Team Europe 2011
Europe’s dramatic victory at the 2011 Solheim Cup paid a fitting tribute to the legacy of Seve Ballesteros and his enduring spirit that lifted European golfers from also ran’s to Champions.
Among the heroes of the European ladies team was Norway’s Suzann Pettersen – finishing with a magical three birdies on 16, 17 & 18 to defeat Michelle Wie by just 1-hole, securing a crucial point towards a 15-13 team victory.
Suzann Pettersen
Pettersen’s victory celebration on the 18th brought back memories of Seve’s unforgettable finish at St Andrews in 1984 – both moments now etched in golfing folkore and history.
Alison Nicholas - Captain
Team captain Alison Nicholas also deserves fulsome praise for her pivotal leadership throughout the week – which saw Team Europe’s motivation withstand the pressures of worsening weather conditions and scoreboards throughout the final afternoon’s singles at Killeen Castle.
Despite forever competing in the shadows of her male golfing counterparts – Nicholas cast off any such gripes in calling on Seve for the team’s inspiration – presenting a full length Seve poster in the European Team room – and replaying the voice message sent by Seve during the previous Solheim Cup in Chicago, 2009. It was more than fitting of course as Seve once tread the same journey that the European ladies now embark on – to compete against the world’s best and in doing so to build a European Tour as a proud alternative to playing in the US.
Melissa Reid - Europe
The US based stars of the Ladies European Team (Gustafsen, Pettersen, Matthews, Hjorth, Gal) certainly produced and led when called on throughout the week. What must provide even greater hope and confidence for the European Ladies Tour however was the performances of younger and ever present members of the European Ladies Tour such as Munoz (Spain), Headwall (Sweden), Reid(England) and Boeljon (Holland).
Here’s to Europe’s 2011 Solheim Cup team and to the continued rise for the European Ladies Tour!
