The Solheim Cup is headed to Valhalla Golf Club in 2028, the LPGA has announced. The 21st edition of the biennial competition will be the first major women’s competition ever held at the course, which most recently hosted the 2024 PGA Championship.
Valhalla becomes the fourth venue to host both a Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup, joining The Greenbrier, Muirfield Village and Gleneagles. The 2028 Solheim will be held in late summer or early fall.
Valhalla opened in 1986 and features an 18-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus that has hosted the 1996, 2000, 2014 and 2024 PGA Championships, as well as the 2004 and 2011 Senior PGA Championships and the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Earlier this summer, the town of Louisville, Kentucky, came under intense scrutiny after the death of John Mills, a security officer who was hit by a shuttle bus while trying to enter the golf course. In the aftermath of that tragic loss, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was handcuffed and arrested for trying to drive around the accident scene, allegedly disobeying a police officer’s orders. Criminal charges were later dropped.
Many in golf are bound to ask if it’s too soon for the club and city to host another major event. Not to mention what plans will be in place to ensure such tragic events don’t happen again.
Valhalla owner Jimmy Kirchdorfer said in a release, “We are thrilled to be selected to host the 2028 Solheim Cup. Valhalla has a history of providing compelling finishes and we are excited to add this event to our championship lore. We look forward to welcoming golf fans from around the globe back to our Kentucky home for what promises to be an unforgettable week of competition and camaraderie.”
The Solheim Cup Trophy is seen on the 18th green during the Singles Match on day three of the Solheim Cup at the Inverness Club on September 06, 2021, in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The LPGA hasn’t held an event in Kentucky in more than 50 years. The Bluegrass Invitational was staged in Prospect, just outside of Louisville, from 1965 to 1974. Mickey Wright won the event three times, JoAnne Carner twice and Kathy Whitworth won it once.
“Showcasing our extraordinary athletes at venues that have hosted the world’s largest and most prestigious golf tournaments and that are recognizable to fans around the world will continue to elevate the LPGA Tour and the Solheim Cup,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan in a release. “Hosting the 2028 Solheim Cup at Valhalla Golf Club, with its rich tradition of competitive excellence, exemplifies this commitment. Throughout our search, we also saw the passion that Jimmy and the entire team at Valhalla have for women’s golf, the enthusiasm of the local fans and businesses and the desire of state and city leadership to welcome professional women’s sport with open arms.
“Together, we cannot wait to bring the most exciting team competition in women’s golf to Louisville and Valhalla Golf Club.”
This year’s Solheim Cup will be held at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., Sept. 13-15. The event will be held in the Netherlands for the first time in 2026.