Edition: U.S. / Global

GOLF; U.S. Dominates When It Counts to Retake Cup

Published: September 23, 2002


An American team had never lost the Solheim Cup on United States soil, and this team was determined not to be the first. So on a chilly, breezy afternoon at Interlachen Country Club, 12 American women staged an inspired rally by rallying around each other. Juli Inkster, Laura Diaz and Emilee Klein set the tone, winning the first three singles matches. Wendy Ward had the match of her life, playing the world's No. 1 player, Annika Sorenstam, to an 18-hole standoff.

By the time Rosie Jones reached the 15th green in the day's final match, the United States was a half-point from victory, and Jones was in the driver's seat, 2 up in her match against Karine Icher. When Icher three-putted to lose the 15th hole, the United States had clinched another half-point, and the Cup had found a new home.

Overcoming a 9-7 deficit by going 7-2-3 in singles matches today, the United States defeated Europe, 15 1/2-12 1/2, to recapture the Solheim Cup it had bitterly lost two years ago in Scotland.

It was an impressive victory for the Americans, who relied on superior depth and veteran leadership to dominate the singles and demoralize the Europeans.

''I put them out there and told them to give me their all,'' said Patty Sheehan, the United States captain. ''They gave me more than their all.''

Joining Inkster, Diaz and Klein in the winner's circle today for the Americans were Jones, Kelly Robbins, Meg Mallon and Pat Hurst. Ward, Michele Redman and Beth Daniel each secured a half-point.

The situation looked ominous for the United States, after the Europeans swept Saturday afternoon's four-ball matches to take a 9-7 lead heading into the final day. But Mallon, a veteran of five previous Solheim competitions -- there have been seven since the first, in 1990 -- gave her teammates an emotional speech at dinner that helped lift their spirits.

''We couldn't let ourselves get down,'' said Mallon, who beat Laura Davies, 3 and 2. ''We're good in the singles because we have to be. You're representing your team and your country. You can't give up.''

A new day brought a new resolve by the Americans, who dominated the singles with clutch putting and timely heroics that sparked chants of ''U.S.A.!'' from a partisan gallery that rejoiced as the tide turned.

The start unfolded just as Sheehan had hoped, when Inkster defeated Raquel Carriedo (4 and 3) in match No. 1, Diaz spanked Paula Marti (5 and 3) in match No. 2 and Klein beat Helen Alfredsson (2 and 1) in match No. 3.

The Klein-Alfredsson match was particularly demoralizing for Europe. Trailing most of the match, Alfredsson birdied the 12th hole to pull even, only to bogey 13 and 14 to fall 2 down again.

When Alfredsson reached the 15th tee box, she angrily shoved her driver into her bag, knowing that a crucial match was slipping away. Klein bogeyed No. 15 to put Alfredsson 1 down, but the crushing blow came at No. 16, when Alfredsson gave away the hole by missing a 2 1/2-foot putt for par, watching in agony as the ball spun around the hole and stayed out.

Klein closed out the match on the next hole, and as Alfredsson stood by the 17th green, a tear rolled down her cheek as she and the European captain Dale Reid looked at the scoreboard and saw a sea of red, signifying that the United States was leading in so many matches.

''You're trying to win your match, but you can't help seeing, red, red, red,'' Davies said. ''I was trying to win my match, but Mickey Mouse could have beaten me the way I putted. Meg Mallon is a lot better than Mickey Mouse.''

The United States got a huge lift from Ward, who halved her match with Sorenstam, a significant morale boost for the Americans. Sorenstam has 39 victories on the L.P.G.A. tour, compared to just one for Ward. But while many considered this a mismatch, Ward saw it as an opportunity.

Ward has known Sorenstam since college, when Ward attended Arizona State and Sorenstam played for rival Arizona.

''I have always been very comfortable playing with Annika,'' Ward said. ''And my teammates thought without a doubt I could beat her. That's what set the tone for me.''

Ward led most of the match, and even had a 6-foot putt for birdie at No. 18 that would have beaten Sorenstam. Unfortunately for Ward, she made her worst stroke of the day and her final putt did not come close. However, she gladly settled for the half-point, and the United States kept rolling.

Other highlights included Hurst (3 and 2) over Mhairi McKay, with Hurst chipping in on No. 16; and Robbins dominating Maria Hjorth (5 and 3). Jones went on to beat Icher (3 and 2), but the atmosphere was so hectic, Jones did not realize that she had clinched the Cup at No. 15 until her caddie told her at No. 16.

''We pretty much skipped up the fairway,'' Jones said. ''Then, when I saw my teammates on the green, it was just a really big relief.''

For the Europeans, it was a huge disappointment. Europe fought to the end, getting victories from Iben Tinning over Kelli Kuehne (3 and 2) and from Sophie Gustafson over Cristie Kerr (3 and 2). And Carin Koch kept her unbeaten Solheim Cup record (7-0-1) with an anticlimatic half-point against Daniel, while Suzann Pettersen earned an incredible half-point by winning the last five holes against Redman, who had been up 5 with five holes to play.

But in the end, only the final result mattered. A splendid comeback was completed, major controversies between the two sides were avoided, and the Americans recaptured the Cup.

For Sheehan, in her first Solheim Cup captaincy, all seemed right with the world. ''This is the topper right here,'' said Sheehan, who had a Hall of Fame career herself. ''It doesn't get any better than this.''

Photos: Captain Patty Sheehan, left, embracing Rosie Jones, whose singles-match victory capped the comeback. (Reuters)(pg. D1); Mhairi McKay of Scotland, center, watched her European teammates falter after she lost her singles match to Pat Hurst of the United States. (Reuters)(pg. D7)