Solheim Cup 2015: Dates, Rosters and More for USA vs. Europe
The Solheim Cup is the women's golf equivalent of the Ryder Cup, so passions are always high in this uniquely formatted duel between the USA and Europe.
St. Leon-Rot Golf Club in Germany is the site of this year's event. After the U.S. won eight of the first 11 competitions, Europe is coming off its first successful defense in 2013—also marking the first time Europe claimed the Solheim Cup on American soil.
LPGA legend Juli Inkster is the USA captain tasked with stopping the Americans' unprecedented Solheim Cup dry spell, and she will have a talented roster to mold against her counterpart, Carin Koch.
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The action begins Friday and runs through Sunday, so read on for a preview and prediction as to how the biennial showdown will turn out.
| Paula Creamer | 6 | Carlota Ciganda | 2 |
| Cristie Kerr | 8 | Sandra Gal | 2 |
| Brittany Lang | 4 | Caroline Hedwall | 3 |
| Alison Lee | 1 | Charley Hull | 2 |
| Stacy Lewis | 3 | Karine Icher | 2 |
| Brittany Lincicome | 5 | Caroline Masson | 2 |
| Gerina Piller | 2 | Catriona Matthew | 8 |
| Morgan Pressel | 5 | Azahara Munoz | 3 |
| Lizette Salas | 2 | Gwladys Nocera | 4 |
| Angela Stanford | 6 | Anna Nordqvist | 4 |
| Lexi Thompson | 2 | Melissa Reid | 2 |
| Michelle Wie | 4 | Suzann Pettersen | 8 |
| Friday, Sept. 18 | 2 a.m.-12 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 2 a.m.-12 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| Sunday, Sept. 20 | 4:30-11:30 a.m. | Golf Channel |
Solheim Cup Preview, Prediction
Inkster is among the most qualified U.S. captains in history. Still a fine player even at age 55, Inkster brings a wealth of knowledge and pedigree to the American side that should allow her to have a greater impact on the team than most of her predecessors.
Whereas prior years have seen the USA fall short and go a bit heavy on the cheerleading aspect of the Solheim Cup, this 2015 squad is taking on a more serious tone. Inkster has outlawed face paint, for example.
"I don't see a lot of grown women with face paint on. I want to get back to playing golf," said Inkster, per Golfblot.com's Steve Elling.
The USA has Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson as headliners, who are third and fourth, respectively, in the world rankings. Thompson is coming off a runner-up finish at the Evian Championship.
Furthermore, Inkster has three other players in the world top 20 in Brittany Lincicome (14), Cristie Kerr (15) and Michelle Wie (20).
Wie has been hailed as arguably the most gifted player in women's golf for years and has struggled with injuries of late, but Golf Channel's Randall Mell believes there's reason for hope after Wie recovered well to finish tied for 16th at the Evian after an opening-round 75:
Team USA's Morgan Pressel is 23rd in the world hierarchy, while Alison Lee—the only rookie in this year's Solheim Cup—checks in at 27th, having registered a top-six finish in the major finale. Anna Nordqvist (12) and Azahara Munoz (26) are the only European players ranked in the top 30 in the world.
"If you look at the rankings, the Americans have such a strong team," said Koch, per GolfChannel.com's Jay Coffin. "They're so much higher ranked than we are. … They have 12 really good players. It will be tough for us. But we'll give them as good of a match as we can."
On paper, the Americans have the massive talent advantage, but Europe's recent success may give Koch's side the mental edge—a crucial, decisive factor in golf more than almost any other sport.
As Amy Rogers of SolheimCupUSA.com points out, St. Leon-Rot Golf Club is a lengthy course for the women to tackle at upward of 6,500 yards.
Team Europe has an ever-so-slight edge in driving distance overall, but the margin is basically dead even at 254 yards; the Americans are more accurate off the tee by approximately two collective percentage points. Playing from the fairway will be vital in hitting lengthy approach shots to these greens and is going to go a long way in determining who the winner will be.
The Europeans can counteract the potential driving disadvantage and draw on their recent success in the pairs matches. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Europe build a lead after the eight foursome and eight four-ball matches.
No matter what deficit the Americans face entering Sunday's 12 singles matches, though, they can at least count on gaining the upper hand there thanks to superior overall personnel.
The approach Inkster is taking is certainly a bold one that could well backfire if the Americans don't perform well on the course. It's a drastic change that could help the USA turn the Solheim Cup tide and is worth experimenting with for at least one year.
Given Inkster's credentials as a seven-time major champion and nine-time Solheim Cup participant, she's bound to thrive in a leadership role and deliver the title with a deeper team determined to reverse the recent trend.
Prediction: Team USA wins, 16-12
Note: Stats and information courtesy of SolheimCup.com unless otherwise indicated.
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