GOLF:SERENADED OFF the first tee with lyrics adapted to the rugby anthem, Ireland's Call, and also a peculiar version of Danny Boy with a golfing twist by a supporting choir donned in curly blue wigs, Europe's golfers for much of a long day let their clubs make their own sweet music in this 12th edition of the Solheim Cup.
And, at the end of the dawn-to-dusk proceedings, with the fourballs play excruciatingly slow and finishing in near darkness, Alison Nicholas’s European team – seeking a first win over the United States since 2003 – edged into a narrow 4½ to 3½ lead.
It could have been even better, but for a couple of late collapses in both foursomes and fourballs. Indeed, Europe were up in all four of the afternoon fourballs late on yet only won two and halved another. Still, Europe gained the upper hand and that’s been an unfamiliar trait in recent encounters.
Nicholas, for one, wasn’t complaining about the match situation and had no regrets about the points and half-points that slipped away on some of her pairings. “Could have? Would have? Fantastic words, but you can’t change anything. They tried their best, and that’s all they can do. They gave a hundred. You can’t go back into the past. You stay where you are and look forward. That’s golf,” said a defiant Nicholas.
On one point, however, Nicholas was adamant: the crowds – which grew to 17,000 by the fourballs and are expected to be significantly greater for the weekend – were, as she put it, too quiet. “I’d love the European fans to scream a little bit more. I do feel that they’re a little bit shy, and I’d like them to really start being more vocal.
“I don’t know, it’s maybe our nature in Europe and in this country to be a little bit shy, and I want them to come out of themselves and shout and scream for Europe a little bit more because I’m not hearing enough of that.
“This is a home match. So I want to encourage everyone to scream and shout for Europe and give us some more oomph in the voice. We need some decibels out there,” added Nicholas.
Nicholas’s hard edge in her desire to win was also evident yesterday in playing only 11 of her 12 players, with Dutch debutante Christel Boeljon left in the role of supporter for both foursomes and fourballs. “We’re a team. It’s never about one individual. It’s about matching those pairings and getting experienced players to play with rookies. So it was just unfortunate,” explained Nicholas.
Boeljon, though, is due to make her debut in today’s foursomes, where she will partner Karen Stupples against Morgan Pressel and Ryann O’Toole. Nicholas has also kept intact the hugely-impressive partnership of Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson and has taken the decision to rest world number two Suzann Pettersen – winner of both of her matches yesterday – from the second series of foursomes.
“Our goal is to win every day,” remarked Pettersen, pointing out that they had achieved just that – taking a one-point advantage into the second day’s play – after the first engagement.
For her part, USA captain Rosie Jones was encouraged by the fighting spirit demonstrated by her team.
“I just can’t give these girls enough (credit) for digging it out when they really needed to . . . they never gave up. It’s that kind of fight that really makes this team great,” said Jones.
FOURSOMES (USA Players first)
M Wie/C Kerr bt A Nordqvist (Swe)/M Hjorth (Swe) 2 1
B Lincicome/P Creamer bt K Stupples (Eng)/M Reid (Eng) 1 up
A Stanford/S Lewis lost C Matthew (Sco)/A Munoz (Spa) 3 2
B Lang/J Inkster lost S Gustafson (Swe)/S Pettersen (Nor) 1dn
USA 2, Europe 2.
FOURBALLS (European players first)
S Gustafson (Swe)/C Hedwall (Swe) bt V Hurst/B Lincicome 5 4
L Davies (Eng)/M Reid (Eng) lost M Pressel/P Creamer 1dn
C Matthew (Sco)/S Gal (Ger) level with C Kim R O’Toole
S Pettersen (Nor)/A Nordqvist (Swe) bt C Kerr M Wie 2 up
USA 3 1/2 Europe 4 1/2
