Europe have yet to record a victory on US soil in the Solheim Cup and I don’t expect that to change over the next few days.
The USA team have won twice as many Solheim Cups as their European counterparts and it’s no surprise they are only a best 4/11 (general) to regain the trophy at the Colorado Golf Club having lost out at Killeen Castle two years ago. Europe’s women adapted best to the atrocious conditions on the final day in Ireland to win seven of the last day’s 10 singles matches after honours had ended even after the fourballs and foursomes. But the Americans had won the three previous stagings of the transatlantic competition and are anxious to restore the status quo.
The US this year will be captained by Meg Mallon and they will field a vastly experienced squad. There are eight Solheim Cup veterans and only four rookies with British Open winner Stacy Lewis joined by Paula Creamer, competing in her fifth Solheim Cup, and the likes of Angela Stanford and Michelle Wie. Lewis is a general 4/1 to be the leading US points scorer with Creamer at 5/1 with Boylesports and Ladbrokes. Stanford is 9/1 with bet365, unibet and 888sport but Wie, the former golden girl of the LPGA, looks more attractively priced at a general 16/1 as she seems to enjoy matchplay and may be able to bully her opponents in Colorado.
Europe are 10/3 with Boylesports and Skybet to win for the first time in the States and their team features five of the 12 that beat the USA in Ireland. They’ll be hoping for another big contribution from the vastly experienced Suzann Pettersen, who is appearing in her seventh Solheim Cup. She is a general 7/2 to be her team’s leading points scorer. Karine Icher is recalled to the European team after an 11-year hiatus and is 14/1 to be Europe’s top scorer with Boylesports and Coral while Charley Hull, at 17 the youngest player to compete in the Solheim Cup, is 25/1 to BetVictor, Coral and Skybet. Captain Lisolette Neumann may want to give the Kettering teenager a bit of protection, however, as US golf fans can be a bit hostile to visiting teams.
It’s just possible that the young rookies in the European team will respond to the challenge and play without fear at Colorado. But they are equally likely to retreat into their shells and I can only see a big US win with the home team good value at 4/6 with Coral and Skybet to overcome a 2.5 point deficit on the handicap. A 16.5 – 11.5 correct score is 12/1 with Betfred and Skybet.
