U.S. Claims Solheim Cup in Women's Golf

By Bill Fields

Special to espnW.com

As the Solheim Cup concluded Sunday afternoon, the predicted thunderstorms hadn't arrived but the predicted outcome had.

This was an uphill climb for Europe, burdened by inexperience, illness and injury before the first shot was struck at Des Moines Golf and Country Club. With the United States leading 10½ to 5½ going into the singles matches, it was a grade too steep regardless of the faith European captain Annika Sorenstam had in her team.

"She believed she could and so she did," the LPGA great had told her players, emphasizing the prospect of pulling off a historic final-day comeback.

Belief was not stronger than math, though, and the 15th edition of the biennial matches finished as many thought it would, with the U.S. winning for the second time in a row. It was U.S. 16½, Europe 11½, the sides splitting the available points 6-6 in the closing singles session.

The Americans had staged a record comeback two years ago in Germany. But the go cups containing something cold and T-shirts signifying something special were delivered to the winners after far less suspense this time.

Europe's start was better than any playbook, with Swede Anna Nordqvist winning the first four holes of the opening contest against Lexi Thompson, the top-ranked golfer in the matches, whose miss from 2 feet on No. 1 was followed by wayward shot after wayward shot. She remained 4 down after nine holes, then went birdie, eagle (112-yard wedge), par, birdie, birdie, eagle (curling 30-foot putt), birdie to take a 1-up lead. Nordqvist, still not 100 percent physically as she recovers from mononucleosis, hit an 8-iron approach to gimme range on the 18th to halve the match.

"That was the weirdest round of golf I've ever played," said Thompson, who went 2-0-2 for the week. "Front nine, I don't think I was awake. And the back nine, I just played lights out. I was just like, 'I have to go all in and go for it all.' "

U.S. captain Juli Inkster said Thompson's half point felt like half a dozen, given what it not only did for the scoreboard -- moving the U.S. to within three points of at least retaining the Cup -- but the outlook of the Americans playing behind Thompson.

The drama of Thompson's comeback-- "I'm tired and I'm speechless," Nordqvist said of the match -- wasn't matched the rest of the day, but for the Americans, it didn't have to be.

When Angel Yin, the long-hitting Solheim rookie, halved her match with Karine Icher, the U.S. was assured of getting the 14 points necessary to retain the Cup. Twenty minutes later, Lizette Salas' 1-up decision over Jodi Ewart Shadoff meant an outright victory. Salas, 3-1-0 for the week, hugged her foe and her teammates with an American flag draped over her shoulders, placed there by her caddie Benito Olguin. Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Gerina Piller and Danielle Kang also won for the U.S.

"Coming in this morning, we all knew that a small miracle needed to happen," Sorenstam said Sunday evening. "But they fought to the end. I cannot tell you how deep they dug to get where we did. So I'm very, very proud of them. Overall, it's been a wonderful week. Sometimes it's not about the results. Sometimes you just have to look at the journey and the memories that you build together."

Gracious and at times funny, Sorenstam hit all the right notes in her first -- and what she says will be her last -- turn as European captain. Given that Nordqvist had been sick, Solheim stalwart Suzann Pettersen was forced out of playing because of a back problem and Charley Hull couldn't play on Saturday because of a bad right wrist, Sorenstam had unexpected issues that compounded a lack of veterans and highly ranked golfers. (The average world ranking for Europe was 58.83 vs. 28.58 for the U.S.)

The American first-timers (Kang, Yin and Austin Ernst) were 6-3-1 compared to a 3-10-0 combined record for European rookies Georgia Hall, Florentyna Parker, Emily Pedersen and Madelene Sagstrom.

"When we came here we had a puzzle, and then we came here and a few pieces fell out," Sorenstam said. "We did the best we could with what we had."

With the United States winning back-to-back, Inkster's skill -- she is the second Solheim Cup captain with two victories, joining Judy Rankin in 1996-98 -- as a leader in a role that's easier to critique than define was solidified. Beyond being well liked and respected by her players, nine of whom played on both of Inkster's teams, the Hall of Famer encourages fun and inspires excellence. Utilizing a "pod system" similar to what Paul Azinger used successfully for the 2008 Ryder Cup to snap the Americans out of a drought in that event, the optimistic Inkster fosters a unified side.

"She hasn't doubted us in four years," Stacy Lewis said. "I think that confidence rubs off on us. And it was a different feel in the air. We knew what to expect. We knew what we were going to do. And we were going to go play great golf. There was never a doubt, and I think a lot of that comes from your captain."

Every American won at least one match, and only two players (Lewis and Michelle Wie) had losing records in contrast to eight Europeans.

For Kerr, who leaves Iowa the all-time American leader with 21 Solheim Cup points, Inkster coaxes unselfish acts out of golfers in what usually is a selfish sport.

"You play for the person in front of you. You play for the person behind you," Kerr said of Inkster's overarching mantra. "And it's not about your individual records. It's for the team. It's amazing how hard you can pull for each other when you have that mentality."

Inkster demurred when asked about a third captaincy. "I would love to do it, but I think there's other people in line that deserve that chance," she said. "But I'll be there. I'll be there with some hugs."

Both captains departed hoping the high-caliber golf throughout this edition -- highlighted by an eye-popping display by both teams in Saturday's afternoon matches -- would bring some more love to women's professional golf in terms of sponsorship and interest. The LPGA has been on a positive trajectory in recent years, but much of its growth has been internationally. The Ladies European Tour is slumping, with an uncertain future.

"I think as women golfers we always get shortchanged and it irks me," Inkster said. "Even from the PGA Tour down, I just don't think we really get the respect we deserve. And hopefully things start to change, especially in sponsorships. I just don't understand how all these companies get away with supporting PGA Tour events and not supporting the LPGA. And it makes me a little upset, because I think we've got a great product and I think the golf is fantastic. I think we deserve our due."

Reflecting on the quality of play, Sorenstam said: "The game elevated to a level I've never seen, and I think we should be very proud of women's golf. And I hope people witnessed this because this was a real show."
A former senior editor at Golf World, Bill Fields has covered more than 150 major championships in men's, women's and senior golf. His work has appeared in The Best American Sports Writing.