From left to right, Councilor Murray Lyle, Perth & Kinross Council; Conor O'Leary, Gleneagles; Alan Grant, VisitScotland; Catriona Matthew, captain of the European Solheim Cup team; David Kemp, Gleneagles; Artist, Jephson Robb; John Clarke, PING Europe; Paul Bush, EventScotland.

European Solheim Cup team captain Catriona Matthew, returning to Gleneagles, at the site of her team's spectacular victory in 2019, unveiled a special commemorative sculpture called 'Match' created by Scottish artist Jephson Robb. The ceremony took place on Tuesday April 27 in the presence of the management team of Gleneagles, Event Scotland and PING Europe.

At the sculpture's unveiling, Catriona said: “The European team's victory on Scottish soil will always be one of the greatest achievements of my career. I am sure this magnificent sculpture will also remind the thousands of people who visit Gleneagles each year of an exceptional Solheim Cup that I will certainly never forget. "

Jephson - one of the few Scottish artists to have worked for the permanent collection of the prestigious Museum of Modern Art in New York - was commissioned to create a permanent sculpture as a lasting reminder of the event, which saw more than 90000 spectators visit the 850 acre Estate in Perthshire, a record attendance for a UK women's golf tournament.

Team Europe Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew returned to the site of her team's victory to officially unveil the Jephson Robb memorial sculpture.

With a height of 1,75 cm, referring to the average height of the competitors, the stainless steel sculpture reflecting the course and the time like a mirror rests on a circular Scottish Whinstone plinth on which are inscribed the names of the players, captains and assistants and 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 final score. The sculpture is located along the opening tee of the PGA Centennial Course.

Jephson drew inspiration for the sculpture of the emotional last moments, when Norwegian Suzann Pettersen entered the winning putt on Team Europe's 18 putting green - one of the major sporting events of 2019.

He commented: “Many times I have watched this last moment of the finesse of a tricky putt that decided who won and it struck me how golf is two sports in one: a powerful drive and a skillful putting. My starting point for the shape was the circular shape of the golf swing. The general spherical nature of the sculpture refers to the overall nature of the competition as well as a golf ball. The circular base is a direct reference to the hole and, more specifically, to the final putt at the last hole that decided the winner. "

The sculpture also contains a number of hidden elements, namely a long necklace, the profile of a cup and two matching hearts that clash, a nod to the love and rivalry of the event. In naming it “Match”, Jephson also took inspiration from the Solheim Cup itself.

“Of course his name recognizes the organization of this incredible match play at Gleneagles, but for me, 'Match' has a number of other important meanings. It represents the strong bond that Karsten Solheim, the family that founded the event, had with his wife, Louise, their commercial "Match" with professional golfers during the development of their first PING putters in the 1960s and, at a Very personal level, Gleneagles is where I married my 'Match', ”said Jephson.

Gleneagles, regularly voted No. 1 Golf Resort in the UK and Ireland, remains the only site in Europe to have hosted both a Solheim Cup and a Ryder Cup (2014). It will further add to its rich history of welcoming tournaments when it hosts the Senior Open presented by Rolex next year (July 21-24).

Conor O'Leary, General Manager of Gleneagles, concluded: “The Jephson sculpture is a fitting celebration and made to survive one of the greatest modern moments in women's team sport. We hope thousands of people enjoy watching it and take the time to reflect on a truly remarkable event that showcased all that is great about the sport of golf and how it continues to captivate us. "

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About Gleneagles

2nd hole of PGA Centenary Course, The Gleneagles Hotle, Scotland.

Gleneagles celebrated in 2019 the centenary of its two legendary courses, the King's and the Queen's, ranked in the top 100 of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Since opening in June 1924, Gleneagles has been one of Scotland's most iconic hotels and sports areas. Situated beneath the Ochil Hills in the heart of Perthshire, it has been a must-see for travelers for almost a century. The Scottish Resort

Kicking off life in the glamorous era of travel when guests arrived in style at Gleneagles Station, the 343,983 ha estate epitomizes the natural beauty for which Scotland is famous.

Now under new owner Ennismore, Gleneagles has drawn on the skills and expertise of some of the UK's most recognized designers, including David Collins Studio, Timorous Beasties and Ennismore's own design studio - with the aim to create designs and spaces that celebrate the rich glamorous heritage and beautiful architecture for which the hotel is known.

About the Solheim Cup

The Solheim Cup PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland, Celine Boutier of France with the trophy. Credit: Tristan Jones

The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of golf with the passion of its country and its continent. This biannual transatlantic team match-play competition features the top 12 European players from the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the top 12 American players from the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour.

Held every two years, the event has become the most coveted trophy in professional women's golf team competition; some of the sport's most memorable moments have occurred in recent Solheim Cups, and places on European and American teams are in high demand by players from both organizations. The Solheim Cup is named after Karsten and Louise Solheim, the founders of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which manufactures PING golf equipment.

Instagram: @thegleneagleshotel / Twitter: @gleneagleshotel / Website: www.gleneagles.com

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