INKSTER HOPES TO LEAD USA TO VICTORY – AGAIN
For the first time since 2002 and 2003, the USA is sending the same woman out as captain. World Golf Hall of Fame member Juli Inkster, who led the USA to a historic come-from-behind victory in 2015, is back at the helm for the red, white and blue this week at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.
"I really didn't know what to expect as a captain," said Inkster of that week in Colorado. "And you really don't know about your leadership skills because you always have been a player. And so I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about my team."
Fast-forward two years and Inkster is much more comfortable in her leadership role. The veteran of nine Solheim Cups as a player, it would be understandable if Inkster primarily relied on her extensive experience to help direct her players. But instead, she points to her veterans as her role models for the next generation of players.
"I think coming from (the veterans) it means more," said Inkster, who has three rookies (Danielle Kang, Austin Ernst and Angel Yin) on her squad to go with six players who have competed in at least four Cups. "I try not to get too much in their mind because when it comes to it, it's just hitting, hitting shots and playing. You don't want to overwhelm them. You've got to let them figure it out themselves. So I kind of really stay out of it. If they have questions I'll be more than happy to answer them. But I leave that to the veteran leadership on my team."
That tactic certainly seems to be working, at least for Ernst.
"Literally everyone on the team has come up and said, anything you need," said Ernst, who just missed out on a berth on the 2015 team in Germany. "Obviously everybody has my back, and I've got their back."
AMERICANS PROUD TO REPRESENT THEIR COUNTRY AND THE STATE OF IOWA
With record crowds expected at the 2017 Solheim Cup, Team USA is honored as always to represent their country, and this year the state of Iowa.
"The crowds are expected to be humongous here," said Cristie Kerr. "I think that's going to be awesome. I mean, just think of the little girls out there, or even kids that even want to play this game, and think if this is their first experience to golf is the Solheim Cup, like, let's give them a great show. Let's play our hearts out for our countries."
"I think there's no better honor than representing your country," added Paula Creamer. "Obviously I come from a military family. So seeing red white and blue and seeing our flag and being able to play for that and the freedom we have, it's just -- it's amazing. It really is so special."
TEAM EUROPE READY FOR THE CHALLENGE
While Team USA may have the edge in experience Team Europe is looking forward to the challenge of trying to recapture the Solheim Cup on American soil this week.
“I mean, I think when you play match play you're very focused on the present. It's just you and the Americans,” Carlota Ciganda explained. “I mean stroke play they hit slower, and match just play quicker 18 holes. It's either you or them. So I love playing match play and we have a great team. I can't wait to start on Friday.”
“Watching someone like Carlota in a Solheim Cup, she's very passionate and she plays with a lot of heart,” said Anna Nordqvist, who will be participating in her fifth Solheim Cup this week. “And that motivates you, too, so just knowing that the other ones play well or do something great, and even some of the holes where you kind of walk past, you can kind of look over and kind of cheer each other on.”
Don’t expect the Europeans to be intimidated by the record crowds that are expected to show up in red, white and blue.
“I think it's pretty cool,” Charley Hull said of the expected large crowds. “It's great to see massive crowds around us. And it's good. It needs to be that out there as it's a big event, because it is a big event. And to have big crowds as well, it's going to be pretty awesome.”
HEALTH WATCH – THOMPSON, NORDQVIST AND PETTERSEN
During her press conference, USA Captain Juli Inkster announced that Lexi Thompson is battling a virus. Thompson, who is competing in her third Solheim Cup, postponed her scheduled Tuesday press conference to later in the week and provided the following statement:
"Unfortunately, I have been battling an illness for the past few days and am having difficulty sleeping. I have been advised to focus on getting some rest in order to make a full recovery. I'm looking forward to getting healthy and having an amazing Solheim week. Thank you for your support and understanding."
On the European side, many eyes were on veterans Anna Nordqvist and Suzann Pettersen on Tuesday. Nordqvist was sidelined for much of July with mononucleosis (glandular fever) and was forced to rely on receiving a captain's pick to compete in this week's Solheim Cup.
"Pretty happy where I'm at and so far I've been making it through 18 holes," said Nordqvist, who is teeing up for the fifth time for Team Europe. "Hopefully as the week goes on I can hopefully play even two matches in one day."
As for Pettersen, the nine-time Solheim Cup competitor was limited to putting only on Tuesday. Captain Annika Sorenstam told GolfChannel.com that Pettersen had injured her back and later confirmed that Vice Captain Catriona Matthew had practiced on Tuesday as the team's first alternate.
"While there are no immediate injury concerns, Catriona was practicing with the team today as a precautionary measure," Sorenstam said in a statement.
QUOTE OF THE DAY – MEL REID ON SOLHEIM CUP AND THE GROWTH OF WOMEN'S SPORTS
“I have a lot of friends who play sport professionally, women. World Cup – England just won the World Cup in cricket. And they're now playing the rugby. Just finished up in football.
And I feel like women's sport is really moving forward, and maybe not as quickly as we'd like, but the crowds we're expecting this week is probably one of the biggest women's sporting events that you're going to get.
I have friends at home that they know that I play golf but they love watching the Solheim Cup. That's the only event they watch every two years. So that is what this tournament is about. It's about getting people that wouldn't normally come and watch to be interested in it and really get involved in it. And this is why we do what we do. We work extremely hard and feel like we don't get the recognition we sometimes deserve.
So when we're expecting crowds like this, that's why we do it. We try and put our sport out there and make it as enjoyable for people to watch as possible.”
PING JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP KICKS OFF
The ninth biannual PING Junior Solheim Cup began on Tuesday at Des Moines Golf and Country Club.
The morning four-ball matches were suspended around 12:30pm with only one match having been completed. Play resumed at 3:25 p.m. local time. Live scoring is available at https://www.ajga.org/microsite/index.asp?tn=2017099#PINGJrSolheimRd1
Modeled after the Solheim Cup, the PING Junior Solheim Cup biennially features the 12 best female junior golfers (ages 12-19) from the United States against the 12 best junior girls from Europe. The team match play event includes: foursomes, four-ball and singles matches played over two days and rotates between U.S. and European host sites coinciding with the Solheim Cup.
The United States leads the all-time series 5-2-1. In 2015, the United States was the first team to win on foreign soil, earning its fifth win in history, 13-11, at St. Leon-Rot Golf Club in Heidelberg, Germany.
SOLHEIM STATS TO KNOW
6&5 – Largest margin of victory in a foursomes match, returned by Cathy Gerring/Dottie Pepper (USA) and Patty Sheehan/Rosie Jones (USA) in 1990 and by Becky Iverson/Rosie Jones (USA) in 2000
7&5 – Largest margin of victory in a four-ball match, returned by Pat Hurst/Rosie Jones (USA) in 1998
8&7 – Largest margin of victory in a singles match, returned by Pat Bradley (USA) in 1990
4 – Number of times Cristie Kerr/Michelle Wie (USA) have been paired in a Solheim Cup, the most of any active pairing
9 – Number of times Laura Davies/Alison Nicholas were paired in a Solheim Cup, the most in history
3 – Number of points earned by Kerr/Wie (USA), the most of any active pairings
5 – Number of points earned by Davies/Nicholas, the most in history
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