Six tournament rookies reflects growth in Europe

For most of its history, members of the European Solheim Cup team have come from only three places: England, Scotland and Sweden. This year’s European team will have golfers from eight countries at Colorado Golf Club, in the hope of defending the Solheim Cup, the team match-play competition between the United States and Europe that begins today.

In the first five Solheim Cups, a tournament typically held every two years that began in 1990, there were only two European players not from the traditional powers: Marie-Laure de Lorenzi of France (1990, 1996, 1998) and Florence Descampe of Belgium (1992). Only Swedes, Scots and Englishwomen were on the 1994 team.

In 2000, the European Solheim team included one player from Spain and one from France. By 2002, two players from Spain and one each from France, Denmark and Norway made the European roster.

Grew stronger
Ever so slowly, women's professional golf expanded and grew stronger in Europe, and this year's Solheim Cup team, which has six tournament rookies, reflects that growth.

“The European team is now getting more players from southern Europe – countries like Spain, France and Italy - where there are a lot of good junior programmes,” said the team’s captain, Liselotte Neumann, who was one of two Swedes on Europe’s inaugural Solheim Cup team.

This week, the European team will include three players from Spain, two from England, two from Sweden and one each from Scotland, France, Germany, Italy and Norway. This is the first year that Spain has had the most players on Europe’s team.

That is especially gratifying for the coach of Spain's national team, Marta Figueras-Dotti, who was the first Spanish player on the LPGA Tour. She played in the United States from 1984 to 2000 and returned home to develop and coach her country's top young talent.

Remain in Europe
Figueras-Dotti also mentioned the growth of the Ladies European Tour, which has allowed more golfers to remain in Europe. Golf federations in Europe have improved their programmes for girls to attract them and keep them in the game.

Seven members of the 2013 European team played college golf in the United States. Azahara Munoz and Carlota Ciganda, of Spain; Anna Nordqvist, of Sweden, went to Arizona State. Caroline Hedwall of Sweden and Caroline Masson, of Germany, played at Oklahoma State. Giulia Sergas of Italy attended UCLA, and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, of England played at New Mexico.

For many of the Europeans, this week's event in Colorado has them within hours of where they lived, studied and competed as college players. The growth of women's golf throughout the Continent can only make Europe's Solheim Cup team more powerful.
New York Times

The teams:

United States
Stacy Lewis (Ohio)
Paula Creamer (California)
Cristie Kerr (Florida)
Angela Stanford (Texas)
Brittany Lincicome (Florida)
Lexi Thompson (Florida)
Jessica Korda (Florida)
Brittany Lang (Virginia)
Lizette Salas (California)
Morgan Pressel (Florida)
Michelle Wie (Hawaii)
Gerina Piller (Texas)

Europe
Suzann Pettersen (Norway)
Carlota Ciganda (Spain)
Catriona Matthew (Scotland)
Caroline Masson (Germany)
Beatriz Recari (Spain)
Anna Nordqvist (Sweden)
Karine Icher (France)
Azahara Munoz (Spain)
Charley Hull (England)
Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England)
Caroline Hedwall (Sweden)
Giulia Sergas (Italy