Carmel, Ind. – Long before the first shot had been struck, seemingly not much after the sun had started its climb over the nearby cornfields, the party had already started at Crooked Stick Golf Club. In the bleachers alongside the first tee, scores of fans sang songs and cheered. And when the 12 U.S. players approached the grandstand to begin their singles matches on the final day of the Solheim Cup, the crowd really started to make some noise.
All that remained was for the Americans to do their part against their European counterparts, and it was clear early on that wouldn’t be a problem. The second match in what would become a 15 1/2-12 1/2 triumph for the U.S. paired Laura Davies – the only woman to play in the previous eight meetings and the player with the most points in Solheim history – versus Paula Creamer. At 19, Creamer, playing in her first Solheim, was the youngest competitor in the event’s history.
Far from intimidated, Creamer birdied the first hole, making birdie on six of the opening nine holes. On the 152-yard, par-3 13th, Davies’ caddie tried to point out the break on a lengthy putt. With a bemused look, the Briton waved him off. When Davies’ attempt came up well short, she conceded, a fitting gesture to a 7-and-5 rout.
“I thought if I could birdie three of the first four holes I could assert my superiority,” Davies said. “She birdied 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and I was in trouble.”
Moments after that match ended, Laura Diaz scored a 6-and-5 win over Iben Tinning – which was almost immediately followed by victories from Juli Inkster, Christina Kim and Pat Hurst.
By the time Europe gained its first point, with Annika Sorenstam defeating Beth Daniel in the day’s sixth match, the competition that had been tied 8-8 at day’s start in essence became an exhibition.
The United States needed a total of 6 1/2 points to win back the cup it lost two years ago in Sweden. When Meg Mallon, en route to a 3-and-1 win, earned at least a half-point on the 16th hole of her match against Karen Stupples, the victory was secured.
The Americans are 5-for-5 when the Solheim has been played on U.S. soil. The competition will return to Sweden in 2007.
“These are the best players in the world,” U.S. team captain Nancy Lopez said.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this win was that as recently as two years ago, it would have been easy to doubt the veracity of Lopez’s statement.
The U.S. women had not only fallen behind Europe, but many other parts of the globe. Sorenstam is clearly the world’s best player, while other foreigners, like Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa and Grace Park – arguably the best of an impressive contingent from South Korea – had clear designs on No. 2.
But the hierarchy has shifted dramatically. Cristie Kerr, the leading U.S. point-getter for the Solheim, is just 27 and has won five times in the past two LPGA tour seasons.
This year, there was an even more impressive turn when Creamer made her professional debut, winning three times worldwide. She was joined by two other Solheim rookies, Kim and Natalie Gulbis; combined, the trio had an 8-3-2 mark for the week. Perhaps just as important, their spunk and spark helped provide an esprit de corps to a team that has lacked whimsy in previous years.
“I still maintain we have more fun off the course, but it did look like they got along well,” Davies said.
Gulbis is just 22, a year older than Kim. On the horizon are Morgan Pressel, 17, who finished tied for second at the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills in June, and 15-year-old Michelle Wie. Even if the end is near for the likes of Mallon, Daniel, Inkster and Rosie Jones, each of them 42 or older, it would appear the U.S. will be in good hands for years to come.
“They get it,” Inkster said of the youngsters. “They really get what the Solheim is about.”
And if they didn’t, Mallon provided an example Saturday night. Speaking to the team, she made a point of singling out Diaz, who lost both matches she had played to that point. A member of the team despite being injured for much of the past two years and in her sixth month of pregnancy, Mallon said she was proud to have her on the U.S. side.
“It was totally unexpected, and very touching,” Diaz said. “I always thought that part of being a teammate was to help bring somebody up when they’re down, and that’s what Meg did. But I know if she hadn’t, someone else would have.”
Staff writer Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
