Europe Chasing a Solheim Cup Three-Peat as the Favorite, But Sunday Singles Could Decide It
ANDALUCIA, Spain — Who is the favorite?
It’s not often that the European team, no matter where they are playing, is considered the betting favorite to win the Solheim Cup, but this 2023 version is different from previous editions.
It is certainly different in that no one seems to dispute that the 12 Europeans from England, France, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Scotland are the favorites to win their eighth cup and third in a row.
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If they do prevail at Finca Cortesin it would be the first three-peat by the Europeans in the history of the Solheim Cup.
“I think Europe's the favorite,“ U.S. captain Stacy Lewis said. “They have won the last two, we're on their soil, they have a great team that has a ton of experience in this event. So, you look at history, you know, it doesn't bode well for us.”
Lewis played in four Solheim Cups, winning and losing twice, and while she sees the handwriting on the wall about the Europeans' strength, she is not tossing in the proverbial chips just yet.
“I love our chances; I love these rookies,” Lewis said. “I think they're going to have a great week and hopefully surprise a lot of people.”
Rose Zhang will lead a strong group of U.S. Solheim Cup rookies.
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Surprise, shock, amaze, whatever word you use if the U.S. wins, Lewis’s best foot forward may be with her rookies: Lilia Vu, Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee, Rose Zhang and Cheyenne Knight. They represent a new breed of player that plays with respect for those who came before while staying focused on only one thing—winning.
“I think whatever my place, whatever I should do is for the team,” Zhang said when asked about playing time. “Regardless of how much I'm playing, I'm going to be fighting out there every single event or every single match that I participate in. So, no hard feelings there. I feel like I love being on the sidelines cheering for my teammates if that's what I'm going to do. That's basically what being part of a team is.”
European captain Suzann Pettersen doesn't care to comment on her team's status as the favorite, but she believes she has the best European team ever assembled.
With nine cups under her belt, Pettersen knows her Solheim history, so analysis of her own team comes with the backing of being in the room and playing in key matches.
“I don't think there's anything to hide under a chair that if you look on paper, we have the strongest team that I've ever been a part of, and that's based on great performances over the last few years from all the players," she said. “So, with good results, there's also expectations, but these girls are so up for it, so we can't wait.”
The depth of the European backroom team includes vice captain Laura Davies, who played in the first 12 Solheim Cups and served as vice captain in 2019 and 2021.
Davies said that in her first 12 Solheim Cups the Europeans were never favorites, even though they won four of those 12.
“I genuinely think it'll come down to the last couple of groups Sunday and well, America could have won the last two,” Davies said. “So that's how close its been in recent years. This time, we've got home soil, we've got 12 great players, they’ve got 12 great players, so it's going to be tight.”
In the last two losses, the U.S. had not led going into the Sunday singles matches.
In the past that would not have been a concern as the U.S. has been a stronger team in singles with a 10-5-2 record, but the Europeans have showed strength in the last three cups while not losing the singles session, with two ties and a 6.5-5.5 victory in 2019.
Davis may be right; it was close the last couple of Solheim Cups, and it could have gone either way.
Or it can be gleaned that this year’s singles in Spain could go either way. Ownership of the cup could be in the balance.