England Golf has reignited its campaign to bring the Solheim Cup to English soil and is now appealing to the government for financial assistance to underpin a bid for the 2030 tournament. Although the Solheim Cup has travelled to seven different European nations, England has never yet been a host, and the location for the 2030 edition—the next time the event will be staged in Europe—remains undecided.
Several venues have stepped forward with interest, most notably The Grove in Hertfordshire. However, any successful application to bring the competition to England will require public funding, as private investment alone has not yet materialised. England Golf’s chief executive, Jeremy Tomlinson, says discussions are ongoing about the next European venue and he believes that securing the biennial contest would generate "immeasurable good" for the sport.
"The Solheim Cup is in a really good place and it's going to get bigger," Tomlinson told Sky Sports. "I honestly think if we bring the Solheim Cup to England we can double, maybe even treble the crowds." He added that a number of clubs are eager to put forward bids and that, with modest government backing, a historic first‑time English host could be realised. "We are working with clubs, with IMG and the Ladies European Tour, and we have talks ongoing with UK Sport.
I don’t want to say too much, but we feel very positive and would love to bring the event to England," Tomlinson said. Financially, staging a Solheim Cup is far less demanding than the men’s Ryder Cup – it costs less than one‑tenth of the amount required for the latter. Tomlinson hopes the government will underwrite the bid, creating a landmark event that showcases women’s golf on a national stage.
He acknowledged that, while a private entrepreneur could potentially shoulder the entire cost, no such patron has yet emerged. "We are somewhat dependent upon government to be able to step forward and help us.
We have some discussions with them right now and they are positive, they are constructive," Tomlinson explained. "It is a lot of money that you need to be able to put this on, but we truly believe – and I think the government feels it as well – that the returns from a feel‑good factor and a promotion of an incredible sport could be dynamic." The recent Solheim Cup saw Team Europe reclaim the trophy with a 15‑13 win at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, a match witnessed by a packed grandstand and highlighted by three English players on the victorious side. The triumph underscores the growing popularity of women’s golf in the UK.
Tomlinson pointed out that the sport has experienced a post‑pandemic boom. "Golf has continued to boom since the pandemic, there is no two ways about that," he said.
"We have in excess of 12 and a half million people just in England who, in some way, shape or form, touch golf or participate in golf." He also emphasized the importance of role models for women and girls. "We have an incredible amount of women that enjoy playing golf away from golf courses. We'd love more women, more girls to be able to come to the golf courses, but they need to have heroes and they need to have people to inspire them," Tomlinson said. According to England Golf, securing the Solheim Cup would provide a massive boost not only to the sport itself but also to the broader agenda of women’s participation in sport.
"We truly believe that if we could get the Solheim Cup, it could do immeasurable good for the game of golf and for women in sport. It would be a very, very proud moment," he added. The next Solheim Cup after 2028 will be contested at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky, USA, from September 8‑10, 2028. The 2028 edition will be followed by the 2030 tournament, for which England Golf is now actively lobbying the government for support.
Sky Sports News has reached out to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for comment on the bid.