2023 Solheim Cup

[DeadMan]

  On 9/25/2023 at 10:26 PM, mchepp said:

Interesting to think about this. Lexi is the US’s most experienced player and doesn’t have a bad singles record also. After the win she is 2-1-2. On form she hasn’t been very good but Ian Poulter plays like a god in these things so form isn’t always a good indicator. I don’t mind that pick. Nelly is the US’s best player by rankings and was 2-0-0 in singles going into that match. 

I think team line up decisions earlier on in the match are more suspect those final two choices. 

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Lexi has been playing awful all year and she is a generational choke artist. She already gagged away half a point with a shanked chip on 18 when the pressure was on. She is the last person I would want going out last. I don't think it's a coincidence that her match got tight right when it looked like it might matter. You're right that her record isn't terrible in singles - 2-1-3 with this match now - but I think there's too much scar tissue to rely on her like that.

Nelly is interesting - her record is 7-4-1 in the Solheim Cup overall now - and 2-1-0 in singles now. The issue I have is that Nelly was not making any putts all week, which has also been a theme for her all year - and I don't know how you have faith in her making that 15 footer when she needs it. She's not a player that is great when it's tough. She's great when it's easy and things are coming to her, but I don't think she can find it or dig down when things aren't perfect.

That said, I don't know how much the lineup makes a difference here. I don't think anyone was beating Leona Maguire. Kupcho wasn't great all week, but Nordqvist didn't have a point either. Cheyenne Knight and Andrea Lee both gutted out half points when they were down late in the matches. Ally Ewing coughed up a 3 hole lead with 6 to play, but it's hard to fault her when Hedwall made something like 5 birdies in that stretch. (That said, I don't need to see Ally Ewing at a Solheim Cup again. Her record is now 3-8-1. Hard pass.) You'd like to think Corpuz should be able to beat Maja Stark, too.

It's funny, too, I would say the one thing the US should change is having more captain's picks. Lewis only had 3 this time. Danielle Kang and Lexi, who both automatically qualified, looked like potential flops based on their play this year. They both had solid cups. It's very possible Lewis leaves one or both of them out if she had more captain's picks. So I don't know. I still think the qualification slots for the US should be looked at more carefully, because Lexi and Danielle should not have been automatically on the team.

Anyway, I'm really excited to have another Solheim next year. This was a blast, despite the terrible coverage.

[mchepp]

  On 9/26/2023 at 2:42 PM, DeadMan said:

despite the terrible coverage.

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This is something we wholeheartedly agree on. Truly awful. Even the interviews were terrible. 

I also agree with giving the captain more picks. I’m interested to know who you would have picked instead of Lexi and Danielle Kang. 

[iacas]

The coverage was embarrassing and I'm with those who say that people should literally lose their jobs over it.

[DeadMan]

  On 9/26/2023 at 3:37 PM, mchepp said:

I’m interested to know who you would have picked instead of Lexi and Danielle Kang. 

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I think I would have taken Danielle Kang still. She wasn't great this year, but was miles ahead of Lexi. And she's pretty consistently raised her game in the Solheim Cup.

The two picks that come to mind now are Ryann O'Toole or Lizette Salas. But I wasn't thinking about it too much before the tournament, so I don't have a great answer.

[mchepp]

I think Salas might be hurt. It doesn’t seem she’s played since the US Open. But even before that her form wasn’t very strong. She has a great record though, hard to argue with that part. If 100% healthy I would agree. 

Beyond D. Kang you are going pretty far down the CME rankings to players with no Solheim cup experience. I think I’d rather have Lexi over them. 

[jmanbooyaa]

I was ok with Nelly and Lexi as the last 2 matches. Nelly’s putter was a real issue. Her demeanor showed it. As if she knew she couldn’t make a putt. 

[DeadMan]

  On 9/26/2023 at 5:30 PM, mchepp said:

Beyond D. Kang you are going pretty far down the CME rankings to players with no Solheim cup experience. I think I’d rather have Lexi over them. 

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After seeing Caroline Hedwall (121st in the world) and Emily Kristine Pederson (123rd in the world) be two of the heroes for the Euros, I'm not sure being low on the rankings matters too much.  Heck, Carlotta Ciganda would have been the 11th worst player on the US team, just going by world rankings, and she was the MVP of the event.

[iacas]

  On 9/26/2023 at 6:52 PM, DeadMan said:

After seeing Caroline Hedwall (121st in the world) and Emily Kristine Pederson (123rd in the world) be two of the heroes for the Euros, I'm not sure being low on the rankings matters too much.  Heck, Carlotta Ciganda would have been the 11th worst player on the US team, just going by world rankings, and she was the MVP of the event.

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By the same token, those two were a combined 3-3-1.