Two-time winning Solheim Cup Captain and Major Champion, Catriona Matthew, is the worthy recipient of the Confederation of Professional Golf’s [CPG] 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising her outstanding career as a player and as a captain.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was introduced in 2011 and in the same year was posthumously awarded to Seve Ballesteros. Since then, winners have included Alison Nicholas, Bernhard Langer and José María Olazábal, with each being recognised for their success and influence in the sport within their own countries and around the world.
“It is very prestigious to be following on from these fantastic names” commented Matthew, as she received the award at her home club, The North Berwick Golf Club. “I am delighted and honoured to be given this award. It is fantastic recognition for how I have played and performed over the years.
“I have to thank my husband, Graham, who caddied for me for 20 years; to my first Professional and teacher, Jim Hume; and John Chillas, who helped me whilst competing at university. I would also like to thank all the PGAs and Professionals out there – it is you that do the hard work in moulding the future of our sport and the fact that there were 8 different nationalities in this year’s European Solheim Cup team illustrates what a fantastic job you are all doing.”
‘Beany’, as she is affectionately known, boasts a tremendous career in which she has tasted success on both the playing side and the leadership side of the game. Her success started during her amateur career, where she won many international championships and appeared in three Curtis Cup matches. This success translated quickly into the Professional ranks when she earned her LPGA card in 1994 and Ladies European Tour card in 1995 and went on to win various titles that included her standout major victory in the 2009 Women’s British Open.
Individual success has been complemented by representation and victory within team environments for Catriona too, which includes three Women’s World Cup of Golf appearances for Scotland and nine appearances for the European Solheim Cup team, where she amassed the third highest points total for a player in the event’s history, coupled with home and away success as captain in 2019 at Gleneagles and in 2021 at the Inverness Club.
“We are delighted to be able to recognise Catriona with this award for the significant achievements she has had as a player and more recently as a captain” commented CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell. “This year’s Solheim Cup success for Europe was one of, if not the, highlight of the golfing year and Catriona’s leadership of a team that contained 8 different nationalities from across Europe was truly outstanding. The fondness and respect that Catriona commands across the game is there for all to see and I could not think of a more deserving recipient of this year’s award.”
