Solheim Cup MVPs, surprises, second-guesses

Examine in each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the most well liked 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 received two majors final season, earned only a level. This season? Zhang was 4-0! Lauren Coughlin, the most well liked U.S. participant coming 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): Generally, it’s so simple as what Josh says above. The very best 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 straightforward, however the higher staff received. 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 chances 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 staff?

Berhow: It’s simple 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 all the things she may to squeeze out factors for the staff in blue. Man, she’s enjoyable to observe play golf.

Wall: It must be Rose Zhang. She continues to stay as much as the hype on the largest levels. 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 saved the potential of an all-time Sunday comeback on ice.

Whose efficiency have been you most stunned by?

Berhow: Stunned may not be the suitable phrase, however Lauren Coughlin had a robust task this week. She received in every of the previous two months and was taking part in what was basically a house recreation, which solely added strain on prime of lofty expectations. She delivered, and that’s not simple to do.

Zak: I believe Esther Henseleit is the title to observe for 2025. She didn’t go undefeated and didn’t play 5 matches, however it felt like each time I noticed her hit an method, 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 outdoors the highest 100 on this planet originally of 2024). Add it to her silver medal from August, and this may very well be the summer season that actually launched a profession.

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

May European captain Suzann Pettersen have executed something in another way? What adjustments or tweaks would possibly you’ve got 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. Laborious to second-guess an excessive amount of right here. Like I stated earlier than, the People’ greatest gamers did their jobs. And, as Rory McIlroy has advised us, it’s actually laborious to win these staff occasions on the street.

Zak: It’s humorous. Nearly all of this European staff was eventually yr’s Solheim Cup, the place they received. So we’ve modified location and we’ve modified a couple of gamers and earned a barely totally different outcome. What offers? Not a lot is the reply. I’m unsure she wanted to do something totally different. The Euros received 1.5 fewer factors this yr. That may come all the way 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 mistaken ones after the actual 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 staff 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 a whole lot of followers stranded for hours within the car parking zone and compelled them to overlook the opening tee photographs. What’s your tackle the snafu and the LPGA’s response to it?

Berhow: We lined this extensively right here, however it sounds just like the weekend was a lot better. How this occurs on the primary event day of the LPGA’s largest occasion of the yr remains to be a head-scratcher, however I’m glad issues have been mounted 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 hundreds of people that wished to observe girls’s golf however couldn’t. Clearly, the LPGA made applicable adjustments over the weekend, however you merely can’t make a mistake that massive and kill one of many biggest 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 acquired so pissed off, they determined to stroll to their vehicles. The Solheim Cup debacle was on one other stage. How the LPGA allowed issues to go from dangerous to worse on Friday is baffling. I really feel dangerous for everybody who confirmed up and waited in line for hours, solely to observe the opening tee photographs on their telephone. 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 successful if Tiger Woods isn’t wholesome sufficient to play following his newest again surgical procedure, however it’s acquired 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 quite a lot of one of the best European professionals. 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.