© Getty Images Sport – Ross Kinnaird / Staff
The Solheim Cup 2013, held at the Colorado Golf Club from 16 to 18 August, is the edition of the double record for Team Europe: for the first time in history, Europe wins in America, inflicting the widest gap on the opponents (18 Europe – 10 USA).These are the two teams.Team USA – Meg Mallon (captain), Laura Diaz (vice-captain), Dottie Pepper (vice-captain), Paula Creamer, Christie Kerr, Jessica Korda, Brittany Lang, Stacy Lewis, Brittany Lincicome, Angela Stanford, Lexi Thompson, Morgan Pressel, Lizette Salas, Gerina Mendoza, Michelle Wie West.Team Europe – Liselotte Neumann (captain), Carin Koch (vice-captain), Annika Sorenstam (vice-captain), Carlota Ciganda, Caroline Masson, Catriona Matthew, Suzann Pettersen, Karine Icher, Azahara Munoz, Anna Nordqvist, Beatriz Recari, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Jody Ewart Shadoff.
And Giulia Sergas.
Giulia Sergas, statements
“Being called to be part of the Solheim Cup is every professional golfer’s dream, together with winning a major is the most beautiful achievement. From a professional point of view it is the confirmation of being part of the elite players, it is also thanks to this that Diana Luna and I are in the ‘Hall of Fame’ of the Italian PGA, which fills me with pride.But from an emotional point of view it is much much more.
Solheim is an absolutely special week: the preparation is special, the field test is special, even the one done months before, behind closed doors, it is special to wear the uniforms, to feel part of a group, the cheering of the public is special”.“The approach to the competition is totally different from normal tournaments.You see, you normally play in a crescendo, more leisurely before the cut, then more and more intensely until the final round.
At Solheim you start and finish ‘bombly’: you play shot by shot, golf is spectacular, you also play on your opponent’s emotions. Even if you’re tired you bring everything out, from start to finish. You are part of a team, you play, suffer and rejoice for your team.I remember that some spectacular shots came out of me: long pocketed putts, ‘magical’ exits from the bunker…
these are things that in that situation, with the wild cheering of the public (both for and against) exalt you. And it’s thanks to those that I saved the match. All this despite the fact that I wasn’t in top shape at the time: I had played great golf for 10 months at the beginning of the season, but my character came out in Colorado, I’m a fighter and I’m very proud of it.
It’s ‘easy’ to play well when you’re in shape, it’s much harder to play good golf when you’re not at your best.”“I remember the course, the Colorado Golf Club, beautiful, at first glance I thought it was very long. It is located at about 2000 meters, the rarefied air made the balls fly a lot, the fairways ran a lot …
eh, we threw certain bombs … then the greens, ultra fast and with slopes of all kinds. On the 14th hole, an uphill par 4, a negative thought crossed my mind, the fear of not making it.Annika Sorenstam, who was our vice captain, noticed immediately.
She came up to me and said: ‘I know you and you will make it’ Annika is not one to talk much, but when she does she knows how to seize the moment and the right words. In certain moments she is very supportive ”.
