Two teams, 24 players and you have just one golfer ranked inside the world’s top 12.
Two teams, 24 players and only five of the world’s top 20 are in the competition.
Sadly, when it comes to the world’s best women players, the Solheim Cup competition comes up woefully short.
Fact is that players from Asia, especially South Korea, have rendered this 15th edition of the Solheim Cup irrelevant in the world of golf.
So what’s the claim for the winner between the United States and Europe? “We’re No. 2!”
Sadly that’s what it comes down to.
Maybe the folks out in Des Moines are excited. After all, now much to get excited about out there until Hawkeye football begins its season.
Lexi Thompson is the No. 2 player in the world. She’s the star of the show. Next highest ranked player in the field is Europe’s Anna Nordqvist, No. 13 and she’s recovering from an ongoing bout with mononucleosis. Great.
The United States team is an overwhelming favorite because after Lexi, you’ve got three ladies ranked in the world’s Top 20.
There’s Cristie Kerr (14th), Stacy Lewis (19th) and Danielle Kang (20th).
For quick reference, let’s review the other members of each team and their rankings:
United States:
Gerina Piller (24th), Michelle Wie (30th), Brittany Lang (42nd), Lizette Salas (45th), Brittany Lincicome (47th), Angel Yin (50th), Austin Ernst (57th) and Paula Creamer (112th). Creamer, who has played miserably this season, is in for injured Jessica Korda.
Can you imagine if the U.S. Ryder Cup team had guys ranked 50th, 57th and 112th in the world?
Maybe now you can fathom why these matches are so irrelevant.
The European team is even shorter on talent.
Europe:
Carlota Ciganda (21), Suzann Pettersen (23rd), Charley Hull (26th), Jodi Ewart Shadoff (29th), Karine Icher (43rd), Georgia Hall (46th), Caroline Masson (49th), Madelene Sagstrom (71st), Mel Reid (98th), Florentyna Parker (105th), Emily Pedersen (120th).
Imagine the horror if the men’s European Ryder Cup team trotted out the 98th, 105th and 120th-ranked players in the world.
So everyone’s out getting all worked up over some matches where the world’s best are basically no where to be seen.
Perfect for Des Moines.
Good news is that at least the USA has been able to claim victory in nine of the previous 14 matches.
Good news is that at least the USA is an overwhelming favorite to retain the cup and it should be.
As bad as golf is in the United States compared to South Korea, in Europe it’s even worse.
If that’s not bad enough, the European team took a body blow on Wednesday when Pettersen announced she would not be able to compete, citing a slipped disc in her back. That’s never a good thing for a golfer.
Pettersen, one of the controversial players from the last meeting of these teams, was replaced by Catriona Matthew. Matthew is ranked a lofty 97th in the world.
Maybe European captain Annika Sorenstam should consider coming out of retirement.
Since that won’t happen, now it’s even more of a mismatch.
If the United States players are as good as their rankings say they are, this should be a rout. A real butt-kickin’ administered by the ladies in red, while and blue.
But you never know.
We may think it’s irrelevant but they don’t.
So let ’em go out there and have at it.
