Gainesville (United States) (AFP) – Europe’s Solheim Cup golfers will happily adopt an underdog mindset against their American rivals this week even as they try to take the trophy for an unprecedented fourth consecutive time. The host Americans have three top-10 players, including world number one Nelly Korda, and six in the world ranking top 21 against two for Europe entering the biennial women’s golf showdown starting Friday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
“When you look on paper, the US team is very strong,” Sweden’s Linn Grant said Tuesday. “I don’t think it’s bad going into this week knowing we have to give a good fight to keep the Cup.” The US women lead the overall rivalry 10-7 with one drawn but the Europeans have four wins and a draw in the past seven events. Europeans have taken the trophy in the past three events in thrilling fashion — 14.5-13.5 at Gleneagles in 2019, 15-13 at Inverness in 2021 and 14-14 as defending champions in 2023 at Spain’s Finca Cortesin.
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“Don’t necessarily think everything is just going to roll our way just because we’ve been successful over the last previous ones,” European captain Suzann Pettersen said. “Playing away, you’re always an underdog. That’s how we’ve always looked at it. If you look at the previous three Solheims, we’ve come out on the high side and we’re going to try and keep that going for sure. At the same time, being away, I’m very happy to leave the pressure to the Americans.”
The Cup was staged this year in a desire to alternate years with the men’s Ryder Cup, which has shifted to odd-numbered years after the Covid-19 pandemic. “It’s a great challenge,” Pettersen said of back-to-back years. “Win or lose, all you want is for them to go out there and play their hearts out. That’s all you can ask.” Teams will play four foursomes and four four-ball matches on Friday and Saturday with 12 concluding singles matches on Sunday.
“There’s so much adrenaline,” Grant said. “It already feels like Friday. This is like the top of what we’re doing. In the back of my head, I wish every week was like this because it’s so surreal — you’re nervous, you’re scared, you’re happy, the adrenaline. It’s like a whole ‘nother level of golf you have to think about.”
Europe boast England’s 12th-ranked Charley Hull and France’s 10th-ranked Celine Boutier, the most recent European major winner from last year’s home-soil triumph at the Evian Championship. A European Solheim rookie is Paris Olympic runner-up Esther Henseleit of Germany. “The emotions are so much higher this week. I can’t wait to get started,” she said. “I felt like my hard work over the last few years kind of paid off and everything came together. It has been great to see some good results coming in. It definitely helps my confidence.”
Henseleit is also bolstered by her boyfriend serving as her caddie. “It’s great to have Reece on my bag. He just knows me so well,” she said. “He knows what to say in which moment. We’re up-and-down but we’re both pretty easygoing. So most of the time, it’s pretty good.”
In 2023, the Americans swept the first foursomes session 4-0. Europe golfers haven’t forgotten. “It would be nice to have maybe a little bit better start,” Pettersen said. “But that being said, last year’s Friday morning was a good wakeup call as well for all of us. I think that’s still quite fresh in all the players’ minds.”
© 2024 AFP
