Three consecutive DP World Tour events helped establish the ambitious Dutch destination’s international championship prowess
Just eight years after opening, Bernardus is preparing to welcome the first Solheim Cup to be staged in the Netherlands, marking the next chapter in the destination’s rapid rise onto the international golf stage.
Taking place from 11–13 September 2026, the contest between Europe and the United States will be the most significant tournament hosted at Bernardus to date. However, its journey as a championship venue began well before the staging of the Solheim Cup was announced.
When Bernardus opened in 2018, its ambition was to establish a premium golf and hospitality destination with a distinctive identity and a course capable of hosting golf at the highest level.
Designed by renowned American golf course architect Kyle Phillips, the heathland-inspired layout was created to provide a strategic and engaging test for golfers of every level. Its carefully positioned bunkers, water features, contoured greens, and exposure to changing wind conditions have also given the course a clear championship character.
Within three years of opening, Bernardus welcomed its first DP World Tour event and went on to host three consecutive editions of the Netherlands’ national open between 2021 and 2023, staged as the Dutch Open in 2021 and 2022 and the KLM Open in 2023.
Sabine Riezebos, General Manager of Bernardus, shared: “Bernardus was created with the ambition of combining golf and hospitality at the highest level. Hosting three consecutive editions of the Dutch Open and KLM Open was an important part of that journey and gave our entire team invaluable international tournament experience. The Solheim Cup represents the next chapter. It gives us an extraordinary opportunity to welcome the world to Bernardus and demonstrate how far the destination has developed in a relatively short time.”
Each edition of the national open allowed the Bernardus team to build its operational knowledge and further understand how the Kyle Phillips-designed course performs under the demands of elite competition.
Niall Richardson, Golf Course Superintendent at Bernardus, commented: “Kyle Phillips created a course with a clear identity, offering strategic choices and a different challenge in changing conditions. Hosting three editions of the Dutch Open and KLM Open gave our team hands-on experience in presenting Bernardus for international competition.”
The Solheim Cup will now place Bernardus before its largest international audience to date. As the first edition of the event to take place in the Netherlands, the tournament also provides an opportunity to strengthen the country’s visibility as a golf destination and introduce Bernardus to players, spectators, and viewers around the world.
For further information on the Solheim Cup and to purchase tickets, visit: www.solheimcup2026.golf
To discover more about Bernardus, visit: www.bernardusgolf.com