Ireland's commitment to staging the Solheim Cup in 2008 received a timely endorsement through events at Loch Lomond last weekend. Among other things, the emphatic victory over the US removed any nagging fears that Europe might no longer be competitive by then.
From a player's standpoint, however, it looks certain to have created a difficult situation for Europe's top player, Annika Sorenstam. Generally viewed as something of a sweetheart by spectators on the LPGA Tour, the Swede charged the Americans with bad sportsmanship after a dispute in the delayed fourball matches on Sunday.
It had to do with having her shot called back for playing out of turn after she had chipped in from about 25 feet for an apparent birdie on the 13th. One of the opposing pair, Kelly Robbins, expressed regret yesterday over the incident.
"I feel terrible," she said. "It was a situation that should never have happened and once I realised what did happen, the decision was made."
But her captain, Pat Bradley, was unrepentant about enforcing the rule, even though Sorenstam's shot was clearly accidental and only a marginal breach.
"We followed the rules as written," said the US skipper. "I took the decision out of Kelly's hands." Meanwhile, the match referee, Barb Trammell, who is also the US LPGA's director of tournament operations, insisted: "Under the rules of golf it's just a question of fact. Did you play out of turn? There are no extenuating circumstances."
Acknowledging that the Americans had the right to ask for the shot to be replayed, given that she was four feet closer to the hole than the opposition, Sorenstam also believed they could have let it stand. "It is sad to see that the ugly part of them (Americans) came out because both Pat and Kelly are the nicest they have. And it is just sad to see that - that they don't even have sportsmanship."
As with the Ryder Cup dancing on the 17th green at Brookline last September, one suspects we haven't heard the end of this.
Christy O'Connor Jnr shot rounds of 71, 72 and 71 for a total of 214 to finish in a share of 42nd place behind the winner, Jim Thorpe, in the Transamerica tournament at Silverado CC last weekend. O'Connor's reward of $4,840 left him 56th in the money list with earnings of $287,304.
Meanwhile, American David Toms parred the first play-off hole to defeat Canada's Mike Weir in the PGA Michelob Championship in Virginia. After both finished regulation at 13-under-par 271, Weir got in trouble on the first extra hole as his tee shot landed in the rough and Toms took full advantage.
