Curtis Cup

The Curtis Cup is the best known team trophy for women amateur golfers, awarded in the biennial Curtis Cup Match. It is co-organised by the United States Golf Association and The R&A and is contested by teams representing the United States and "Great Britain and Ireland". The same two teams originally contested the Ryder Cup, but unlike that competition, the Curtis Cup has not widened the Great Britain and Ireland team to include all Europeans (nor has the analogous event for amateur men, the Walker Cup). Many women who have gone on to become stars of women's professional golf have played in the Curtis Cup.

Curtis Cup
Tournament information
Location2021: Conwy, Wales
Established1932
Course(s)2021: Conwy Golf Club
FormatMatch play
Current champion
United States
2021 Curtis Cup

History

The first Curtis Cup Match was played in 1932 at the Wentworth Club in England, and was won by the American team. The trophy, a silver bowl of Paul Revere design, was donated by Harriot Curtis (who had won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1906) and her sister Margaret (who had won it in 1907, 1911, and 1912). In 1905 the Curtis sisters had competed in an informal match between teams of American and British golfers, and they wanted to promote the international friendships in the world of women's golf. The cup is inscribed, "To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands."

The 1905 match was played at Royal Cromer Golf Club before the British Ladies Amateur Championship. The Amateur Championship started on Tuesday 30 May and it was originally planned to play the match on Monday 29 May,[1] with a triangular competition between England, Scotland and Ireland being held from 25 to 27 May. Eventually the Britain/America match was played on 25 May with the triangular matches played on 26 and 27 May.[2] The Britain/America match followed the same format as the triangular matches and involved seven 18-hole singles matches with extra holes played if necessary. The match resulted in a 6–1 win for the British team. Georgianna Bishop was the only American winner, beating Lottie Dod in the first match at the 20th hole. Margaret Curtis lost to May Hezlet while Harriot Curtis lost to Elinor Neville.[2]

Discussions between various golf associations had been underway since 1924—the Curtis sisters had originally donated the trophy in 1927 to help these discussions along—but it was not until 1931 that the USGA and LGU agreed to co-sponsor the event. It was hoped that the French Golf Union would eventually participate, but that never occurred.[3] The Curtis Cup Match is played every two years in even numbered years, alternating between the two sides of the Atlantic.

In 2004, then fourteen-year-old Michelle Wie played for the U.S. becoming the youngest player in Curtis Cup history. She won both of her singles matches. In 2008 Stacy Lewis won all her five matches,[4] a feat equalled by Bronte Law in 2016 and Kristen Gillman in 2018.

Format

The competition involves various match play matches between players selected from the two teams of 8, either singles, foursomes, or (starting in 2008) fourball. The winner of each match scores a point for their team, with ½ a point each for any match that is tied after 18 holes. If the entire Match is tied, the previously current holder retains the Cup.

A foursomes match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. The golfers on the same team take alternate shots throughout the match, with the same ball. Each hole is won by the team that completes the hole in the fewest shots. A fourball match is a competition between two teams of two golfers. All four golfers play their own ball throughout the round. Each hole is won by the team whose individual golfer had the lowest score. A singles match is a standard match play competition between two golfers.

The original format was to have three foursomes matches and six singles matches for a total of nine points. In 1932 and 1936 these were played in a single day but generally they were over two days. The early matches were played over 18 holes but some later matches were over 36 holes. 1964, the format was changed, with three foursomes and six singles matches each day, a total of 18 points. In 2008, the format changed to a three-day competition, with three foursomes and three fourball matches on each of the first two days, and eight singles matches on the final day, a total of 20 points. All matches since 1964 have been over 18 holes.

Results

YearVenueWinning teamScoreLosing teamCaptains
2021 Conwy Golf Club
(Conwy, Wales)
   
 
 Sarah LeBrun Ingram
 Elaine Ratcliffe
2018 Quaker Ridge Golf Club
(Scarsdale, New York)
 United States 17 3  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Virginia Derby Grimes
 Elaine Farquharson-Black
2016 Dun Laoghaire Golf Club
(Enniskerry, Ireland)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
11½  United States  Robin Burke
 Elaine Farquharson-Black
2014 St. Louis Country Club
(Ladue, Missouri)
 United States 13 7  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Ellen Port
 Tegwen Matthews
2012 Nairn Golf Club
(Nairn, Scotland)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
10½  United States  Pat Cornett
 Tegwen Matthews
2010 Essex County Club
(Manchester, Massachusetts)
 United States 12½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Noreen Mohler
 Mary McKenna
2008 St Andrews Links
(St Andrews, Fife, Scotland)
 United States 13 7  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Carol Semple Thompson
 Mary McKenna
2006 Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
(Bandon, Oregon)
 United States 11½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Carol Semple Thompson
 Ada O'Sullivan
2004 Formby Golf Club
(Merseyside, England)
 United States 10 8  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Martha Kirouac
 Ada O'Sullivan
2002 Fox Chapel Golf Club
(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
 United States 11 7  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Mary Budke
 Pam Benka
2000 Ganton Golf Club
(Ganton, England)
 United States 10 8  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jane Bastanchury Booth
 Claire Dowling
1998 The Minikahda Club
(Minneapolis, Minnesota)
 United States 10 8  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Barbara McIntire
 Ita Butler
1996 Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
(Killarney, Ireland)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
11½  United States  Martha Lang
 Ita Butler
1994 The Honors Course
(Chattanooga, Tennessee)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
9 9  United States  Lancy Smith
 Elizabeth Boatman
1992 Royal Liverpool Golf Club
(Hoylake, England)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
10 8  United States  Judy Oliver
 Elizabeth Boatman
1990 Somerset Hills Country Club
(Bernardsville, New Jersey)
 United States 14 4  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Leslie Shannon
 Jill Thornhill
1988 Royal St George's Golf Club
(Sandwich, Kent, England)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
11 7  United States  Judy Bell
 Diane Bailey
1986 Prairie Dunes Country Club
(Hutchinson, Kansas)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
13 5  United States  Judy Bell
 Diane Bailey
1984 Muirfield
(Scotland)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Phyllis Preuss
 Diane Bailey
1982 Denver Country Club
(Denver, Colorado)
 United States 14½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Betty Probasco
 Maire O'Donnell
1980 St Pierre Golf & Country Club
(Chepstow, Wales)
 United States 13 5  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Nancy Roth Syms
 Carol Comboy
1978 Apawamis Club
(Rye, New York)
 United States 12 6  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Helen Sigel Wilson
 Carol Comboy
1976 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
(Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England)
 United States 11½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Barbara McIntire
 Belle Robertson
1974 San Francisco Golf Club
(San Francisco, California)
 United States 13 5  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Sis Choate
 Belle Robertson
1972 Western Gailes Golf Club
(Ayrshire, Scotland)
 United States 10 8  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Jean Ashley Crawford
 Frances Smith
1970 Brae Burn Country Club
(West Newton, Massachusetts)
 United States 11½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Carolyn Cudone
 Jeanne Bisgood
1968 Royal County Down Golf Club
(Newcastle, Northern Ireland)
 United States 10½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Evelynn Monsted
 Zara Bolton
1966 The Homestead
(Hot Springs, Virginia)
 United States 13 5  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Dorothy Germain Porter
 Zara Bolton
1964 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club
(Porthcawl, South Wales)
 United States 10½  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Helen Hawes
 Elsie Corlett
1962 Broadmoor Golf Club
(Colorado Springs, Colorado)
 United States 8 1  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Polly Riley
 Frances Smith
1960 Lindrick Golf Club
(Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Mildred Prunaret
 Maureen Garrett
1958 Brae Burn Country Club
(West Newton, Massachusetts)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
 United States  Virginia Dennehy
 Daisy Ferguson
1956 Prince's Golf Club
(Sandwich, Kent, England)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
5 4  United States  Edith Flippin
 Zara Bolton
1954 Merion Golf Club
(Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
 United States 6 3  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Edith Flippin
 Baba Beck
1952 Muirfield
(Scotland)
 Great Britain &
 Ireland
5 4  United States  Aniela Goldthwaite
 Katherine Cairns
1950 Country Club of Buffalo
(Williamsville, New York)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Glenna Collett Vare
 Diana Fishwick Critchley
1948 Royal Birkdale Golf Club
(Southport, England)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Glenna Collett Vare
 Doris Chambers
1940–1946: Not played due to World War II
1938 Essex County Club
(Manchester, Massachusetts)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Frances Stebbins
 Margaret Wallace-Williamson
1936 King's Course
(Gleneagles, Scotland)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Glenna Collett Vare
 Doris Chambers
1934 Chevy Chase Club
(Chevy Chase, Maryland)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Glenna Collett Vare
 Doris Chambers
1932 Wentworth Club
(Wentworth, England)
 United States  Great Britain &
 Ireland
 Marion Hollins
 Joyce Wethered

Of the 40 contests to 2018, USA have won 29 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 8 with 3 matches tied (1936, 1958 and 1994).

Future sites

See also

Notes and references

  1. "Ladies international golf". The Times. 20 May 1905. p. 13.
  2. "American ladies v British ladies". The Times. 26 May 1905. p. 12.
  3. "NCAA stars help U.S. win Curtis Cup at St. Andrews". PGA Tour. Associated Press. 2008-06-01. Archived from the original on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  4. "Curtis Cup heads to Wales for 2020". Ladies' Golf Union. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  5. "Curtis Cup moved off Solheim Cup dates for 2021". ESPN. Associated Press. 15 July 2021.
  6. "More Magic Moments Set for Merion in 2022". USGA. May 22, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
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