Catriona Matthew Bio
Catriona Isobel Matthew OBE is a Scottish professional golfer who plays mainly on the US-based LPGA Tour and is also a member of the Ladies European Tour. Born in Edinburgh and raised in North Berwick, she turned professional in 1995 after a distinguished amateur career and has competed at the highest level of women’s golf for more than two decades. She is best known for winning the 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open, becoming the first player from Scotland to capture a women’s major championship. She is also a celebrated Solheim Cup figure, having played in the event multiple times and later captaining the European team to victory in 2019 and 2021.
Early Life and Background
Catriona Isobel Matthew was born on 25 August 1969 in Edinburgh, Scotland, and grew up in the coastal town of North Berwick. She learned to play golf as a child on the Children’s Course and the North Berwick West Links, two public courses that have long nurtured young Scottish talent. That early exposure on seaside links land helped shape her calm, steady approach to the game.
She had a highly successful junior and amateur career, capturing the Scottish Girls title in 1986 and the Scottish Under-21 Stroke Play championship in 1988 and 1989. She later won the Scottish Amateur in 1991, 1993, and 1994, added the British Amateur title in 1993, and is a two-time winner of the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews. She also represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 1990, 1992, and 1994 Curtis Cup teams.
Matthew graduated from the University of Stirling in 1992, where she studied accountancy. The University of Stirling was one of the few British institutions offering golf scholarships at the time, which supported her development as both a student and a competitive player.
Path to Professional Golf
After completing her studies, Matthew set her sights on the professional ranks. She qualified for the LPGA Tour by tying for fifth at the 1994 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, earning exempt status for the 1995 season. That same year she also qualified for the Ladies European Tour, giving her a dual-tour schedule that she has maintained throughout her career.
Her transition from amateur standout to touring professional was remarkably smooth. She won her maiden professional title at the Holden Women’s Australian Open in 1996 and added the 1998 McDonald’s WPGA Championship on the Ladies European Tour. Her strongest early seasons on the LPGA Tour came in 2001 and 2005, when she finished tenth on the money list in both years, establishing herself as a consistent contender on the world’s premier women’s circuit.
Catriona Matthew Career
Early Career (1995-2000)
Matthew quickly adapted to the demands of life on tour. Her first professional victory, the 1996 Holden Women’s Australian Open, signaled that her amateur pedigree would translate to the paid ranks. Two years later, she captured the McDonald’s WPGA Championship on the Ladies European Tour, reinforcing her reputation as a reliable ball striker and dependable competitor.
She also became a familiar figure in the Solheim Cup. Matthew was part of the 1998 European Solheim Cup team and was first reserve for the 2000 matches held in her native Scotland. When Helen Alfredsson briefly hurt her wrist, Matthew was called into the squad, though Alfredsson ultimately recovered in time to play.
Ladies European Tour Breakthrough (1998-2009)
On the Ladies European Tour, Matthew compiled six career victories, building a strong record across the continent. She represented Scotland at the 2005 and 2006 Women’s World Cup of Golf alongside Janice Moodie and was a member of the victorious International team captained by Annika Sörenstam at the inaugural Lexus Cup.
She added the 2007 Scandinavian TPC hosted by Annika to her resume and, in January 2009, won the inaugural HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup, an unofficial LPGA event. At the time of that Brazilian victory, she was five months pregnant with her second child, a striking example of her competitive drive.
LPGA Tour and Major Championship Success (2001-2011)
On the LPGA Tour, Matthew won four times, with her best years coming in 2001 and 2005, both top-ten finishes on the money list. Her major championship resume includes a tie for fourth at the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open, a tie for second at the 2007 Chevron Championship, and a fifth-place finish at the 1999 du Maurier Classic.
Her crowning moment came on 2 August 2009 at Royal Lytham and St Annes, where she won the Ricoh Women’s British Open at three under par, one shot clear of Karrie Webb. The victory came just 11 weeks after the birth of her second daughter, Sophie, and made her the first Scottish player to win a women’s major championship. In 2011, she added a fourth LPGA title at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico.
Solheim Cup Captaincy (2017-Present)
Matthew was named a vice-captain for the 2017 Solheim Cup but ended up playing in the match after an injury to Suzann Pettersen. On 21 September 2017, she was announced as captain of the European team for the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles, which Europe won. In October 2019, she was named captain again for 2021, and on 6 September 2021, she led Europe to victory over the United States at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio.
Notable Events and Milestones
Matthew’s 2009 Women’s British Open title, captured 11 weeks after giving birth, remains the most celebrated chapter of her career and a defining moment for Scottish women’s golf. She became the first player from Scotland to win a women’s major championship, and she was recognized with the Ladies European Tour Player of the Year award and the Heather Farr Player Award in 2009. In 2013, she finished runner-up at the LPGA Championship, losing a sudden-death playoff to Inbee Park after erasing a seven-stroke final-round deficit.
Catriona Matthew Career Wins
Catriona Matthew has recorded 11 professional victories across multiple tours. Her wins span the LPGA Tour, the Ladies European Tour, the WPGA Tour of Australasia, and other recognized events, reflecting a well-traveled and consistently successful career.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Matthew has won four times on the LPGA Tour, with her most recent victory coming at the 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico. Her 2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open, a major co-sanctioned by the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, is the most significant of those titles. She has recorded strong major finishes elsewhere as well, including a tie for second at the 2007 Chevron Championship and a runner-up result at the 2013 LPGA Championship.
Ladies European Tour Highlights
On the Ladies European Tour, Matthew has six career wins, beginning with the 1998 McDonald’s WPGA Championship. Her sustained play on the LET, combined with her LPGA commitments, helped earn her the 2009 Ladies European Tour Player of the Year award.
Other Wins and Performances
Matthew has also recorded one win on the WPGA Tour of Australasia, the 1996 Holden Women’s Australian Open, and one other recognized victory, the 2009 HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup. Together, these results underline the international scope of her career and her ability to win on multiple continents.
Catriona Matthew Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Matthew is married to Graeme Matthew, who also serves as her caddie on tour. The couple has two daughters: Katie Jessica Matthew, born on 18 December 2006, and Sophie Lauren Matthew, born on 16 May 2009. Her family has been a central part of her professional journey, with Graeme accompanying her at tournaments and the children often traveling with the couple during the season.
In July 2009, Matthew and her husband escaped a fire at the hotel where they were staying during the Evian Masters. Graeme suffered burns to his feet and was unable to caddie for two rounds, a difficult episode in an otherwise triumphant year for the family.
Matthew was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 New Year Honours and Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2020 New Year Honours, both for services to golf. The family lives in North Berwick, Scotland, the town where she first learned the game.
2025 Season Outlook
Entering 2025, Catriona Matthew remains an influential figure in the women’s game through her Solheim Cup legacy and her connections to Scottish golf. While her competitive playing schedule has scaled back in recent years, her voice in the sport continues to carry weight, particularly in Europe following the back-to-back Solheim Cup triumphs of 2019 and 2021.
Off the course, Matthew is widely respected for mentoring younger Scottish players and for her advocacy of women’s golf at the grassroots level. Her career earnings on the LPGA Tour stand at 9,733,132 dollars, a figure that reflects both longevity and consistent high-level play over nearly three decades.
Looking ahead, Matthew is expected to remain an ambassador for the game in 2025, with potential involvement in exhibition events, captain’s helper roles, and developmental work in Scotland. Her story, from the Children’s Course at North Berwick to the trophy lift at Royal Lytham, remains one of the most inspiring in modern women’s golf.