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Team USA Delivers an Amazing Victory at The Solheim Cup

The American Solheim Cup Team pulled off an Brookline-like comeback today at the 2015 Solheim Cup to break the European Team’s hold on the cup.

The Solheim Cup - Day ThreeFaced with the almost insurmountable and memorable deficit of 10-6 the ladies of Team USA were in need of a Ben Crenshaw style miracle.

Well, Juli Inkster isn’t Gentle Ben but she’ll go down in history as having as much faith in her troops as he did and that faith was well founded.

Team USA was in a deep hole as the fourth round fourball matches were being completed early Sunday morning. Inkster’s ladies were trying to claw their way out of a 4-8 point deficit in the final team matches that needed to be completed on Sunday due to darkness on Saturday.

The Euro’s were playing excellent golf and the Americans were trying to win their first session of the match. The first two matches were split and then the fireworks started.

Brittany Linicome and Alison Lee were all square with Suzann Pettersen and Charley Hull on the seventeenth hole as Lee’s birdie putt slid past the hole. She left herself with an 18 inch comebacker and things got very interesting.

With Pettersen off the green and on her way to eighteen (she walked off greens while her opponents were putting all week) Lee walked towards her ball. Hull and her caddie who were directly opposite the hole and in Lee’s field of view, started to walk of the green to the next hole. It certainly looked like Hull and her caddie conceded or at least wanted to concede the putt. (See the whole episode here.)

Lee scooped her ball up with her putter and the rules official claimed the hole was halved. Then Pettersen walked back to the official claiming there was no concession.

Lee said she heard someone say it was good but both Europeans and their caddies said they did not utter a word. After a quick investigation by the rules official he determined there was no concession and awarded the hole to the Europeans.lee cries

Lee was stunned and in tears, Lincicome was baffled, Hull was also crying and Pettersen was indignant.

She stood by her claim of no concession and easily lived up to her reputation of using any and every bit of “gamesmenship” against her opponents. She’s the female Seve whose gamesmenship is legendary.

Captain Inkster was livid and said as much, “It’s just BS. It puts a damper on the whole thing. No way they can ever justify that. It’s just not right. I don’t care what they say. You just don’t do that to your peers. I have never seen anything like it in my career. It’s disrespectful.”

Dame Laura Davies, Solheim Cupper and Hall of Famer who was working for Sky Sports was disgusted by the whole thing. “Disgusted. We have got our best player, Charley Hull, who has just won a point and she’s in a flood of tears. That tells you the wrong thing was done. I know (Pettersen) is angry and justifying everything, but she has let herself down, and she has certainly let her team down. I am so glad I am not on that team this time.”

Public opinion not withstanding, the Euro’s went to the eighteenth hole one up and a flabbergasted American Team lost that hole also. Hull and Pettersen won the match 2 & 1.

As the Singles started the American team had a 10-6 deficit but their spirit was renewed. Now they wanted to win not just for their own pride and country. One of theirs had been scarred. Lee a rookie would have to live with her gaffe and Inkster, who these women adore would have her captaincy tainted.

Pettersen may have inadvertently wakened the sleeping bear. The way the Americans played in the rest of the day was inspiring.

Knowing Team USA needed a great start in the singles Inkster sent out some big guns early. Lexi Thompson led off followed by Morgan Pressel, Lincicome then Brittany Lang. But Thompson halved her match and only Pressel was able to win.

Team USA hope’s sank again when Stacy Lewis lost but something had been stirring in the other seven matches.

Michelle Wie easily dispatched Caroline Headwall 6 & 4 and she joined the ranks of cheerleaders rooting on the red, white and blue.

Allison Lee took out her frustrations on Gwladys Nocera with a 3 & 1 win.

And a struggling Angela Stanford may be the day’s most valuable player as she took down the big European gun, Pettersen in a 2 & 1 thriller.

The Solheim Cup - Day ThreeThere was no shortage of heroes for Team USA as Gerina Piller saved the match with a clutch putt on eighteen to win her match and keep the American hopes alive. She knew a miss would give the cup to Europe but stepped up and buried it dead center.

Inkster could very well be remembered for her competitiveness and her ability to get her players to focus on just playing golf but it was her Sunday lineup that won her the cup.

The last five players all won their matches. Lizette Salas won three straight holes to close out Azahara Munoz 3 & 1.

Stanford erased her horrid Cup memories with the win over Pettersen.

Veteran Cristie Kerr gave a still emotional Hull a 3 & 1 beating and screamed with joy as she put her away.

Wie’s win was the white wash of the day and that left just one match to determine the cup.

Just one more of Inkster’s girls on the course and the one who most wanted to win for her captain.

Paula Creamer didn’t earn her spot on Team USA, she was a captain’s pick. Inkster and Creamer go way back to Creamer’s early years on tour when Inkster was her “tour mom.”

Inkster had plenty of faith in Creamer. She sent her out on day one in the opening match and she and Pressel won.Germany Golf Solheim Cup

Inkster showed more faith when she slotted her in the anchor spot against Sandra Gal who had played wonderfully all week in her home country.

Creamer made good on Inkster’s confidence in her with a 4 & 3 win to clinch the cup.

Creamer’s win capped a comeback for the ages and gave Inkster what she wanted most: a Solheim Cup win that was earned with grit and toughness and grace and sportsmanship.

And the fact that the Pettersen episode motivated the Americans made it that much sweeter.

It may have been one of the greatest days in the history of woman’s golf. I know twelve golfers and one captain that certainly think so.

The Solheim Cup - Day Three

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