PARKER — Stacy Lewis walked the Colorado Golf Club course with a couple of the rookies Wednesday, trying to be a sage in the ways of the Solheim Cup.
Lewis played in a practice round Wednesday with Solheim first-time competitor 18-year-old Lexi Thompson, and they were paired in a team fourball match against another rookie, Lizette Salas, and Brittany Lincicome, who has played for the past three Cups and was inches from an ace on the par-3 No. 17 on Wednesday.
“This is my first international team competition in the U.S., so I’m taking in all the moments too,” Lewis said earlier this week. “People don’t realize this is only my second Solheim Cup. I’m still kind of a newbie, but I have to act like I’m a veteran, I guess.”
After sending out her team to play the back nine, U.S. captain Meg Mallon said Wednesday morning Lewis is providing leadership outside of the ropes. Lewis’ recent victory at the Women’s British Open and her time earlier this season as the No. 1-ranked player in the world show she has the demeanor to handle the pressure.
“Stacy has come out here and played this course on six or seven visits even before this week,” Mallon said. “That leadership in itself is invaluable to me. When your No. 1 player is coming out here to get that prepared, then everyone else is looking at that.”
One more nine-hole practice round is scheduled for 8 a.m. Thursday. Between extended putting sessions on the greens and time between holes to sign autographs, the groups are playing nine holes in about three hours. After Thursday’s practice, the teams need to rest and get ready for the opening ceremonies, which start at 5 p.m. Thursday.
“This is a hard course to walk,” Mallon said, “so we’re only playing nine holes today and Thursday.”
The other U.S. practice round foursomes Wednesday were Michelle Wie, sporting stars-and-stripes knee-high socks, playing alongside Angela Stanford, Brittany Lang and rookie captain’s pick Gerina Piller. The other group was Cristie Kerr, who is playing her seventh Solheim, with Solheim veteran Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel and rookie Jessica Korda.
“I think we have a good idea of what our pairings are going to be and who is going to play with who,” Mallon said, “and that is the biggest challenge for us.”
European captain Liselotte Neumann said her groups seemed a bit more relaxed Wednesday morning as they started on the front nine. She said Tuesday there was “a little bit of tension, but it’s kind of the first time they’re out on the golf course. Today, they seemed quite relaxed and looked like they were enjoying themselves.”
Neumann has six rookies on her 12-woman team. She too is looking for the right combinations during the practice rounds, and it’s “a little bit of testing” in these three days of practice.
“We’ve put up quite a lot of different groups and pairings so far,” Neumann said Wednesday. “It’s kind of a good time for the girls to see ‘Who do I feel like my game compares with best? Who do I get along with the best on the golf course?’ “
Team match play begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday with four foursome (alternate shot) matches in the morning (four golfers will not play) then four fourball (best ball) matches starting at 1:15 p.m. Friday. With each contingent fielding four two-woman teams in team match play, four golfers will not play in those sessions. There are 12 singles matches Sunday.
David Krause: 303-954-1893, dkrause@denverpost.com or
