Post by bobawiefan on Aug 20, 2015 13:51:30 GMT -5
Pressure on as U.S. women try to qualify for Solheim
By
Randall Mell
August 20, 2015, 11:45 am
Excerpt:
The pressure will run deep through the field at this week’s Canadian Pacific Women’s Open with more than a winner’s trophy and check as prizes to claim.
It’s the last week Americans can qualify to make the Solheim Cup (and Europeans, too).
There’s pressure on American veterans Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda and Brittany Lang. They’re all outside the qualifying criteria.
There’s pressure on Gerina Piller to hold down the final spot on the U.S. points list.
There’s pressure on rookie Alison Lee to hold down the final spot on the U.S. world rankings list.
There’s pressure on Michelle Wie to show American captain Juli Inkster she’s healthy enough to help the United States win.
And there’s pressure on Inkster, who’s going to disappoint somebody with her two captain’s picks.
“It’s going to be tough,” Inkster said. “I’m not looking forward to it. I’m already stressing out about it. I’ve got to go with my gut and go with who I think is going to fit in best with the team and what we need in the team. It’s never fun to disappoint anybody. So, it’s going to be a tough week for me.”
Wie’s been struggling with left hip, knee and ankle injuries for the last three months. She’s playing the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, her first start since withdrawing after a fall at the Ricoh Women’s British Open three weeks ago. Inkster’s sure to be watching Wie closely.
“We’ve had a lot of discussions,” Inkster told Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott. “She’s going to be playing this week and see how it goes, but that’s a big question mark right there. I really need her to be 100 percent over there. She said she would be honest with me come Saturday and Sunday. That’s all I can ask.”
The Americans know how important taking a healthy roster to Germany will be. Back in 2011, Cristie Kerr conceded her singles match in Ireland because of a wrist injury. She was the anchor match with the Americans losing, 15-13.
Inkster says she needs players who can give her 36 holes a day.
“If you can’t play 36 holes, you aren’t really helping the team out,” Inkster said.
Piller holds down the eighth and final qualifying spot on the U.S. points list, and she’s fairly safe there. There are only four players who can bump her out of the top eight and three of those players have to win to do so. No. 9 Lizette Salas could move up with a fourth-place or better finish, depending what Piller does. No. 10 Brittany Lang, No. 11 Paula Creamer and No. 12 Jessica Korda need to win to have a chance to move into the top eight. Piller can hold them all off with a good finish. Below is a look at the current U.S. standings, with the point differential between respective players and Piller in parentheses.
Link to full Article:
www.golfchannel.com/news/randall-mell/pressure-us-women-try-qualify-solheim-cup/
By
Randall Mell
August 20, 2015, 11:45 am
Excerpt:
The pressure will run deep through the field at this week’s Canadian Pacific Women’s Open with more than a winner’s trophy and check as prizes to claim.
It’s the last week Americans can qualify to make the Solheim Cup (and Europeans, too).
There’s pressure on American veterans Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda and Brittany Lang. They’re all outside the qualifying criteria.
There’s pressure on Gerina Piller to hold down the final spot on the U.S. points list.
There’s pressure on rookie Alison Lee to hold down the final spot on the U.S. world rankings list.
There’s pressure on Michelle Wie to show American captain Juli Inkster she’s healthy enough to help the United States win.
And there’s pressure on Inkster, who’s going to disappoint somebody with her two captain’s picks.
“It’s going to be tough,” Inkster said. “I’m not looking forward to it. I’m already stressing out about it. I’ve got to go with my gut and go with who I think is going to fit in best with the team and what we need in the team. It’s never fun to disappoint anybody. So, it’s going to be a tough week for me.”
Wie’s been struggling with left hip, knee and ankle injuries for the last three months. She’s playing the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, her first start since withdrawing after a fall at the Ricoh Women’s British Open three weeks ago. Inkster’s sure to be watching Wie closely.
“We’ve had a lot of discussions,” Inkster told Golf Channel’s Tom Abbott. “She’s going to be playing this week and see how it goes, but that’s a big question mark right there. I really need her to be 100 percent over there. She said she would be honest with me come Saturday and Sunday. That’s all I can ask.”
The Americans know how important taking a healthy roster to Germany will be. Back in 2011, Cristie Kerr conceded her singles match in Ireland because of a wrist injury. She was the anchor match with the Americans losing, 15-13.
Inkster says she needs players who can give her 36 holes a day.
“If you can’t play 36 holes, you aren’t really helping the team out,” Inkster said.
Piller holds down the eighth and final qualifying spot on the U.S. points list, and she’s fairly safe there. There are only four players who can bump her out of the top eight and three of those players have to win to do so. No. 9 Lizette Salas could move up with a fourth-place or better finish, depending what Piller does. No. 10 Brittany Lang, No. 11 Paula Creamer and No. 12 Jessica Korda need to win to have a chance to move into the top eight. Piller can hold them all off with a good finish. Below is a look at the current U.S. standings, with the point differential between respective players and Piller in parentheses.
Link to full Article:
www.golfchannel.com/news/randall-mell/pressure-us-women-try-qualify-solheim-cup/
