2017 Solheim Cup to bring Rascal Flatts, Jake Owen to central Iowa

Fans can cheer Team USA in high-stakes golf action, and then party with two of country music’s most popular acts

March 10, 2017 (West Des Moines, Iowa) – Organizers of the 2017 Solheim Cup, the most prestigious international women’s golf team competition, today announced the Solheim Cup Concert Series presented by Hy-Vee.  Country music superstars Rascal Flatts and Jake Owen with special guest DJ Rock will perform the weekend of the 2017 Solheim Cup at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa. Owen will perform following the first day of competition of the 2017 Solheim Cup, Friday, Aug. 18, and Rascal Flatts will perform after matches the following day, Saturday, Aug. 19.

Tickets to attend the 2017 Solheim Cup are available for purchase at www.solheimcupusa.com. Tickets for the Solheim Cup Concert Series presented by Hy-Vee will go on sale to the general public on March 16 at 10:00 a.m. CST via the same website. Ticket pricing to attend both concerts will start at $100. Friday ticket pricing for the Jake Owen concert will start at $50 and Saturday ticket pricing for the Rascal Flatts concert will start at $60.

“With the excitement and athletic drama of the 2017 Solheim Cup and two nights of performances from two of the nation’s hottest music acts, I have no doubt it will be the best weekend of the summer,” said Chris Garrett, tournament director of the 2017 Solheim Cup. “I expect anyone in the Midwest who likes to have a good time, golf fan or not, will want to be at Des Moines Golf and Country Club the weekend of August 18^th.”

That weekend, visitors to Des Moines Golf and Country Club will have the opportunity to see the best women’s golfers on Team USA pitted against the best from Team Europe in team match-play. In this format, a team is awarded a point each time one of its golfers beats one of its opponent’s golfers on a hole. This scoring system makes for thrilling, easy-to-follow action for both golf aficionados and individuals new to the sport.

The 2017 Solheim Cup will feature Team USA—winners of the last Solheim Cup—defending its title against Team Europe. In 2015, the last time the Solheim Cup was held, Team USA rallied on the last day of the tournament to defeat Team Europe for the biggest comeback and narrowest victory in Solheim Cup history. That victory prevented Team Europe from winning its third Solheim Cup in a row. The 2015 Solheim Cup was the first time World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster captained Team USA, and she will return to lead the 2017 squad.

“So many people have asked, ‘Would you do it again?’” said Inkster in Dec. 2015, when she was named captain for the 2017 Solheim Cup. “I have had a lot of exciting and memorable highlights during my time on Tour but leading that team of 12 women was one of the biggest thrills of my entire golf career. So the answer was easy…I’m thrilled by the challenge of defending the Cup on home soil next summer and can’t wait to put on a show in Des Moines.”

Team Europe will counter with its own legend and World Golf Hall of Famer, Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam. It will be Sorenstam’s first captaincy of Team Europe, and she is faced with the difficult task of steadying her visiting team against the often raucous home crowd.

“The atmosphere is nothing like any other golf tournament,” said Sorenstam.

Ten of the 12 members of Team USA will be determined by a ranking that awards points for each top-twenty finish on the LPGA Tour since 2015, with greater weight given to finishes during the 2017 LPGA season. As captain, Inkster is free to choose the remaining two players she would like on the team. Lexi Thompson, 22, currently leads American players in the 2017 Solheim Cup point standings.

Tickets to the 2017 Solheim Cup, Aug. 14 to Aug. 20 at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in West Des Moines, Iowa, are currently available for purchase at www.solheimcupusa.com.

The best-selling country vocal group of the past decade, superstar trio Rascal Flatts has sold over 23.1 million albums, over 31 million digital downloads and sold over 10 million concert tickets worldwide. The group recently released their “sure-fire smash” (USA Today) hit single “Yours If You Want It” that is currently climbing the country radio charts.

Solo-artist Owen is best known for platinum hits including “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and “Beachin’.” Released in 2016, his fifth studio album, “American Love,” debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.