Qualifying process for the Junior Solheim Cup Selection begins in January

The Qualifying for the 2017 PING Junior Solheim Cup begins in January, with the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship being one of the ranking events where the top girl golfers from Europe can earn points.

The Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort, in Portugal from 25 to 28 January 2017 is the first of nine qualifiers for the biennial match to be played at Des Moines Golf & Country Club in Iowa next August.

The qualifying process runs from January until mid-July, following the European Girls’ Team Championship. The first six players in the PING Junior Solheim Cup European ranking will earn an automatic place on the European team, with the team being completed by six Captain’s picks.
All amateur events and the European Women’s Amateur Ranking will be taken into consideration when deciding the Captain’s Picks.

 To qualify for the European team, participants must be girls aged 12-18 years old (born 1999 or later) and must not have reached their 18th birthday prior to January 1 2017. Prospective team members must be amateurs and cannot be members of a competitive collegiate golf programme. They must also be European citizens.

 The inaugural PING Junior Solheim Cup was staged in 2002 at Oak Ridge Country Club in Hopkins, Minnesota, and has been competed for eight times, with five wins to the United States, two wins to Europe and one tie. Solheim Cup stars including Paula Creamer, Azahara Munoz, and Brittany Lang played in the inaugural match with Charley Hull, Anna Nordqvist, and Lexi Thompson among those who have competed more recently.

 John Solheim, PING Chairman and CEO and Founder of the PING Junior Solheim Cup, said: “Our vision for the PING Junior Solheim Cup is for it to continue to help advance girls’ golf around the world by bringing together the top juniors from Europe and the United States on an international stage. “Since starting the event in 2002, we’ve been delighted with the results as the interest and excitement from the golf community has exceeded our expectations. The players on each side strive to make their teams for the honour of representing their countries and come away with lifelong memories and friendships. “We’re looking forward to the 2017 event at Des Moines Golf & Country Club. It marks the second straight time the PING Junior Solheim Cup will be played at the same venue as The Solheim Cup, bringing participants in both events closer together as they experience their lifelong dreams of playing golf for the honour of their continent and country.”

 The list of qualifying events for the 2017 PING Junior Solheim Cup, to be held on August 14-15, 2017 at Des Moines Golf & Country Club, are as follows:

Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship, Montado Golf Resort, Portugal (Jan 25-28)
Spanish International Ladies’ Amateur Championship, Sherry Golf Jerez, Spain (March 1-5)
French International Lady Junior Championship, GC St Cloud, France (April 13-17)
Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship, Troon GC, Scotland (April 21-23) 
Allianz German Girls’ Open, GC St. Leon-Rot, Germany (June 2-4)
Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship, Pale & Kenfig CC, Wales (June 13-17)
ANNIKA Invitational Europe, Halmstad GK, Sweden (June 20-22)
European Girls’ Team Championship, St Laurence GC, Finland (July 11-15)
European Ladies’ Team Championship, Montado Golf Resort, Portugal (July 11-15)