Europe's Solheim Cup side stronger than 2013, says Richard Kaufman
Wednesday 16 September 2015 11:25, UK
Sky Sports commentator Richard Kaufman has been looking through the two Solheim Cup squads and feels the European side may be even stronger than it was two years ago...
There's no doubt the Solheim Cup will be missing some of the ladies game's most in-form players in Germany, with the world No 1 from Korea and the game's teen sensation, Lydia Ko, from New Zealand. There's a few more to mention, too.
I'm not saying that a President's Cup style alternative shouldn't be considered, but the Solheim Cup is just fine as it is. It will be a great watch and with the teams now picked, it should be another fascinating match up.
Two years ago, Europe won for the first time on US soil and by a record winning margin of 18-10. Interestingly, the personnel from Colorado is very similar to the line-up we'll see in Germany in a few weeks.
In her rookie year, Alison Lee has made the team at the expense of Jessica Korda. That, remarkably, is the only change for the USA. Is this a good thing for captain Juli Inkster? That a team so battered in 2013 is practically the same one that turns out again?
There's the perfect chance for revenge, or, if the USA team don't get off on the right foot in Germany, the rot could set in. A slow start would certainly increase the pressure on the American players and take the fun out an of an event that Inkster insists she wants her team to enjoy.
Could Inkster have chosen her picks differently? Well, of course she could. Austin Ernst has been showing some good form and was close to an automatic spot, while Mo Martin won a major last year but has suffered with injury since.
Christina Kim won less than a year ago on an LPGA Tour where USA wins have been hard to come by, but Brittany Lang was certainly one of the better players for America last time out and four top-20 finishes in the last seven events is enough of a case.
The tough choice would have been Paula Creamer, the golden girl for the USA team. She had a tough time in 2013, culminating in the thrashing she got from Charley Hull. Inkster said she had a good chat with Creamer on Saturday night in Canada and the US captain said she saw something in Creamer's eyes.
That was just a day after the Pink Panther shot an 81 to miss the cut for the third event in a row but Karen Stupples, former European player and now commentator, reckons we'll see another Paula now the pressure of making the team has gone. We'll just have to see.
As I mentioned last week, I think Europe captain Carin Koch will be delighted with the make-up of her side. I don't think anyone would disagree with her picks and if she had been given 12 picks, she probably would have come up with the same players she has at her disposal now.
Nine of the 12 were in Colorado, with Giulia Sergas, Beatriz Recari and Ewart Shadoff the ones missing this time round. Mel Reid, Gwaldys Nocera and Sandra Gal have stepped in and if anything, this is a European team even stronger than it was in 2013.
All that's left is some tournament golf before the big tee off at St Leon. I'll be at the Helsingborg Open and the Evian Championship ahead of the Solheim Cup, both of which will be live on Sky Sports
Richard Kaufman will be part of Sky Sports' commentary team throughout the Solheim Cup, with all three days live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf
