| by: Dan Rusnak - 9/11/2005 7:08:36 PM |
| Golf fans all over the country were watching the Golf Channel this weekend to see if the U.S. Solheim Cup Team could take back the Cup and keep their U.S. turf winning streak alive.
Fans of this ladies event were not disappointed as the U.S. Team, captained by Nancy Lopez, defeated the European team 15 ½ - 12 ½ at Crooked Stick Club in Carmel, IN.
While the event is now complete and tees off again in Sweden in 2007, Chicagoans will be happy to hear that the most prestigious team event in women’s professional golf will be played at Rich Harvest Farms in West Suburban Sugar Grove in 2009.
This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a very esteemed event played in the Chicagoland area for the first time as well as a very well-regarded golf course that not all Chicagoans get to see or play.
Rich Harvest Farms, started in 1989 and completed in 1999, is the creation of sole owner Jerry Rich, who built a golf course on his estate 50 miles west of Chicago. The course is currently ranked 45th on Golf Digest’s Top 100 American Golf Courses and is a private golf facility.
In 2004, when LPGA Commissioner Ty M. Votaw announced the awarding of the 2009 event to Rich Harvest Farms Votaw said “The LPGA is excited to bring the The Solheim Cup to such a challenging and beautiful venue, and we are thankful to Jerry Rich for inviting us to Rich Harvest Farms and allowing us to stage one of the biggest sporting events in women's golf in his backyard."
"We look forward to not only showcasing some of the best players in one of the most spirited competitions in the world, but also to showcasing one of the finest courses in the country", Votay added.
The Solheim Cup is a biennial, trans-Atlantic event started in 1990 by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, makers of PING golf equipment, in which the U.S. Team competes against a team of Europeans in a three-day match play competition.
The European team, led by Sweden’s Catrin Nilsmark, was vying for the European’s first ever victory on U.S. soil but the U.S. Team took the cup away after being tied going into the final day of competition.
The U.S. Team consisted of the top 10 Money winners from the LPGA and two captain’s picks. This is an opportunity to watch the best LPGA players in a local setting.
The event was first played in Orlando, FL. In 1990 and has been competed in West Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota before being played in Indiana this year.
The 2009 event will mark the first time the event has been played in a major market and while we all hope for the best of times for the Cubs, Sox and Bears in September of 2009, a weekend visit to the West Suburbs will be high on the list for many avid golf fans in the Chicagoland area.
This will also be a great opportunity to assist the Illinois Foundation for HookA Kid On Golf, which calls Rich Harvest Farms its home. Together with the LPGA, the Foundation will run the 2009 Solheim Cup and additionally, Rich has pledged that his half of the revenues generated from the 2009 Solheim Cup will benefit Hook A Kid On Golf.
We at GolfChicago.com will keep you posted as to ticket information and volunteer opportunities as information is received by us.
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