solheimcup.com, www.lpga.com and www.solheimcupeurope.com.
About Golf Club St. Leon-Rot
The club, founded in 1996, has two 18-hole championship courses which have both already been venues for the Deutsche Bank SAP Open, a professional tournament on the PGA European Tour. Tiger Woods won the tournament in 1999, 2001 and 2002. The two courses, ‘St. Leon’ and ‘Rot’, have both received multiple accolades from the specialist press. The Rot championship course, for example, won the sought-after Golf Journal Travel Award nine times in a row up to 2010, as ‘Germany’s most popular golf course’. In 2011 and 2012 the award went to the St. Leon course. A key role in St. Leon-Rot’s rise to become one of Germany’s best golf clubs is played by club president Dietmar Hopp, a co-founder of the Walldorf software corporation SAP.
