Victorious 2019 Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, who will lead the European side again in 2021, ended the year with another remarkable achievement. Matthew was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honour’s List by Queen Elizabeth.

Matthew (50) had already received a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and she told the BBC that was “surprised” to receive the call concerning the New Year Honour.

“It’s a huge honor for me, for the team and for women’s golf,” she said.

Matthew will formally receive the OBE at Buckingham Palace early in 2020 and said her family is excited about joining for the ceremony.

"This Honour caps off what’s been an outstanding year for me," Matthew said. "It was literally a dream come true, to captain a winning European Solheim Cup team in front of amazing home crowds at Gleneagles in September. This is really an award for the whole team as it was their outstanding efforts that lead to the result we were all wanting, but I couldn’t have been prouder of the way it all came together."

A 25-year LPGA Tour veteran, Matthew won four times on Tour, including one major, the 2009 AIG Women’s British Open. She also won five times on the LET, including two victories in her home country at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open before it became a joint LPGA/LET event.

This past September she presided over one of the most thrilling Solheim Cup contests in recent memory, with her captain’s pick, Suzann Pettersen, holing a six-foot putt to clinch the matches for Europe.

The 2021 Solheim Cup will be held at the Inverness Club in Toledo Ohio August 31 through September 6.

Queen Elizabeth names Catriona Matthew OBE in the New year Honour

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