THE Solheim Cup makes for a long week. Team meetings here, practice sessions there, glitzy social functions everywhere.
By the time the opening session of foursomes comes round, the 24 players are like coiled springs waiting to go, well, boing.
“I think everybody is just keen to get started and that’s the hardest thing about the build-up,” observed the Scottish caddie, Kevin McAlpine, who is the European trying to aid an American win with his employer, Lexi Thompson.
“It’s been a long week already. We got in on Sunday night, and then we were on and off the course with the rain on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It almost feels like we should be getting finished, not just starting. But everybody is just champing at the bit now.”
That champing was set to end this morning as the opening session of foursomes got underway at Des Moines.
The pairings for these early exchanges were unveiled last night and the Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew was swiftly handed a key role as she was sent out in the anchor match in partnership France’s Karine Icher.
With 11 previous cup campaigns between them, this experienced alliance were going head-to-head with the US double act of Gerina Piller and the former Women’s British Open champion, Stacy Lewis.
Annika Sorenstam, the European captain, put her faith in the English duo of Mel Reid and Charley Hull to lead from the front and sent them out together in the top tie with Cristie Kerr and the aforementioned Thompson.
“They were excited by the prospect and I wanted them to set the pace,” said Sorenstam of a partnership that teamed up to good effect in the 2015 match in Germany.
With four rookies in her 12-strong side, Sorenstam opted to put one, Georgia Hall, out in the morning session. For a testing tussle with the American alliance of Austin Ernst and the former US Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer, the 21-year-old Hall was paired with Sweden’s seasoned campaigner Anna Nordqvist, who has four Solheim Cup appearances to her name.
“I was keen to get players out who have been around before,” added Sorenstam, who kept the debutant trio of Florentyna Parker, Emily Pedersen and Madelene Sagstrom waiting in the wings.
Like everybody, Juli Inkster, the US captain, was ready for the gun to go.
“We’ve spent a year-and-a-half preparing for this and we want to get going,” said Inkster, who is aiming for her second victory as team skipper.
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