A novelist penning a sporting thriller would have written little different: an underdog home side led by a composed captain on her home patch; three days of captivating competition and challenging conditions with the inevitable dash of controversy; fortunes ebbing and flowing towards an incredible climax in which an experienced yet recently out of action wildcard emphatically justifies her captain’s faith by holing the winning putt to secure the narrowest of victories before promptly retiring…
On paper, the 2019 Solheim Cup may look like the stuff of fiction, but the facts will go down that Europe pulled off a fabulous and, at times, unlikely 14.5-13.5 victory over the USA at a resplendent Gleneagles, reclaiming the cup for the first time since 2013.
Both sides produced some excellent golf and stand-out players sparkled under the Perthshire sun. The atmosphere was electric, passions ran high yet the respect and camaraderie between competitors and fans on both sides remained throughout.
The thrilling tournament should have been nothing other than a tremendous advert for golf and the women’s game in particular. But, inevitably, there was a negative to consider. With rounds in the fourballs taking almost six hours, play was glacially slow. At a time when the game is struggling with a widespread slow play problem, the deliberate nature of some participants in this Solheim Cup highlighted the issue once again. How then will the 2019 Solheim Cup be remembered?
The tale of the tape
Displaying steely determination that she would maintain through the week, England’s Bronte Law got the 16th Solheim Cup underway after whipping up the crowd on the 1st tee early Friday morning. Paired with Carlota Ciganda of Spain, Law was one of the characters of the event, reminiscent of Ian Poulter in her fiery, resolute approach.
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Golf Monthly.
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Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Golf Monthly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Is it Time for the Presidents Cup to Be Scrapped? - The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue?
The next instalment of the USA v Internationals match takes place in Canada at the end of September. But should the one-sided affair continue? Why would anyone even suggest such a drastic course of action? It may sound harsh, but since the inaugural event in 1994, the International team has managed just one victory and one tie while the American team has won 12 times, including nine straight from 2005. It is 26 years since the International team's solitary success in 1998 at Royal Melbourne under the captaincy of the late Peter Thomson.
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