Curtis Cup

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Short description Template:Template other 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.

History

In 1905 an informal match had been played at Royal Cromer Golf Club between teams of American and British golfers, 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, 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. 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 Nevile.

Harriot and Margaret Curtis later donated a trophy for a regular series of matches between teams from America and Britain, wanting to promote the international friendships in the world of women's golf. The cup was inscribed, "To stimulate friendly rivalry among the women golfers of many lands." 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 participate, but that never happened, the French and British teams playing each other in a separate match, first played in 1931.

An unofficial match between America and Britain was played at Sunningdale Golf Club on 1 May 1930 but was not organised by the USGA and LGU. There were five foursomes matches followed by ten singles matches in the afternoon. The match was level after the foursomes, with each team winning two matches and one match halved. Britain won six of the ten singles matches to win the contest.

The first match organised by the USGA and LGU was played in May 1932 at the Wentworth Club in England, and was won by the American team. This first match was not actually played for the Curtis Cup, since the LGU initially declined to accept the cup for the contest. André Vagliano, a French golfer and official, had offered the LGU a trophy for the match between France and Britain. The LGU had declined that offer and thus felt unable to accept the offer of the Curtis Cup. It was not until November 1932 that the LGU changed their minds and accepted both trophies. Even though the Curtis Cup was not actually played for in 1932, this match is accepted as the first match in the series.

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 2010 Leona Maguire became the youngest player to represent Great Britain & Ireland when she played at the age of 15. In 2008 Stacy Lewis won all her five matches, a feat equalled by Bronte Law in 2016 and Kristen Gillman in 2018. The scheduled 2020 event was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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 Template:1/2 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 from 1950 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

Year	Winning team	Score		Losing team	Captains	Venue
2024	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	10Template:1/2	9Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Meghan Stasi Template:Flagicon Catriona Matthew	Sunningdale Golf Club (Sunningdale, Berkshire, England)
2022	Template:Flagicon United States	15Template:1/2	4Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Sarah LeBrun Ingram Template:Flagicon Elaine Ratcliffe	Merion Golf Club (Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
2021	Template:Flagicon United States	12Template:1/2	7Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Sarah LeBrun Ingram Template:Flagicon Elaine Ratcliffe	Conwy Golf Club (Conwy, Wales)
2018	Template:Flagicon United States	17	3	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Virginia Derby Grimes Template:Flagicon Elaine Farquharson-Black	Quaker Ridge Golf Club (Scarsdale, New York)
2016	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	11Template:1/2	8Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Robin Burke Template:Flagicon Elaine Farquharson-Black	Dun Laoghaire Golf Club (Enniskerry, Ireland)
2014	Template:Flagicon United States	13	7	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Ellen Port Template:Flagicon Tegwen Matthews	St. Louis Country Club (Ladue, Missouri)
2012	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	10Template:1/2	9Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Pat Cornett Template:Flagicon Tegwen Matthews	Nairn Golf Club (Nairn, Scotland)
2010	Template:Flagicon United States	12Template:1/2	7Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Noreen Mohler Template:Flagicon Mary McKenna	Essex County Club (Manchester, Massachusetts)
2008	Template:Flagicon United States	13	7	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Carol Semple Thompson Template:Flagicon Mary McKenna	St Andrews Links (St Andrews, Fife, Scotland)
2006	Template:Flagicon United States	11Template:1/2	6Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Carol Semple Thompson Template:Flagicon Ada O'Sullivan	Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (Bandon, Oregon)
2004	Template:Flagicon United States	10	8	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Martha Kirouac Template:Flagicon Ada O'Sullivan	Formby Golf Club (Merseyside, England)
2002	Template:Flagicon United States	11	7	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Mary Budke Template:Flagicon Pam Benka	Fox Chapel Golf Club (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
2000	Template:Flagicon United States	10	8	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Jane Bastanchury Booth Template:Flagicon Claire Dowling	Ganton Golf Club (Ganton, England)
1998	Template:Flagicon United States	10	8	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Barbara McIntire Template:Flagicon Ita Butler	The Minikahda Club (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
1996	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	11Template:1/2	6Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Martha Lang Template:Flagicon Ita Butler	Killarney Golf & Fishing Club (Killarney, Ireland)
1994	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	9	9	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Lancy Smith Template:Flagicon Elizabeth Boatman	Honors Course (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
1992	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	10	8	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Judy Oliver Template:Flagicon Elizabeth Boatman	Royal Liverpool Golf Club (Hoylake, England)
1990	Template:Flagicon United States	14	4	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Leslie Shannon Template:Flagicon Jill Thornhill	Somerset Hills Country Club (Bernardsville, New Jersey)
1988	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	11	7	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Judy Bell Template:Flagicon Diane Bailey	Royal St George's Golf Club (Sandwich, Kent, England)
1986	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	13	5	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Judy Bell Template:Flagicon Diane Bailey	Prairie Dunes Country Club (Hutchinson, Kansas)
1984	Template:Flagicon United States	9Template:1/2	8Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Phyllis Preuss Template:Flagicon Diane Bailey	Muirfield (Scotland)
1982	Template:Flagicon United States	14Template:1/2	3Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Betty Probasco Template:Flagicon Maire O'Donnell	Denver Country Club (Denver, Colorado)
1980	Template:Flagicon United States	13	5	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Nancy Roth Syms Template:Flagicon Carol Comboy	St Pierre Golf & Country Club (Chepstow, Wales)
1978	Template:Flagicon United States	12	6	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Helen Sigel Wilson Template:Flagicon Carol Comboy	Apawamis Club (Rye, New York)
1976	Template:Flagicon United States	11Template:1/2	6Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Barbara McIntire Template:Flagicon Belle Robertson	Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, England)
1974	Template:Flagicon United States	13	5	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Sis Choate Template:Flagicon Belle Robertson	San Francisco Golf Club (San Francisco, California)
1972	Template:Flagicon United States	10	8	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Jean Ashley Crawford Template:Flagicon Frances Smith	Western Gailes Golf Club (Ayrshire, Scotland)
1970	Template:Flagicon United States	11Template:1/2	6Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Carolyn Cudone Template:Flagicon Jeanne Bisgood	Brae Burn Country Club (Newton, Massachusetts)
1968	Template:Flagicon United States	10Template:1/2	7Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Evelynn Monsted Template:Flagicon Zara Bolton	Royal County Down Golf Club (Newcastle, Northern Ireland)
1966	Template:Flagicon United States	13	5	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Dorothy Germain Porter Template:Flagicon Zara Bolton	The Homestead (Hot Springs, Virginia)
1964	Template:Flagicon United States	10Template:1/2	7Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Helen Hawes Template:Flagicon Elsie Corlett	Royal Porthcawl Golf Club (Porthcawl, South Wales)
1962	Template:Flagicon United States	8	1	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Polly Riley Template:Flagicon Frances Smith	Broadmoor Golf Club (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
1960	Template:Flagicon United States	6Template:1/2	2Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Mildred Prunaret Template:Flagicon Maureen Garrett	Lindrick Golf Club (Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England)
1958	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	4Template:1/2	4Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Virginia Dennehy Template:Flagicon Daisy Ferguson	Brae Burn Country Club (Newton, Massachusetts)
1956	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	5	4	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Edith Flippin Template:Flagicon Zara Bolton	Prince's Golf Club (Sandwich, Kent, England)
1954	Template:Flagicon United States	6	3	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Edith Flippin Template:Flagicon Dorothy Beck	Merion Golf Club (Ardmore, Pennsylvania)
1952	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	5	4	Template:Flagicon United States	Template:Flagicon Aniela Goldthwaite Template:Flagicon Katharine Cairns	Muirfield (Scotland)
1950	Template:Flagicon United States	7Template:1/2	1Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Glenna Collett Vare Template:Flagicon Diana Critchley	Country Club of Buffalo (Williamsville, New York)
1948	Template:Flagicon United States	6Template:1/2	2Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Glenna Collett Vare Template:Flagicon Doris Chambers	Royal Birkdale Golf Club (Southport, England)
1940–1946: Not played due to World War II
1938	Template:Flagicon United States	5Template:1/2	3Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Frances Stebbins Template:Flagicon Margaret Wallace-Williamson	Essex County Club (Manchester, Massachusetts)
1936	Template:Flagicon United States	4Template:1/2	4Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Glenna Collett Vare Template:Flagicon Doris Chambers	King's Course (Gleneagles, Scotland)
1934	Template:Flagicon United States	6Template:1/2	2Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Glenna Collett Vare Template:Flagicon Doris Chambers	Chevy Chase Club (Chevy Chase, Maryland)
1932	Template:Flagicon United States	5Template:1/2	3Template:1/2	Template:Flagicon Great Britain & Template:Flagicon Ireland	Template:Flagicon Marion Hollins Template:Flagicon Joyce Wethered	Wentworth Club (Wentworth, England)

Of the 43 contests through 2024, USA have won 31 matches, Great Britain and Ireland have won 9 with 3 matches tied (1936, 1958 and 1994).

Future sites

• 2026 – Bel-Air Country Club, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California
• 2028 – Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland
• 2030 – National Golf Links of America, Southampton, New York
• 2034 – Pine Valley Golf Club, Pine Valley, New Jersey
• 2038 – Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Oregon

See also

• List of American Curtis Cup golfers
• List of Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup golfers

External links

• Official site