Inkster upbeat for Solheim battle

In the last four-ball match on Saturday, with a crucial point at stake, Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen played one of the great matches ever, against Robbins and Laura Diaz.

Members of the Solheim Cup’s U.S. team share their memories of playing for the Solheim Cup.

That started a run of three straight American routs, although along the way, the competitive pot began to boil.

And that’s what most everyone expected.

The Americans couldn’t lose… but they did. “Our match was a roller coaster, and we lost a couple of holes”, Lewis said.

So let’s not knock it, let’s embrace it and savour the unique atmosphere of an event that might not match the Ryder Cup for profile but is as keenly contested. They transformed it.

“This is what we’re here for”, she continued. “That was one of the most wonderful Sundays in any match-play event, counting the Ryder Cup, just the turnaround there. And I think it’s working”. There was talk of changing the format to add the rest of the world to create a more competitive worldwide rival for the Americans.

In the 2013 matches, at Colorado G.C., there were two heated rules arguments that lasted almost 30 minutes each.

Even Rosie Jones, disappointed as she was as the American captain at the time, appreciated the exhilarating nature of the finish and the bigger picture playing out. “It was unbelievable”.

No doubt the Solheim Cup is in the midst of an era marked by fierce intensity and compelling competition. It was in 2003, a year in which she won her first LPGA title, the ShopRite Classic, and lost a playoff at the U.S. Women’s Open to Hilary Lunke. “It’s gotten some momentum now as far as history”. The ending was so intense it was clear the Solheim Cup needed to remain what it was: the United States versus Europe. Team U.S. will give Team Europe a taste of their own medicine – a decisive victory on home soil.

As in a chip on their shoulder. They also have the only rookie in the matches, Alison Lee, who is a complete unknown in terms of how she will play with the pressure on her. In fact, it may have motivated their European foes. As a player, Inkster won more points (18½) in Solheim Cup play than any other American. She’s looking to lead a team more focused on playing golf than on all the over-the-top patriotic hoopla that has preoccupied past teams. “She took one look and said go through the trees”. “They’ve got to maybe dig a little deeper and maybe get rid some of the outside agencies. Just kind of get it back to basics and see how that works”.

Koch was part of a winning European team at Loch Lomond in 2000, where she sank the winning putt. Only three of the 12 Euros on this year’s squad posted better scores than Inkster, who tied for 38th.

Luckily for Team U.S., they aren’t going up against an global Team. It was from around 15 feet, and it was very dark and so cold, I couldn’t feel my hands and they were shaking so much. “She is such a respected person that this team will in every sort of way respond to, I’m sure”. Their average world ranking, for instance, is 24.6 compared to 52.6 for Europe. Three years ago, Reid’s mother, Joy, was killed in a auto crash in Munich while attending a Ladies European Tour event there. The Solheim Cup is the most highly coveted trophy in women’s professional golf team competition; some of the most memorable moments in the sport have happened during past Solheim Cups, and berths on the USA and European teams are highly sought-after by players from both organizations. Sandra Gal and Caroline Masson will have a very raucous home crowd behind them, and if they are able to feed off that energy, there won’t be an American player that will want to face them. “There’s no doubt it’s going to be a tough match”.