It’s already Thursday and another tournament is on its way, but I wanted to take a minute or two to reflect on last week’s Solheim Cup. First of all, what a fantastic event! I enjoyed following the tournament from afar as this year as it was the first time in over 16 years that I didn’t play or participated in it. It was very different to sit on the couch and watch the matches, but I must say that it was easier to see all the good shots and yes there were many! I was very happy to see that many matches were won by eagles and birdies!
I believe that most of you agree that a few players really stepped up to the plate this year, especially the rookies. Michelle Wie seemed to be very comfortable and she certainly showed a side that I have never seen before. Maybe this is what she needed to take her career to the level that the media has portrayed all along. I am also very proud of Anna Nordqvist; she played very well and showed great maturity and experience. The entertaining Christina Kim didn’t disappoint either, however, the energy and dance moves made me tired just watching.
My congratulations go to Beth Daniel and her team. They did an outstanding job in defeating a well-coached team by Alison Nicholas. Sometimes it’s unfortunate that there has to be a winner and a loser, but I think overall this year women’s golf was the real winner. That was VERY important as the last few months have been very tough for the LPGA.
I think it was crucial to see the commitment from Golf Channel, which offered a total of 45 hours of coverage including 26 hours of live tournament action. We need partners like that to help us showcase the players, and continue to grow a platform for sponsors, expose the excitement to fans, and create opportunities for the next generation. We now have to wait four more years until Europe gets another chance to beat US on their home soil. That would not only be historical, but a testimony to how global the game has become. Hopefully, we will get into the Olympic Games 2016, and we will continue to open up the gates to golf and inspire our little girls to follow their dreams.