Solheim Cup Smack Talk (Video)

Team Europe is looking very strong four weeks out from Germany. With Suzann Pettersen, Charley Hull, Gwladys Nocera and Melissa Reid confirmed to the first four slots on their roster Team Europe will bring an established depth of experience to the field.

Looking forward to the next four players, if the decision were made today Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz, Sandra Gal and Carlota Ciganda would be lined up to slide onto the roster based on their placement in the Rolex Rankings.

But this decision won’t be made until the conclusion of the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, the last opportunity players on both teams will have to move up [or down] in the rankings. For players  like Karine Icher who are at or near the bubble, a big move could have a significant impact on their chance to make the team.

Going into the weekend things are looking very good for bubble girl Karine Icher, who’s sharing 2nd place with Lydia Ko at the end of 36 holes of play.  A win in Vancouver would bump Icher up in the world rankings and significantly rearrange her position in the Team Europe hierarchy.

Icher’s been on fire at Vancouver Golf Club.  She established a first round lead with a flawless 65 and led for most of the second round, ending with a 70, good enough to keep her near the top and going into the weekend at 9-under par.  She not particularly long off the tee but she’s been right down the middle and she has her putter dialed in beautifully.  

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Captain Carin Koch will have a hard time turning down Icher’s game — right now Icher is outplaying two of Team Europe’s strongest players, Suzann Pettersen and Charley Hull, as well as the other players in the Team Europe bubble, Catriona Matthew, Caroline Masson and Pernilla Lindberg.

Koch has three additional picks and I’m thinking she’ll tap Catriona Matthew, with a deep Solheim Cup experience, and Caroline Masson, who’s playing a slightly stronger game than Matthew this year and who would generate additional fan synergy playing on home soil, and Pernilla Lindberg, a Solheim Cup rookie who’s being mentored by vice-captain Annika Sorenstam.

Captain Koch will announce her final Team Europe choices via Sky Sports News on Tuesday, August 25, 11:30-12:00 BST.  But my preliminary look tells me that Team Europe is going to be formidable: half of the International Crown Spanish Armada as well as half of the Swedish International Crown team, all deeply experienced in match play, all fiercely competitive, and with some natural internal pairings (Munoz and Ciganda, Nordqvist and Lindberg, Hull and Reid, perhaps Gal and Masson).

Next: Team USA: Inkster's Dilemma