It was about this time a year ago, while the United States men were getting spanked by Europe in the Ryder Cup, that questions abounded as to the alleged American superiority in golf. When Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the rest went down in Michigan last fall, it meant the Europeans held each of the three biggest team competitions in the sport.
Earlier this summer, the U.S. amateur men won back the Walker Cup. For the professional women, their attempt at payback begins today at the Solheim Cup at Crooked Stick Golf Club just outside Indianapolis.
“We don’t want to lose,” said Beth Daniel, stating things as succinctly as possible.
Although Europe has won two of the past three matches in the biennial event, including a 17 1/2-10 1/2 rout in Sweden two years ago, the Americans have yet to lose on U.S. soil, going 4-0. Overall, the U.S. leads the series 5-3.
There will be four best-ball and four alternate shot matches played today and Saturday; on Sunday, there will be 12 singles matches in a pressure-filled event that even the most hardened players say is unrivaled in their sport.
“You have to be comfortable in your own skin when your adrenaline is flowing and your heart is pounding through your chest,” said Daniel, a member of each of the previous U.S. teams.
But tempering nerves may only be part of the story. Just as is the case in the Ryder Cup, the Europeans say their rout two years ago was spurred in part by a sense of camaraderie that’s missing among the Americans.
Said Britain’s Laura Davies: “They don’t seem to have quite the fun we have. On paper they’re a better team and we still dust them the first two days. It has to be something we do right.”
Countered American Rosie Jones, “She doesn’t see that? Well, you know what? Let her think that.”
Just to be sure though, U.S. captain Nancy Lopez has gone out of her way to help the Americans bond. After a recent tournament, the team climbed aboard a motor home and drove four hours to Crooked Stick, where Lopez mixed and matched partners in the four-ball and alternate shot.
There are three first-time members on the U.S. team – 19-year-old Paula Creamer, Christina Kim and Natalie Gulbis.
“I’m playing with players that weren’t even born when I was first walking on the fairways on the LPGA, and my first Solheim,” the 45-year-old Jones said.
The youngest U.S. player, Creamer was just four when the inaugural Solheim was played, but making this year’s team was the LPGA rookie’s lone goal before the start of the season.
It likely wouldn’t be a surprise if Creamer or the other kids ended up playing a pivotal role for the Americans.
“They’re not afraid of anything,” four-time U.S. Cup member Michelle Redman said. “I really have learned a lot about Paula Creamer. She’s fun, but she’s competitive.”
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or at acotton@denverpost.com.
