Sept 10 (Askume) – Europe’s winning streak at the Solheim Cup in recent years would be curtailed by the home advantage of the United States, captain Susanne Pettersson said on Tuesday, adding that visiting teams would find themselves at a disadvantage in the competition.
Led by returning captain Peterson, Europe will seek a historic fourth consecutive win over the United States in women’s golf’s biggest team event, which will take place at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
“Playing on the road, you’re always the underdog team,” Peterson told reporters.
“We’ve always looked at it that way. If you look at the last three Solheim Games, we’ve reached a very high level and we’ll try to continue that.
“Also, on the road, I’m happy to be able to take the pressure off Team USA because they’re the favorites on home ground.”
The experienced European side are back in the main draw after drawing 14-14 with the defending champions in Spain last year.
The ten returning European players will be joined by two newcomers – Esther Henslett and Albon Valenzuela – and Pietersen said he liked the mix of youth and experience in the squad.
“It’s great to have new blood coming in,” he said.
“So we can easily add to the players’ past. We have a lot of players who have already played for Solheim. So we have a lot of experience.
“That being said, the addition of new players brings a new energy and atmosphere.”
The three-day tournament will begin with four fours on Friday morning, followed by four fours in the afternoon, a format that will be repeated on Saturday.
There are 12 singles matches on Sunday, with Europe looking to continue its winning streak and the United States looking to end a drought in the biennial tournament that dates back to 2017.
