The Solheim Cup returns to the US this week, with the home team facing immense pressure.
Not only will this be Lexi Thompson's final appearance at the historic tournament, but the U.S. team hasn't won the Solheim Cup since 2017. The U.S. has now lost three straight games to Team Europe, who narrowly won last year at Finca Cortesin in Andalusia, Spain.
The U.S. team also has three players ranked in the top 10 of the Rolex Rankings, while Europe has just one player, French player Celine Boutier, who is ranked No. 10 in the world. Having more top players means having a bigger target on their backs, and that seems to be the case all the time for the U.S., despite results to the contrary.
However, this is a tournament the United States cannot afford to lose.
They have the best player in the world, Nelly Korda, who won five tournaments in a row earlier this year, including a sixth at Liberty National in May. Korda came close to repeating her win at St. Andrews a few weeks ago at the AIG Women's Open, but a late error cost her a chance at a third major title.
American Lilia Boo, ranked No. 2 in the world, also had a chance to win on the Old Course, but fell two strokes behind champion Lydia Ko. Boo has still had an impressive season despite her illness. Back problems plagued her throughout the spring, forcing her to miss nearly three months. In late May, she also withdrew from the U.S. Women's Open, which she had hoped to play in. But in her first event since missing in mid-June, Boo won the Major Classic, beating Thompson and Grace Kim in a thrilling playoff. She also tied for second in the KPMG Women's Professional Golf Championship the following week, proving that her game is once again competitive with anyone.
The U.S. will have to rely on Korda and Vu this week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, which is hosting the Solheim Cup for the first time. The club, 30 miles west of Washington, D.C., hosted the inaugural Presidents Cup tournament in 1994 and three more times in 1996, 2000 and 2005. The U.S. is 4-0 in these tournaments, and the women's team this week is looking to improve to 5-0 in team play overall.
They certainly should, given that in addition to Korda and Vu they also have the young prodigy Rose Chan, currently ranked 10th in the Rolex Rankings.
However, this US team has a poor record in the Solheim Cup. The same cannot be said for the European teams. In total, the US team has played in 22 Solheim Cups to date, with a record of 20 wins, 36 losses, and 17 draws, earning a total of 37.5 points. Meanwhile, the European teams boast far more experience and success.
In total, the European team competed in 37 Cup matches this year and earned an astounding 79 points – more than double the American team's total. This is even more impressive as the European team achieved this despite a significant skill gap. This trend has continued this year – the American team's average Rolex ranking this year is 26.75, while the European team's average is 40.5.
So, taking all this into account, is this a must-win?
That's what I say.
But let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation Playing Through. Follow For more golf articles, follow us on Twitter Jack Mirko In the same way.
