Americans in for noisy reception

Solheim Cup: Laura Davies says nothing can beat the thrill of beating the Americans. And less than a month away from her 40th birthday, Davies starts her eighth Solheim Cup in Malmo today - in a match now taking place with flags at half mast and players wearing black ribbons in memory of murdered Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh - confident that Europe can win for only the third time.

"If I was going to bet on it it would be Europe, no question," said England's former world number one, who has not sat out a single session since the match started in 1990 and partners unbeaten Carin Koch in the opening foursomes.

"I think the home advantage will be the difference because of the noise that's going to be coming for us (from a 25,000 crowd the first two days and 30,000 on Sunday).

"They have to try and quieten the crowds down - if they can't do that they'll struggle."

She and Koch, whose fantastic record in two matches so far reads seven wins and one half, take on Beth Daniel and Kelly Robbins in the first of the 28 games.

Scots Janice Moodie and Catriona Matthew are partners, while Annika Sorenstam has been given Norway's Suzann Pettersen as her partner.

Sitting out the session are Mhairi McKay, the other Scot in the team, Dane Iben Tinning, Spanish rookie Ana-Belen Sanchez and France's Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, four months pregnant.

Captain Catrin Nilsmark, on crutches because of a ruptured disc in her back and provided with a specially adapted buggy so she can see at least some of the action and decide what changes to make for the afternoon fourballs, announced her pairings at the opening ceremony, which began with a minute's silence for Lindh, who died in Stockholm yesterday morning after being stabbed.

Davies described the Swedish contingent - Nilsmark, Sorenstam, Koch and Sophie Gustafson - as shocked by the tragedy.

American captain Patty Sheehan, who has 10 of the side that won last year, uses seven of them in the four foursomes, rookie Heather Bowie coming in to partner Laura Diaz against Sorenstam and Pettersen.

Nilsmark was in tears at her press conference following the opening ceremony.

Lindh was a mother of two and Nilsmark, who has a six-year-old daughter, described the minister's death as "devastating".

SOLHEIM FOURSOMES (Europe names first): Carin Koch and Laura Davies v Beth Daniel and Kelly Robbins; Janice Moodie and Catriona Matthew v Juli Inkster and Wendy Ward; Annika Sorenstam and Suzann Pettersen v Laura Diaz and Heather Bowie; Sophie Gustafson and Elisabeth Esterl v Meg Mallon and Rosie Jones.