The 2015 Solheim Cup begins on Friday at Golf Club St. Leon Rot in Germany with 24 of the world’s best golfers representing their countries at the 14th staging of the event. The bienniel event began in 1990 with the United States holding an 8-5 overall advantage in Solheim Cup competition despite two consecutive losses. European Captain Carin Koch leads Team Europe in their quest for a third-consecutive Solheim Cup victory over Team USA and their 2015 captain, Juli Inkster.
GERMAN PRIDE
Caroline Masson and Sandra Gal with be walking the grounds of Golf Club St. Leon-Rot with a bit of extra patriotism this week as the two Germany natives will play in the first Solheim Cup held on German soil. The event has been held in four different European countries in the six times it has been played in Europe (Scotland- twice, Sweden- twice, Wales and Ireland).
Masson said stepping on the grounds this week has already been hard to digest. She’ll be making her second appearance for Team Europe after recording a 2-1-1 record in Colorado two years ago in her debut.
“Yeah, it’s still a little unreal, to be honest,” said Masson. “Yesterday, I was still trying to convince myself that we’re here for the Solheim Cup. It’s just unbelievable. And obviously having a chance to play Solheim Cup at home, it’s just really cool and I’m just really excited for a good week. I just try to enjoy every moment and soak in every moment and all the experience that I can make and just really have a good time.”
ALL ABOUT THE FUNNY BUSINESS
U.S. Captain Juli Inkster isn’t making everything serious this week for her team. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
“You can hear Juli laughing from anywhere in the hotel or in the bus or on the golf course,” Stacy Lewis said Tuesday. “I just think the amount of fun we’ve had so far this year, not to say we haven’t had fun in the years past, but Juli has made it so light and so much fun. There’s no pressure. There’s no stress at all.”
The team shared plenty of laughs during a 6-hour bus ride to Germany on Sunday night from the Evian Championship. The U.S. Team rode together on one bus – just team members only – and it was a great chance for the group to bond. It’s just one of the many things that Inkster has done to create a true feeling of team with her 12 players and to make sure they are enjoying the week.
“It’s showing me that I don’t have to take it so seriously all the time, that it could be not only a remarkable experience from the golf side but on the social side,” Lizette Salas said of Inkster’s leadership style. “Yeah, go ahead and do your work, but at the same time you have to enjoy the moment, enjoy the process that we’re going through. And that’s her thing, when it’s business it’s business. But when it’s fun, you can let loose and have some fun with your teammates and your caddie. So that’s what I’ve learned.”
When it comes down to golf, Inkster is all business. It’s no surprise that the ultra-competitive Hall of Famer and 9-time U.S. Solheim Cup team member has her team looking to follow her “business-like” attitude this week on the golf course.
“We’ve come here with a mission,” Lewis said. “We’re not here to pump up the crowds and do all that, we’re here to win this thing.”
TOUGH AS NAILS
It’s been made public that captain Juli Inkster has asked her squad to cut out some of the rah-rah extra curriculars that have taken up time and energy in previous years. She was asked on Tuesday whether any of her players actually had their nails done in patriotic red, white and blue. Inkster said it won’t be the topic of conversation in Germany but Carin Koch said they might have a make-shift nail salon in their team room. The dialogue ended with some friendly banter, Inkster giving the matchup on nails to Team Europe.
Q. They’ve not got all their stars and stripes on their nails, as usual?
JULI INKSTER: They probably do, but not on my time (laughter).
CARIN KOCH: I’m sure there will be some nail polish done in our team room. I know one of my vice-captains has offered to help any player that wants their nails done.
JULI INKSTER: We’re women, that’s what we do.
CARIN KOCH: It’s part of the fun of this event. You get to do that. I had mine done before I came. I’m 1-up on that one.
JULI INKSTER: You can have that one.
FULL CONFIDENCE IN CREAMER
No one will have more of a spotlight on them than six-time U.S. Solheim Cup team veteran Paula Creamer who was one of Juli Inkster’s two captain’s picks to get a spot on the team this year. Creamer finished 11th in Solheim Cup qualifying points and was ranked 40th in the Rolex Rankings at the August 24th cut-off date behind No. 29 Alison Lee and No. 32 Lizette Salas.
Brittany Lang played alongside Creamer last week at The Evian Championship and said that her scores didn’t necessarily reflect how she was playing heading into this week. Creamer missed her fourth-consecutive cut and shot rounds of 74-78.
“I actually played some with her in France and she was hitting the ball great, rolling it great,” said Lang. “Because I had seen some of the scores. When I played with her, I was very impressed. She was hitting it good, playing good, confident as ever.
“I think Paula will rise to the occasion,” Lang added. “I think all players, even great players, have bad streaks, good streaks, ups and downs, it happens. But I was really impressed when I played with her. I think she’ll rise to the occasion and she’ll be just fine.”
Creamer has been a dominating force in the match-play team event for over a decade and is ranked third all-time in points earned for the Americans. Gerina Piller said Creamer is a player that she looks to for a confidence boost.
“In a way I look up to her in that she just -- when she’s over the ball, I get the sense that she is just going to hit it in the hole every time, just because the way she carries herself,” said Piller. “And I think that goes a long way.”
LAID-BACK CAPTAIN
U.S. players have taken notice of their captain’s laid-back approach. Lizette Salas and Stacy Lewis know she’s not the most detail oriented person, but her competitive spirit along with her easy-going nature off the course is a great combination in her players’ eyes. Lewis said a forgotten wallet at the team’s dinner last night was the perfect example.
“She did forget her credit card last night. She warned us ahead of time,” said Lewis.
REID READY TO MAKE FRESH MEMORIES
England’s Mel Reid will have a bigger purpose to play for this week in Germany than just helping Europe retain The Cup. This week will be an emotional trip for her and her family, many who are returning to Germany for the first time since her mother, Joy, died in a head-on collision on the way to watch Mel in an LET event in Munich in 2012. Reid said the support from her Solheim Cup teammates through the tragedy has been boundless.
“The girls have been great, not just in recent times but from two or three years ago, all the girls that are on the team now,” said Reid. “It’s just -- it’s always been a tough place for me to come back to. I haven’t come back, really. I twice played Germany a couple of years after, and didn’t want to be here.”
Reid made her first Solheim Cup appearance (1-3-0 record) in 2011 at Kileen Castle and has asked as many family members and friends to make the trip to St. Leon-Rot to help put their family heartbreak behind them. Reid is hoping a victory for team Europe will help be a reason to celebrate.
“This is the week to make fresh memories,” said Reid. “That’s why it’s important that my dad came out. My dad is coming out on Thursday. And my brother and sister and their families are coming out tomorrow, and a few of my friends. I wanted as many people here as possible to kind of help me through this...It’s not just going to be a special week for me, but a very special week for everybody else that’s been involved in the recent times, I guess, and be part of this whole journey. And hopefully this will be a week to remember and positive memories being here.”
NUMBERS TO KNOW
7 - Number of Solheim Cup appearances for Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Catriona Matthew
24.6 - Average Rolex Ranking for Team USA
50.6 - Average Rolex Ranking for Team Europe
28.3 - Average age of Team USA
30.2 - Average age of Team Europe
63 - Average number of combined LET/LPGA wins for Team USA
78 - Total number of combined LET/LPGA wins for Team Europe
QUOTABLES
“Yeah, it’s very much a relief. And everybody has liked my menu so far, so that’s good.” -U.S. Captain Juli Inkster on all of the planning and the details that go into a captaincy
“So I try to just think of it as it’s grass, it’s a hole, and a white ball. Your ball doesn’t know it’s playing in a Solheim Cup. It does not know it’s in Europe. So I just go out there and hit it and make it in that hole.”- Gerina Piller on dealing with pressure on European soil
“We’re playing better than the Americans.”- Suzann Pettersen’s response why the tide has shifted in favor of the Europeans
AMERICAN PING JR. SOLHEIM CUP TEAM MAKES IT FOUR IN A ROW
Helped by 3-0 overall records from both Sierra Brooks and Megan Khang, the United States PING Jr. Solheim Cup team claimed The Cup for the fourth-consecutive time. The Americans led by three points heading into Tuesday’s singles matches and retained The Cup with Haley Moore’s 5&4 victory over Puk Lyng Thomsen.
The team was led by captain Joanne Carner who was the victorious captain at the 1994 Solheim Cup. The World Golf and LPGA Halls of Famer was impressed by her young team and joked about the teenagers’ range of motion.
“I loved it. You know, I knew they played well, but until I really saw them in action, where they went head-to-head here, you don’t really realize what great players they are. They’re long hitters, but they also have a wonderful touch around the green, both sides. So it was very educational. In fact, I found myself staring at a few setups to see how they’re swinging. I knew I could never get it back like they do, let alone even try to get it the other way. But it’s just fun to watch.”
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