The Solheim cup returns to Scotland for the third time when the 16th edition gets underway at Gleneagles today.

The tournament is played between 12 top female golfers from Europe and the United States. It follows the same format as the Ryder Cup where the first two days consist of fourball and foursome matches with 12 singles on Sunday.

Team USA boast the superior record having won 10 of the 15 contests so far and will bid for their third victory on the trot after claiming victory in Germany four years ago and on home soil in 2017 in Iowa.

Despite being underdogs, team Europe can take encouragement from history as they have been victorious on both previous occasions the tournament has been held in Scotland.

The team from the US need 14 of the 28 (half) total points on offer to retain the cup, while Europe would have need 14.5 points to regain it.

Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know ahead of the opening day's play:

TEAMS:

Team Europe

Captain (non-playing): Catriona Matthew (Sco)

Assistant Captains (non-playing): Laura Davies (Eng), Kathryn Imrie (Sco), Melissa Reid (Eng)

Team: Carlota Ciganda (Esp), Anne van Dan (Ned), Caroline Hadwall (Swe), Charley Hull (Eng), Georgia Hall (Eng), Azahara Muñoz (Esp), Caroline Masson (Ger), Anna Nordqvist (Swe), Celine Boutier (Fra), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (Eng), Bronte Law (Eng), Suzann Pettersen (Nor)

Team USA

Captain (non-playing): Juli Inkster

Assistant Captains (non-playing): Pat Hurst, Nancy Lopez, Wendy Ward

Team: Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle King, Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Megan Khang, Marina Alex, Brittany Altomare, Angel Yin, Annie Park, Morgan Pressel, Ally McDonald

Day 1 morning - Foursomes (Starts 8:10am )

All four Englishwomen feature in the opening day foursomes for Team Europe.

Bronte Law partners Carlota Ciganda as they take on US duo of Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex in the opening match.

Europe captain Catriona Matthew said 24-year-old Law was "champing at the bit" to play and acknowledged that she and Boutier needed to be on the tee early, saying: "I just feel the longer they have to wait, the more nervous they are going to get." 

Following this Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier will take on Brittany Altomare and Lexi Thompson teeing off at 8:22am.

Next on the tee are Caroline Masson and Jodi Ewart Shadoff battling it out against the two Kordas at 8:34 and then rounding off day one Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz face Meghan Khang and Annie Park.

The fourballs for Friday afternoon will be announced later.

Saturday follows the same schedule and then things really heat up as the 24 women take to the tee for the Sunday singles