Solheim Cup MVPs, surprises, second-guesses

Verify in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most popular matters within the sport, and be part of the dialog by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we break down the People’ Solheim Cup victory and sit up for a very powerful occasions remaining in 2024.

The People reclaimed the Solheim Cup for the primary time since 2017, beating Europe 15.5-12.5 on Sunday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Virginia. What was the distinction for the U.S. this time round?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): The celebs confirmed up. Again in 2019, Lexi and Danielle Kang (two of their top-three gamers) mixed for two factors. In 2021, that duo mixed for two.5 factors. Final yr, Rose Zhang solely secured a half level, and Lilia Vu, who gained two majors final season, earned only a level. This season? Zhang was 4-0! Lauren Coughlin, the most popular U.S. participant getting into the week, didn’t decelerate, ending 3–0–1 to safe 3.5 factors. Throw in three factors from Nelly Korda, whose solely loss was to a dialed-in Charley Hull on Sunday, and that’s the way you win on dwelling soil.

Sean Zak, senior author (@sean_zak): Typically, it’s so simple as what Josh says above. The most effective gamers on the U.S. confirmed up. An much more strict studying is that they merely held serve. They have been the favourite, they’ve one of the best gamers, and so they have been taking part in at dwelling. It’s by no means that easy, however the higher workforce gained. That’s not at all times the case.

Jonathan Wall, managing tools editor (@jonathanrwall): I concur with my colleagues. The massive names confirmed up and put factors on the board in bunches. The percentages improve tremendously in your favor when the massive weapons are firing on all cylinders. Fortunately for the People, all of it got here collectively this week.

Who takes dwelling MVP honors for every workforce?

Berhow: It’s straightforward to only decide the highest point-earner… however I’m going to choose the highest point-earner, particularly since Rose Zhang went from incomes only a half level final yr to 4 this yr. And Rose didn’t simply win this week, she dominated — 3 and a couple of, 5 and 4, 6 and 4, and 6 and 4. She by no means performed the ultimate two holes this week, and three of her 4 matches didn’t make it previous the 14th! I’ll give Hull the European MVP. She earned 3 factors however, extra importantly, took down Nelly Korda within the leadoff match of Sunday singles. If Europe was going to mount a comeback, that needed to occur.

Zak: I’ll lean in Megan Khang’s course for the American honors. She’s the lifeblood of the squad. She will get one of the best golf out of her bestie, Nelly Korda. She thumped Emily Pedersen in her singles match. And Berhow nailed the European honors. Charley Hull, taking part in 5 matches, did every little thing she might to squeeze out factors for the workforce in blue. Man, she’s enjoyable to observe play golf.

Wall: It needs to be Rose Zhang. She continues to reside as much as the hype on the largest phases. Workforce USA was at all times going to want their stars to step up when it mattered to interrupt the Solheim Cup drought — and Zhang did so when it mattered most. She stored the opportunity of an all-time Sunday comeback on ice.

Whose efficiency have been you most stunned by?

Berhow: Shocked may not be the appropriate phrase, however Lauren Coughlin had a robust task this week. She gained in every of the previous two months and was taking part in what was primarily a house sport, which solely added stress on prime of lofty expectations. She delivered, and that’s not straightforward to do.

Zak: I feel Esther Henseleit is the title to observe for 2025. She didn’t go undefeated and didn’t play 5 matches, but it surely felt like each time I noticed her hit an strategy, it was flagged. She by no means appeared to draw back from the second, which you like to see from a rookie (and somebody who was exterior the highest 100 on the planet originally of 2024). Add it to her silver medal from August, and this might be the summer season that basically launched a profession.

Wall: I’ll go together with the occasion organizers. With an occasion of this magnitude, you’d assume each logistical situation would have been mentioned and analyzed earlier than the opening tee shot on Friday. It was one of many greatest blunders I’ve ever seen.

Might European captain Suzann Pettersen have carried out something otherwise? What adjustments or tweaks may you’ve made?

Berhow: I don’t assume Leona Maguire was thrilled to play simply twice after she was a key member of the final two Solheim Cups, however she additionally wasn’t nice in a day four-ball matchup on Friday, which led to her lacking all of Saturday. Arduous to second-guess an excessive amount of right here. Like I mentioned earlier than, the People’ greatest gamers did their jobs. And, as Rory McIlroy has advised us, it’s actually laborious to win these workforce occasions on the street.

Zak: It’s humorous. Nearly all of this European workforce was eventually yr’s Solheim Cup, the place they gained. So we’ve modified location and we’ve modified a number of gamers and earned a barely completely different consequence. What provides? Not a lot is the reply. I’m unsure she wanted to do something completely different. The Euros gained 1.5 fewer factors this yr. That may come right down to randomness.

Wall: I hate second-guessing the captains within the aftermath of defeat. They’re attempting to make one of the best selections in the meanwhile, even when they appear just like the fallacious ones after the very fact. As Josh talked about, solely trotting out Leona Maguire twice in three days is an odd one. She was a key cog within the final triumph for the Europeans and will’ve helped cease the bleeding when issues went sideways throughout workforce play. Her feedback on social media confirmed she wasn’t proud of the choice. I don’t blame her.

Friday’s first day was marred by transportation points, which left tons of of followers stranded for hours within the parking zone and compelled them to overlook the opening tee pictures. What’s your tackle the snafu and the LPGA’s response to it?

Berhow: We lined this extensively right here, but it surely sounds just like the weekend was significantly better. How this occurs on the primary match day of the LPGA’s greatest occasion of the yr continues to be a head-scratcher, however I’m glad issues have been fastened for Saturday and Sunday and it wasn’t a storyline.

Zak: It’s actually unlucky. It made me actually unhappy to see photographs and movies stream throughout social media of 1000’s of people that needed to observe ladies’s golf however couldn’t. Clearly, the LPGA made acceptable adjustments over the weekend, however you merely can not make a mistake that large and kill one of many best vibes in all of golf: Friday morning on the first tee.

Wall: Earlier than final week, the worst transportation debacle I ever witnessed was the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. It took over two hours to go 10 miles on a media shuttle. Some tournament-goers obtained so pissed off, they determined to stroll to their automobiles. The Solheim Cup debacle was on one other degree. How the LPGA allowed issues to go from unhealthy to worse on Friday is baffling. I really feel unhealthy for everybody who confirmed up and waited in line for hours, solely to observe the opening tee pictures on their cellphone. That ought to by no means occur at an occasion of this magnitude.

Our Dylan Dethier broke down the key occasions nonetheless remaining in 2024. That are you most excited for?

Berhow: The Hero and PNC Problem took a success if Tiger Woods isn’t wholesome sufficient to play following his newest again surgical procedure, but it surely’s obtained to be the Presidents Cup. The PGA Tour vs. LIV match is an intriguing angle, however I’ve grown bored of these manufactured made-for-TV occasions.

Zak: I’ll choose the Dunhill Hyperlinks, performed out over three programs on the east coast of Scotland. And never simply with the standard DP World Tour crowd. This yr’s Dunhill goes to have Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and plenty of one of the best European execs. And for the parents who’re prepared to show over to soccer viewing season, that’s OK! The Dunhill will largely be within the morning time. Espresso golf lives on!

Wall: The RSM Traditional is a sneaky-good occasion. Guys are cagey as a result of their job is on the road, and it’s robust to beat Sea Island within the fall.