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Curtis Cup

Catriona Matthew OBE reappointed as GB&I Curtis Cup Captain

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The R&A
17 Dec 24
3 mins
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Catriona Matthew OBE, who led Great Britain and Ireland to a memorable Curtis Cup victory earlier this year, will continue as Captain for the match against the United States of America at Bel-Air Country Club in 2026. 

Matthew masterminded a first win in eight years for GB&I with a thrilling 10½-9½ triumph at Sunningdale in September – a success featured in a new R&A documentary, Rising: Inside the Curtis Cup, to be aired this week.   The two-time Solheim Cup-winning Captain will aim to lead a fourth team triumph when the 44th Curtis Cup takes place at Bel-Air in Los Angeles, California from 12-14 June 2026. Matthew’s appointment for this year’s match marked a new era for the GB&I side, with the Scot bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role from her decorated amateur and professional career to inspire the home team to victory. The 55-year-old is now relishing the chance to take on a fresh challenge with GB&I on away soil.

New challenge

“I’m delighted to be reappointed as Great Britain and Ireland Captain for the Curtis Cup and look forward to leading the team at Bel-Air in 2026,” said Matthew, who was a member of three GB&I Curtis Cup teams. “It was a great contest against the United States of America at Sunningdale and the victory is right up there with anything I’ve achieved, including winning the Solheim Cup as a player and Captain. I was proud to lead such a talented side and am honoured that The R&A has asked me to continue as Captain.” Matthew, who won the AIG Women's Open in 2009, captained Europe to Solheim Cup successes in 2019 at Gleneagles and two years later in Ohio – just a second victory on American soil. “It’s always harder to win away from home and I’m excited for the opportunity,” added the 1993 Women’s Amateur Champion. “It will be a great occasion at Bel-Air and it is my job to again build a high performing and motivated team who will aim to retain the trophy.” 
2024 Curtis Cup

GB&I documentary

Rising: Inside the Curtis Cup is aired on R&A TV on Thursday (19 December) and screened on Sky Sports Golf in the UK over the festive period. Featuring fresh interviews with Matthew and key members of her team, the special 30-minute documentary goes behind-the-scenes to provide a unique insight into GB&I’s historic win. In other international matches in 2025, Dean Robertson, a European Tour winner and the High Performance Golf Coach at the University of Stirling, captains GB&I in the Walker Cup at the Cypress Point Club from 6-7 September. Robertson also takes charge of GB&I for the St Andrews Trophy staged at Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro in Spain in July. Chris King has been reappointed as Captain of GB&I’s Jacques Léglise Trophy team at boys’ level next year, while Senior Irish internationalist Deirdre Walsh again leads the GB&I girls’ team for the Junior Vagliano Trophy. Non-playing captain Walsh steered GB&I to a first-ever victory over the Continent of Europe in the Junior Vagliano Trophy at West Lancashire in August. Former Curtis Cup player Maria Dunne also returns as Captain of the Vagliano Trophy team. Royal Hague Golf & Country Club in the Netherlands hosts the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano trophies in June, with the Jacques Léglise Trophy at the Royal Golf Club of Belgium in August.
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Curtis Cup