LPGA apologizes for shuttle parking issues at Solheim Cup

The LPGA has apologized after logistical issues forced participants to wait hours for a parking shuttle to transport them to the Solheim Cup. Frustrated fans had to wait hours for a bus that would take them from the parking lot to the golf course.

The Solheim Cup, the LPGA equivalent of the Ryder Cup, is a biennial competition that pits a team of American golfers against a European team. This year’s Solheim Cup is being played at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.

Due to a lack of parking at the club, attendees were asked to park at Jiffy Lube Live, a nearby outdoor concert venue, and take a shuttle. However, things did not go as planned: participants reported waiting in line for hours in a line over a mile long. Many fans, despite arriving for parking more than an hour before the 7:05 a.m. first tee, did not arrive on the course until after 9 a.m., according to NBC Sports.

At that time, the LPGA issued a statement on social media, apologizing to blocked fans.

“We recognize and deeply apologize to all fans affected by the difficulties associated with shuttling between the parking lot and the golf course,” the LPGA wrote. “We have made significant changes to our transportation system to alleviate these issues in the future, and we are working on ways to express our regrets to those affected.”

The problem, attendees said, was that there weren’t enough buses to transport fans the five miles to the golf course. A woman said NBC Sports that she chose to park in a different location and walk two miles to the club rather than deal with wait times.

The stands were relatively empty for the first few start times, with hundreds of participants still stuck waiting for the bus. By Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nicholsfans also had to wait for the shuttle for hours after the event’s opening ceremony.

Eventually, the crowd was able to arrive and fill the stands to watch Friday’s foursome competition. After the first day, the United States led Europe 6-2, with three of the four American pairs winning the match.

The three winning American pairs were Nelly Korda and Megan Khang, Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang, and Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel. Europe earned its only points of the day in a resounding victory over Alison Lee and Lexi Thompson.

The second day of the competition will begin on Saturday with a new quartet slate.

Europe won the competition in 2019 and 2021, and retained the title after a tie in 2023. Now, with the event returning to an even-year schedule due to a pandemic calendar reshuffle in 2020 , the United States is off to a good start. – and I hope fans can watch without further problems.