Petterson banking on Leona effect: "She's the type of player you would like to keep on the course at all times"
Leona Maguire. Credit: Mark Runnacles / LET
Five matches might be a big ask at this week's Solheim Cup but home skipper Suzann Pettersen admitted she's tempted to keep Leona Maguire on the course as much as possible as Europe bids for an historic hat-trick of wins.
The feisty Norwegian was tight-lipped about whether she would play all 12 players on tomorrow's opening day at hot and hilly Finca Cortesin.
But she was full of praise for Co Cavan battler Maguire, who stunned the Americans at Inverness in Ohio two years ago by playing in all five sessions and winning four and a half points in a second successive European victory.
"If one player is saying five matches is too much, well then that's great to know," Pettersen said. "On the other hand, all the players are here to play golf and they will do whatever we ask them to. So they're a pretty good group of players to handle.
"Leona, I mean, I just think she's the type of player you would like to keep on the course at all times. She's just that feisty. She's just that good.
"As soon as those sunglasses go on, she's in her own little bubble, and just keep her there. She kind of proved that pretty well in Toledo, and I'm pretty sure she's going to be quite competitive this week."
Maguire won one two-and-half points with Mel Reid in Ohio, but she also won her day one fourball with Georgia Hall and the English major winner would not say no to teaming up again.
"There's not much emotion (with Leona)," Hall joked, "but she's a great player. She's very steady and doesn't do a lot wrong. We haven't been asked who we want to be paired with, but whoever she gets paired with will have a great match."
Hall reckons this is the strongest European Team, one through 12, that's ever been assembled, and assistant captain Dame Laura Davies agrees and expects the tightest of contests with Europe hoping home advantage proves the difference.
"It's really hard to play against a really strong American team when you don't really know what you're coming up against," Davies said in reference to past teams that lacked the same strength in depth.
"So that's why I think this time, the 12 all play on the LPGA, they're all winners on the LPGA, and they bring that kind of experience to this team.
"That's why I think the teams are identically matched. I think it's even for both sides. We have a slight advantage -- well, not a slight advantage, an advantage in the home crowd."
US skipper Stacy Lewis went further and made Europe favourites to win for an unprecedented third time running and she's hoping her young guns can spoil the party.
"No, I think Europe's the favourite," Lewis said. "They have won the last two, we're on their soil, they have a great team that has a ton, a ton of experience in this event.
"So you look at history, you know, it doesn't bode well for us. But I love our chances. I love these rookies. I think they're going to have a great week and hopefully surprise a lot of people."
