Icher, Hedwall, Masson, Matthew are Europe’s cup wildcards

The four players handed wild cards join Carlota Ciganda (Spain), Sandra Gal (Germany), Charley Hull (England), Azahara Muñoz (Spain), Gwladys Nocera (France), Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Pettersen and Melissa Reid (England) after they all qualified automatically for an event being held at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot near Heidelberg on 18-20 September. “There’s still lots to do”.

“We’ve got a great mixture of youth and experience, which really excites me as captain”, said Koch, who was on Europe’s winning teams in 2000 and 2003.

The Solheim Cup is a biennial tournament similar to the Ryder Cup, with matches consisting of fourballs, foursomes and singles. “We concentrate on this event”, the 44-year-old Swede said. “The short game needs to be sharp in match play, you can make up for a lot with a good chip or a long putt”. “She’s a little bit of a granny in our team”, said the European Solheim Cup captain with smiling reverence. “It’s going to be a tough one, but I’m very confident with the team I have”. “They remember that great feeling of winning”.

Hedwall, of Sweden, and Icher, of France, will be making their third Solheim Cup appearances, while Germany’s Masson played in Colorado in 2013 and will have the support of the home crowd behind her.

Masson, who earned two and a half points as a Solheim Cup rookie in 2013, will defend the trophy in her home country.

“It’s been a huge goal to make the team for the last two years and I have been waiting for that call, to see what decision Carin would make. When she told me I was a pick I was super happy”, the 26-year-old Masson said.

The American team, captained by Juli Inkster, have included Paula Creamer and Brittany Lang as wildcards.

United States team Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lang, Alison Lee, Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lincicome, Gerina Piller, Morgan Pressel, Lizette Salas, Angela Stanford, Lexi Thompson, Michelle Wie.

All four players featured in the European side two years’ ago, when the visitors thrashed the USA 18-10 in Colorado to secure their first win on foreign soil. “We can see with the preparations for this event how big the Solheim Cup has become”.