Solheim Cup

First topic message reminder :

Bit of a rushed thread as with being busy this week completely forgot to write a proper thread.....

But to start am I the only one that thinks maybe the US should have named their opening pairing the othe way around as Wie/Kerr reads Weaker!! Just a thought

If i were Catriona i'd make she Christina Kim knew firmly what side my muffins buttered!!!

Maverick wrote:If i were Catriona i'd make she Christina Kim knew firmly what side my muffins buttered!!!

ha ha nicely put.

A bit late to this thread, but in summary

Flags on faces are surely targets?

Melissa Reid

Speaking of muffins and judging by the depths to which this and all other threads related to women's golf seem to descend, there are surely quite a few posters on here who are not getting enough crumpet!

Not completely sure one classifies some of that lot as crumpet, gael, but some compelling matches - thrilled to see Wie looking as if she'd swallowed a skunk, surely the most disagreeable female exhibit this side of Michelle Bachman?

Impressed with "venice's" girlfriend Sandra Gal . . . . . . . should be enough positives for Alison Nicholas for her to put together in-form teams for Saturday morning.

Iain Carter twittering about the lamentable pace of play - even Dottie Pepper was saying Creamer and Pressell were slowing things down to unsettle Dame Laura.

Iain Carter can twitter as much as he likes. The simple sad truth is that slow play in all public displays of the game has become de rigueur.

Methinks there are still some situations where the women's game lack skills in the 4-ball better ball format. In the Matthew/Gal match, Kim, who was nearer the hole than her partner (O'Toole) putted out for par, leaving her partner to go for the birdie. The thing is, Kim's ball was on the same line as O'Toole's, thereby providing her partner with a major clue to the line. Given Kim couldn't win the hole, I reckon our lot should've given Kim her putt so as not to 'give away' free information on the line of O'Toole's putt. O'Toole holed her putt for the birdie.

Am I making any sense here?

Extremely entertaining first day's play. Hope the old ladies of the european team can keep it up for another day!

Basically watched it all day today due to a day off.

Absolutely loved it, thought it was excellent today.

Europe win in good looking stakes but must say im a fan of Ryan O'Toole although she does have a blokes name.

gaelgowfer wrote:Iain Carter can twitter as much as he likes. The simple sad truth is that slow play in all public displays of the game has become de rigueur.

Methinks there are still some situations where the women's game lack skills in the 4-ball better ball format. In the Matthew/Gal match, Kim, who was nearer the hole than her partner (O'Toole) putted out for par, leaving her partner to go for the birdie. The thing is, Kim's ball was on the same line as O'Toole's, thereby providing her partner with a major clue to the line. Given Kim couldn't win the hole, I reckon our lot should've given Kim her putt so as not to 'give away' free information on the line of O'Toole's putt. O'Toole holed her putt for the birdie.

Am I making any sense here?

Extremely entertaining first day's play. Hope the old ladies of the european team can keep it up for another day!

gael

you are indeed making sense, I'm also surprised that players of this level are not more au fait with the little tricks of the trade like the one you have mentioned. Most half decent club matchplayers know those little tricks, pros should definitely know them!

On a more serious note than my last comment, I'm a little disappointed at the short game skills on show. Whilst there have been a few long putts holed, I've seen a shanked chip, a bunker shot thinned over the back of a green into water and a good old fashioned duffed chip. Perhaps I'm expecting too much but I thought they'd be as good if not better around the greens than the men. Whilst Jason Duffner lived up to his name this evening, he was very much the exception.

I think in general the standard of plays been very good and again i will hark on about how I feel men am's/club golfers can learn a lot more from female pro's than men pro's.

Great put from hedwall on the par 3 for the win

Scandinavia doing superbly!

Mav, what in particular do you think us plebs can learn? Their putting seems pretty good but their wedge play is nothing I'd aspire to and their long games aren't looking that accurate, at least this morning. I don't wish to be this negative but I am really disappointed by what I've seen.

SJ firstly is their putting shows what being a good putter can achieve. Also the tempo to their golf swings nothing hurried or rushed unlike the men who simply try to over power the course.

Hope Alison Nicholas hasn't blundered by sitting down Gustafson and Nordqvist.

And hope she's had more than a word in the ear of officials about Wie's pace of play - another cynical attempt by Rosie Jones to slow down Davies and Reid.

drive4show wrote:

gaelgowfer wrote:Iain Carter can twitter as much as he likes. The simple sad truth is that slow play in all public displays of the game has become de rigueur.

Methinks there are still some situations where the women's game lack skills in the 4-ball better ball format. In the Matthew/Gal match, Kim, who was nearer the hole than her partner (O'Toole) putted out for par, leaving her partner to go for the birdie. The thing is, Kim's ball was on the same line as O'Toole's, thereby providing her partner with a major clue to the line. Given Kim couldn't win the hole, I reckon our lot should've given Kim her putt so as not to 'give away' free information on the line of O'Toole's putt. O'Toole holed her putt for the birdie.

Am I making any sense here?

Extremely entertaining first day's play. Hope the old ladies of the european team can keep it up for another day!

gael

you are indeed making sense, I'm also surprised that players of this level are not more au fait with the little tricks of the trade like the one you have mentioned. Most half decent club matchplayers know those little tricks, pros should definitely know them!

D4S ... I think it depends on whether or not they are practised in playing this format. Whilst it's a routine format for men's golf, this is not necessarily the case in the women's game. Having said that, I don't know whether the female pros play this format in their practice rounds.

kwinigolfer wrote:Hope Alison Nicholas hasn't blundered by sitting down Gustafson and Nordqvist.

And hope she's had more than a word in the ear of officials about Wie's pace of play - another cynical attempt by Rosie Jones to slow down Davies and Reid.

Given the length of time they're taking to play, I guess Ali feels she needs to pace her team in the hope they can all rise to the singles challenge tomorrow. Certainly Gustafson and Nordqvist will be key to securing what will be I'm sure much needed points for us.

Blimey, what's going on with Laura? She's playing a stormer.

Perhaps a couple of her gee gees came in at lunchtime!

Covering all bases of this thread.....

I've been seriously impressed with Aza Munoz's game. Seems ruthless. A bit like the Kaymer of the lady's game. Plus she is surely the most attractive lass out there.

I'm not sure why but I find Michelle Wie REALLY annoying!

Michelle Wie IS very annoying.

Great chance lost by Europe this afternoon; back to square one.

kwini ... hindsight is a wonderful thing but Ali may well be regretting her decision to 'sit out' two of her strongest players.

Still, Creamer has played all matches which, we have been told, amounts to almost 20 hours of play so, twill be interesting to see if she has anything left in the tank tomorrow.

Defo advantage OOOSA though!

gael,
Not hindsight, mentioned absence of the Swedes at 12.45 p.m.! Your time!!

Felt it was time to go for the jugular.

Still, let's get off to a fast start tomorrow and change up the order - don't put Dame Laura out first! Perhaps Reid, then Davies.

Ah, sorry kwini, wasn't have a pop at you. Was only too aware of your concerns. Was referring purely to Ali's decision not to play them.

Laura played a blinder today but I would have to agree with you that it might not be a good idea to put her out first tomorrow. Having said that, where would you put her? (don't worry, that was one o' dem rhetorical questions!)

Melissa Reid has a golf swing to die for and she's fiesty so you may well be right but she's also a rookie (isn't she? ) so, not sure Ali will want to put that pressure on her. The americans only need a draw tomorrow so, I would imagine, will put out their strongest first with the old experienced hands (should it be necessary) bringing up the rear.

Question is, what will Ali do? Personally, I would put out the loudest, most 'in yer face' players out first!

No doubt Rosie Jones will expect Davies out forst so I'd put out Reid, then Davies and Gal; finish up with Matthew and Stupples.

Got to go, Ali's on the phone.

kwinigolfer wrote:No doubt Rosie Jones will expect Davies out forst so I'd put out Reid, then Davies and Gal; finish up with Matthew and Stupples.

Got to go, Ali's on the phone.

Ah, but what if Rosie expects Alison to expect her to expect that? Then who do you pick?

Melissa Reid is bang tidy

Don't really understand all this nonsense with Christie Kerr. The commentators suggesting they would do all they could to get Kerr out there when she clearly couldn't even swing a club.

They've just announced Kerr has withdrawn - and a walkover awarded to Stupples

Don't they agree to a half in the Ryder Cup if this happens? Seems a more "gentlemanly" thing to do

It's quite correct to concede point to opposition otherwise a team captain could pull a 'sicky' on her weakest team member.

Yes they "could" but I can't believe anyone would do that.

They do have doctors on the womens' golf tour don't they?

If there is even the slightest hint any team captain would entertain such an idea, then they may as well all pack up and go home

Looks like the next problem is going to be casual water. Still, at least with it being match play, they can re-cut holes.

What happened to Kerr?
Why didn't they withdraw her prior to the "off", a la Steve Pate and Torrance?
I knew Stupples would come through in the anchor match - but whose name would have been in the envelope?

Kwini - it all seems very confused there.

Kerr was seen on the range about 15 minutes before her scheduled tee-time - with her husband and her physio - it was clear that she couldn't play, hard as she tried but it went right to zero hour before the decision was apparently made.

I fully understand tht it is a captains' agreement that the point is awarded here in the event of a withdrawal. I just don't see why

kwini ... from what I can gather, her injury is a recurrence of tendonitis of the her right wrist.

Presumably the US captain must've been aware of this and so one has to question the wisdom of playing Kerr in all previous four matches.

As far whose name would have been in the envelope, the nearest I can guess at would be one of the rookie players?

Thanks Davie,
I wonder when her fitness first became questionable?
In the circumstances, I believe the decision to forfeit is completely fair; certainly no earthly reason why Nicholas should have felt obliged to void their match at such a late hour.

Thanks gael,
Given the problems Mel Reid was having with her wrist, it is doubtful she could have played 36 holes yesterday and no doubt that was a factor in her resting Saturday morning.
Anchor Azahara now . . . . .

Kwini ... it wouldn't have been Ali's decision to take anyway. The rules of competition would have been agreed to by both sides long before a ball was struck.

If golf is meant to be a game of honour, then awarding this match to europe is wrong.

She is either hurt or not, able to play or not...........as such, the match should have been halved.

I understand the Captains had the rule in place prior to the event, and this rule is wrong im afraid.......................

My thoughts exactly, John

Disagree completely; decision must be made before start of play, otherwise you could have, say, Andrew Coltart pleading injury (and a half) rather than facing T.Woods.

Kwini,
That was my point about the integrity of the game. The point you are making is to infer that the US team may be guilty of cheating. There is no evidence to suggest this.......................there is only one question to answer. Was Kerr fit to play? If the European team thought she was pulling a sickie, then let them call it as such....................one rule does not fit all scenarios................

No, not at all John. But the interpretation you're advocating leaves the door open for misbehaviour.
Surely it's crucial that Kerr calls in sick before a ball is bowled?

Quite happy to agree to differ!

Agree to differ........................but.........agree to differ!!!

kwinigolfer wrote:No, not at all John. But the interpretation you're advocating leaves the door open for misbehaviour.
Surely it's crucial that Kerr calls in sick before a ball is bowled?

Quite happy to agree to differ!

I dont want to "argue" over it either Kwini - but I think it's a fair point for debate and I see what John is saying.

The interpretation that John (and I) are advocating leaves the door open to more than misbehaviour. It leaves it open to cheating. I for one would be disgusted if either USA or Europe stooped to that sort of level.

That's why I mentioned doctors before. If a player could convince a doctor that they weren't fit to play then the honourable thing to do would be to halve the match.

If such a request was made and the doctor had any doubt, the shame on the team that tried to "pull a fast one" would be unbearable

I fear that this will finish 14.5 - 13.5 to Europe...............i really hope that isin't the final score....................

Trouble is Davie, presumption is that the rules are as they are for the men's events. If a player (as happened to Torrance and, more controversially, Steve Pate) can't go, the decision is made in advance of play starting and a matching name (let's say Lanny Wadkins or David Gilford) is "out in the envelope).

That didn't happen in this case - what happened, did Christie Kerr injure herself cracking open her boiled egg? Not fair to Nicholas or Stupples to have to concede a half in such circumstances.

Screw the rules. Anyone with an ounce of class would have awarded the USA a half. Would anyone supporting Europe (I'm not) be happy to win because one of the opposition was injured?

Not about class Hibbz, it's about the rules.
I for one would be perfectly happy with a European win; sadly it's most unlikely.
Not that I've ever been accused of having an ounce of class . . . . .

Rules can be silly some times, we all know, but... Another rather silly rule is that if this would've finished in a tie, than US would have won it !?!?

So I for one am going to enjoy this win for Europe!

Thrilling Solheim Cup, hopefully a two-point win will remove any controversy; brilliant shot into 17 by Azahara, wish The Golf Channel could have shown us, or even reported, what happened on 18.

Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, Walker Cup.
FedEx Cup not anywhere near as important but fingers crossed that Luke can bring it home.

what a brilliant climax!! Hats off to Pettersen and Hedwall...1 down and 3 to play and finishing birdie birdie birdie is class...pure pure class from Suzanne. Hedwall 2 down with 2 to play, applying enough pressure to her opponent to win the last 2 and get the half...gripping stuff!! Well done to the wimmin, thoroughly entertaining to watch

A very unsatisfactory finish on 18................why did Munoz and Stanford bother hitting their 2nd shots if only to walk up and shake hands. There is lots of money wagered on the correct score and this was silly....................i saw Munoz concede Stanfords putt, didn't see Munoz's putt being conceded, so was this match a half??

In which case, the Solheim Cup finished 13.5 13.5 with an injury deciding the final point................this is nothing to celebrate and quite shameful in fact that such a wonderful event finishes like that.........................

I'm with kwini on this one. If this is a long standing injury (which it appears to be) then either a) Kerr should have withdrawn from the team or b) she shouldn't have played all 4 matches prior to the singles.

I agree it's a shame for her as she has played very well throughout the matches but she is the only person that fully knows the impact of the injury and she should have made a decision with her captain prior to the Sunday singles.

Overall, brilliant result from the Europeans, the tail enders did fantastically well to turn around their matches.