The teams, the history, the race: Europe has tried to win back the Solheim Cup from the US

July Inkster and Catriona Matthew on either side of the maker of the cup Karsten SolheimSolheim Cup Date: 13-15 September Location: Gleneagles, Scotland Cover: Full live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app followed by an hour-long highlight program on BBC Two of BBC Four every day that will also be available on BBC iPlayer and online.

The 16th edition of the Solheim Cup between Europe and the United States begins on Friday, September 13 in Gleneagles, Scotland.

The event follows the same format as the Ryder Cup, with four-ball and four games on the first two days followed by 12 basehits on Sunday.

Team USA has won 10 of the 15 previous games and is trying to claim a third on the trot after winning four years ago in Germany and then defending its home-grown title in Iowa in 2017.

This is the third time the Solheim Cup has been organized in Scotland, with Europe winning both times.

The game starts on Friday at 8:10 AM BST and this is what you need to know about the teams, the history and the course.

Team Europe

The Scottish Catriona Matthew leads the home side. The 50-year-old is a veteran of nine Solheim Cups as a player and said the event has been "the highlight of my career every two years".

There are four English women in the 12-person team – Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Bronte Law.

Hull became the youngest European player in 2013 when she made her debut at the age of 17 and contributed seven and a half points from 11 games in her three appearances.

She is one of only three players in the world's top 30 team, alongside Law in 26th, Hull on 29th and Spain & Carlota Ciganda, who is the highest ranked European at 12.

Hall won the Women & # 39; s British Open 2018 and the 23-year-old won the Ladies European Tour the merit of the past two years.

Law, 24, is one of the three rookies in the European team, with the French Celine Boutier, 25, and the 23-year-old Anne van Dam of the Netherlands.

The Spanish Carlota Ciganda (right) and the British Bronte Act (left) are the two highest ranked European players

The player born in Stockport took her first LPGA Tour victory earlier this season and was one of Matthew & # 39; s four wildcard picks, together with Boutier, Ewart Shadoff and Suzann Pettersen.

The Norwegian Pettersen – who won 19 points in eight Solheim Cups – was a surprising shot because he missed the 2017 event due to an injury and then took a baby leave in November of that year.

The 38-year-old was chosen as vice-captain, but despite missing the cut in her first two events this year, Matthew chose her to play.

Team VS

The visitors are led by Juli Inkster, who has a relatively inexperienced side for the third time.

Five of the American dozen are in the top 20 of the world, but half of her team makes their first Solheim Cup appearances.

In fact, they have played in just 14 Solheim Cups between them, with three players having made their second appearances.

Ally McDonald, drafted as a late replacement for the injured Stacy Lewis, joins Marina Alex, Brittany Altomare, Megan Khang, Nelly Korda and Annie Park in making their debut.

Korda sisters excited by Solheim Cup

But Inkster thinks it can help to bend your Solheim Cup at home.

"If you are a rookie, it is easier to play away because you are not expected to win and you can play a little looser," she said.

"It is easier to bind and there is not much distraction from the outside."

Of those, only 21-year-old Nelly Korda is in the top 30 of the world. Korda & # 39; s older sister Jessica, 26, is also on the team, making them the first brothers and sisters to play for the US at the Solheim Cup.

"We look the same, we are called each other's names and our golf games have a similar style," Jessica told BBC Sport.

"When I [recently] had a rule officer who said I would be warned, he called me Nelly."

The American team also has world number three Lexi Thompson. The 24-year-old became the youngest player to qualify for the US Women's Open when she was 12

At the age of 16, she became the youngest winner of an LPGA event and was 19 when she her first won but so far only big title.

She has only lost two of her 11 Solheim Cup matches and won seven points in three appearances.

Morgan Pressel is the most experienced American player and makes her sixth appearance. The 31-year-old has won 10 and lost seven of her 19 games.

History

Norwegian-born American golf club maker Karsten Solheim was the driving force behind the formation of the event that bears his name.

Solheim only started playing golf at the age of 42, but began redesigning the putter and founding Karsten Manufacturing, makers of the Ping brand of golf clubs.

The first Solheim Cup was staged in Lake Nona, Florida in 1990.

The US were comfortable 11½-4½ winners in the inaugural competition, but a Laura Davies-inspired Europe claimed two-year victory later in Dalmahoy, near Edinburgh.

The US won the following three large-margin events before the event returned to Scotland in 2000, with Europe triumphing at Loch Lomond.

Another home victory in 2003 for Europe was followed by three American successes. But after a close 15-13 win in Ireland, Europe won their first win in 2013 with a thunderous win of 18-10 in Colorado.

The US turned to Solheim Cup veteran Inkster as captain for the 2015 Germany event in 2015, but while Europe led 10-6 in Sunday's singles, the US won eight and a half points out of 12 to take the win.

Inkster led the US to a 16½-11½ victory in Iowa as the last time out.

Keyholes

The 2014 PGA Centenary course organized the Ryder Cup 2014, when the men in Europe defeated their US counterparts 16½-11½ and there could be a number of holes that could hold the key may be until the outcome of competitions.

The second hole – Wester Greenwells – the first par five and there is a danger for those who are chasing the green with bunkers and water for wandering shots.

The fifth hole – Crookit Cratur – always judged with the most difficult hole on the course, especially with another well-protected green through swamp area short and right

The 14th hole – Nebit Knowe – a real risk-return par four of just 232 yards. The green is shallow and well guarded by bunkers, with the safer option being to jump to the left.

The 16th hole – Lochan Loup – do you put a shortage of water or do you opt for the green in two on this long par five? A heavily profiled green means that there is no certainty that you will go down in two.

The 18th hole – Dun Roamin & # 39; – for matches that are the last, a par five must be played. The green is narrow and surrounded by bunkers and cavities that provide challenging ups and downs.

The Solheim Cup is part of the Change The Game campaign by BBC Sport. #ChangeTheGame from BBC Sport celebrates a summer full of live sporting women's action and additional programming on TV, radio and online.