concept of a women 's team event between the two continents . The inaugural tournament , bearing Solheim 's name , was held in 1990 at the Lake Nona club in Florida . Two teams of eight players faced each other , with the American side running out comfortable winners 11 1/2 to 4 1/2 . In 1996 the tournament was increased to 12 players per side , a number that stands to this day and it has become the leading team event in women 's golf , with players earning their place either through their own tour money lists , or as a captain 's pick -- exactly the same as in the men 's Ryder Cup . There have been 11 tournaments in total , with the United States leading 8-3 , but the European team have not won any of the six competitions played on American soil . The football-loving legend : No look at the Solheim Cup can be taken without mentioning Laura Davies . Quite astonishingly , the Englishwoman , who turns 48 next month , has appeared in all 11 previous tournaments and , once again , she is a member of the European
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This weekend some of the world 's highest-paid sportswomen will battle for supremacy in Ireland , with the most prestigious team prize in their sport up for grabs . Golf 's Solheim Cup is the female equivalent of the Ryder Cup , but it has yet to garner such a big reputation , despite a rich history and intense competition over the years . With this in mind , CNN gives the lowdown on a great sporting event that deserves your attention ... From humble beginnings : To trace the origins of the competition , we need to go back to 1959 and a garage in Redwood City , California . It was in this garage that a 48-year-old Norwegian engineer and golf lover , fed up with the putters he was using to play the game , decided to use his in-depth knowledge of science to manufacturer his own putters by hand . From these humble beginnings , the world famous PING brand of golfing equipment was born . That man was Karsten Solheim and it was he , alongside his son John and the U.S. and European ladies golf tours , who developed the