Author: Linus Goldemann

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2023 Solheim Cup: Team USA ready for revenge

This is the trophy Team USA wants to hold in its hands at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)
This is the trophy Team USA wants to hold in its hands at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)

In just a few days, the 2023 Solheim Cup kicks off in Spain. After two losses in a row, Team USA will try to reclaim the coveted trophy at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Andalusia. Captain Stacy Lewis is relying on detailed data analysis to assemble the team for victory.

Team USA at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

When taking a look at Team USA for the Solheim Cup 2023, one thing stands out immediately: Compared to Team Europe, the U.S. team is significantly younger and less experienced. An average age of 29 years and a total of 31 participations in the Solheim Cup by the Europeans contrasts with an average age of 25 years and a total of only 17 participations by Team USA. In addition, Stacy Lewis (38) is the youngest US captain ever. This makes the participation of an experienced player like Lexi Thompson, who plays a leadership role in the inexperienced team, all the more important.

There are five rookies competing for Team USA in this year’s Solheim Cup, Lilia Vu, Rose Zhang, Allisen Corpuz, Andrea Lee and Cheyenne Knight. But Vu and Zhang in particular have their work cut out for them: while Lilia Vu is ranked second in the Rolex Rankings after winning two majors, Rose Zhang qualified for the Solheim Cup just a few months after starting her professional career at the age of 20.

2023 Solheim Cup: Revenge thanks to statistical data?

The young rookies are joined by Team USA’s three most experienced golfers in Lexi Thompson (28), Danielle Kang (30) and Ally Ewing (30). Jennifer Kupcho, Megan Khang, Angel Yin and Nelly Korda – number three in the Rolex Rankings – complete the team. The deciding factor for potential success will certainly be which players captain Stacy Lewis pairs for the tournament. “As we get closer to the event, we’re starting to look into pairings, ’cause the data can, based on the course, simulate who’ll play well together,” Lewis said in an interview with Golf.com.

Statistical data in general plays a big role in the captain’s tournament preparation for the 2023 Solheim Cup, as she revealed in the interview, “When I was announced as captain, I started doing research and reading, including [Shane Ryan’s] book about the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. It talked a lot about analytics – what the guys do, the two different [analytics firms] the teams used.”

“Quirkly” golf course in beautiful Spain

The captain has an unusual opinion about the venue, the Finca Cortesin golf course in Andalusia: “Finca is beautiful. The resort is awesome. Five stars. So it’s gonna be great for players to stay on-site. The golf course itself is a little quirky. It’s got some funny holes, and you’re on the side of a mountain, so it’s hilly. It’s gonna be a tough walk for the players.” The question is whether the young star power around Lexi Thompson will be enough for Team USA to win the Solheim Cup on this course, or will the lack of experience prove to be a stumbling block?

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Highlights Tours

2023 Solheim Cup: Team Europe is ready for the title defense

Team Europe is ready for the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Team Europe is ready for the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The countdown to the 2023 Solheim Cup at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club in Andalusia, Spain, is on and preparations are in full swing. As far as Team Europe around captain Suzann Pettersen is concerned, there is at least already planning certainty. The mission to defend the title after the victories in 2019 and 2021 is apparently no longer in the way. A positive side note: Five of the seven European victories were celebrated on home soil.

Team Europe at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

Team Europe has a versatile lineup for its third consecutive Solheim Cup victory. For eight of the twelve golfers, the 2023 Solheim Cup will be at least their third participation in the prestigious tournament. In addition to the experienced Anna Nordqvist, who has won the tournament four times in seven appearances, Charley Hull and Carlota Ciganda will be competing for Team Europe for the sixth time. Ciganda is the only Spaniard taking part in the tournament in Andalusia and thus has a special home match ahead of her.

The fact that the Solheim Cup is getting closer can also be felt by captain Suzann Pettersen: “I can definitely feel it’s getting closer because I’m having nightmares about it,” she jokes. “My head’s spinning at night. It’s been at a bit of an arm’s length distance until now but, yeah, with the clock ticking and the team starting to shape up, there are obviously a lot of challenges I have to rise to and questions I have to answer. They’re good problems to have but I’m starting to feel it, which is nice.”

Three debutants and a Swedish block at the 2023 Solheim Cup

As many as five players of the European team for the Solheim Cup 2023 come from Sweden, including the two debutants Maja Stark and Linn Grant. The experienced Anna Nordqvist and the two captain’s picks Madelene Sagström and Caroline Hedwall make up the rest of the Swedish block. Nordqvist, as the playing vice-captain, is also the oldest and most experienced player for Team Europe and certainly takes a leadership role for the young debutants.

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh completes the trio of debutants as a Captain’s Pick. Also joining Team Europe as a fourth Captain’s Pick is Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen, whose performance will again play a major role for the European team after her decisive putt at the 2021 Solheim Cup.

Team Europe: Versatile to success?

For captain Suzann Pettersen, the goal with her captain picks was to create as versatile a Team Europe as possible around the eight qualified golfers. In addition to the vast experience of Nordqvist, Ciganda and Hull and rookies Grant and Stark, the addition of Céline Boutier, Georgia Hall and rookie record holder Leona Maguire already resulted in a balanced team. Maintaining the balance was accordingly the focus.

Pettersen on her captain picks: “I’m very pleased with my team! Madelene [Sagström] was an obvious choice; she was right there in the pack with the rest of the eight qualifiers, has experience and is a great team player. It’s been great following Gemma [Dryburgh] and her performances over the past year, she has a very consistent game, is a great putter and has a great personality. Emily [Kristine Pedersen] is a fierce competitor especially in match play, she has the experience and I know what I’m going to get from her. I can’t think of a more competitive player than Caroline [Hedwall]. I’m very happy to have her on our team. She compliments the team perfectly with her game and records in the Solheim Cup.”

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick searching for points

Matt Fitzpatrick will be part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023 for the third time. (Photo: Getty)
Matt Fitzpatrick will be part of Team Europe at the Ryder Cup 2023 for the third time. (Photo: Getty)

The 2023 Ryder Cup is approaching fast. For Team Europe, Matt Fitzpatrick is taking part for the third time this year, after 2016 and 2021. The 29-year-old Englishman has impressed with strong performances so far this year, which he crowned with a victory at the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour. Fitzpatrick is currently eighth in the world rankings. However, after two pointless appearances at the Ryder Cup, the Englishman urgently needs to prove his ability for Team Europe this year.

Matt Fitzpatrick at the 2023 Ryder Cup

For a long time it was not clear whether Matt Fitzpatrick would qualify independently for the 2023 Ryder Cup despite a good season. However, with a strong shared third place at the Omega European Masters in Crans Montana and good performances in the FedExCup Playoffs, the Englishman managed to qualify via the world points list.

Fitzpatrick’s season performance in the run-up to the 2023 Ryder Cup reads quite impressively. In addition to winning the RBC Heritage on the PGA Tour and a top finish in Crans Montana, the 29-year-old tied for second place at the BMW Championship. Added to this is a good performance at the Masters Tournament (T10).

No points for Matt Fitzpatrick at the Ryder Cup

Matt Fitzpatrick’s record at the Ryder Cup so far is sobering. Team Europe came away empty-handed in both of his previous participations in 2016 and 2021, and suffered a clear defeat in 2021 in particular. Not entirely innocent in both cases was Matt Fitzpatrick, who also has an atrocious record on a personal level. At the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, that should change.

Fitzpatrick played just two matches for Team Europe in 2016 as a rookie and conceded two defeats. In 2021, the Englishman lost all three of his duels at the Ryder Cup. The sobering result: 0-5-0. In Rome, it will therefore be time to score his first points for Team Europe.

Matt Fitzpatrick’s greatest successes

Matt Fitzpatrick achieved the first major success of his career in 2015 when he won the British Masters. Six more wins on the European Tour/DP World Tour followed, including defending his title at the Omega European Masters in 2018 after winning it the previous year. In 2022, Fitzpatrick won the US Open, claiming his first major triumph. This year, the 29-year-old Englishman also recorded his second title on the PGA Tour by winning the RBC Heritage. Fitzpatrick’s total prize money amounts to around 22.3 million dollars (approx. 20.8 million euros).

Matt Fitzpatrick’s golf bag for the Ryder Cup 2023

Matt Fitzpatrick is relying on Titleist, Cobra and Ping for his Ryder Cup appearance. With the TSi3 series driver from Titleist, Fitzpatrick is relying on the brand’s previous model. When it comes to hybrids, though, he had the latest models in the bag. A TSR1 and a TRS2 Hybrid make it into his current selection. With the Cobra Aerojet 3 wood he completes the long clubs. For the irons, the Englishman relies on the Driving Iron from the Ping i210 series, as well as the Ping S55 from the 5-iron to the pitching wedge. For wedges, Fitzpatrick also relies on the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 9 clubs in 52-degree and 56-degree loft. Along with Titleist’s WedgeWorks lob wedge, he complements his irons. When it comes to the putter, he goes for an alternative to the big brands and picks up the Bettinardi BB1 Fitz Blade putter, which was even named after him. As a playing ball, Fitzpatrick also uses the Titleist Pro V1x.

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Professionals

Ryder Cup 2023: Tyrrell Hatton with third participation in a row

Tyrrell Hatton will compete in the 2023 Ryder Cup for the third time. (Photo: Getty)
Tyrrell Hatton will compete in the 2023 Ryder Cup for the third time. (Photo: Getty)

The Ryder Cup 2023 is just around the corner. Tyrrell Hatton will be part of the team again this year. Despite rather disappointing performances at the Major tournaments and a season without a title so far, the 31-year-old Englishman qualified for Team Europe for the third time in a row. Alongside Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, Hatton is thus the fourth player who will certainly be competing for the European team at the Ryder Cup. Known for his temperament, Hatton could be a valuable points contributor for Team Europe – as long as he keeps his emotions in check.

Tyrrell Hatton at the Ryder Cup 2023

In a year that has so far lacked major success, Hatton qualified for the Ryder Cup through consistent performances and a strong finish on the world points list. With Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm qualifying via the European points list, Hatton, with the fourth-best world points score among European players, made the jump to one of the contested spots for the 2023 Ryder Cup.

For Team Europe, the talented Englishman could be a key to success. This season, for example, the 31-year-old is once again proving that he is one of the best golfers in the world, with seven top-10 finishes in 21 tournaments played in 2023 and only one missed cut. While Hatton did not manage a top finish at the majors, his best results this year include a runner-up finish at the Players Championship and a shared third place at the Wells Fargo Championship and the Canadian Open.

Tyrrell Hatton’s third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance

For Hatton, the participation in the 2023 Ryder Cup represents his third consecutive involvement in the tournament. The two previous competitions in 2018 and 2021 could not have been more contrasting. While Team Europe claimed a convincing victory in France in 2018, Hatton and Co. suffered a historic defeat at the hands of Team USA in Wisconsin in 2021. Hatton himself turned in solid performances in both tournaments, contributing one point (1-2-0) in 2018 and 1.5 points (1-2-1) in 2021.

For the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy, the European team will be looking for revenge for 2021 despite being perceived underdogs. “I think Europe will have a strong team. The media will portray us as underdogs, but we will have a very strong team,” Hatton announced in an interview with talkSPORT. In any case, the fact that Team USA has not been able to win on European soil for 30 years speaks in favor of success for the Europeans.

Tyrrell Hatton: Dry spell and great successes

The breakthrough in his career came in 2016 when Tyrrell Hatton won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Particularly impressive in this first big success were the 62 strokes in round three. In the following years, Hatton collected five more successes on the European Tour and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour in 2020. He also won the 2018 Ryder Cup with Team Europe, but since his victory in 2021 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Tyrrell Hatton has been waiting for another trophy. A triumph at the 2023 Ryder Cup would certainly be a welcome sense of achievement for him in the context of this dry spell and will provide extra motivation.