Solheim Cup preview at Rich Harvest upstaged by question: ‘Will Annika leave retirement to play?’
(Standing behind golf bags L-R) Carin Koch and Louise Friberg of Team Europe pose for a photo with their caddies and standard holders along with Pat Hurst and Angela Stanford of Team USA during a preview event for the 2009 Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club in suburban Sugar Grove. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
By Joanne Miller Chicagoland Golf assistant editor
The story at the Solheim Cup Showdown/media day at Rich Harvest Farms, site of the 2009 biannual contest, was supposed to be about the new apparel sponsor, and team selection date announcement.
Instead, comments made by the two team captains – Beth Daniel (U.S.) and Alison Nicolas (Europe) – about Annika Sorenstam after the press conference became the headline news.
Captain Nicolas was asked about getting a hypothetical phone call from Annika, asking for a spot on the team.
“She could, she could indeed [call],” said Nicolas. “[But] I know Annika fairly well and I know that once she makes a decision she usually sticks to it. That’s her prerogative and I wish her well.”
When pressed a little more, Nicolas said “She’s a very determined lady, and once she makes a decision she doesn’t usually change them. She’s been an absolutely fantastic ambassador for golf. We can only thank her for what she’s done for golf. This is a team event ... we’ve got some young players coming up and I’m sure [Annika will] wish us well.”
Ten minutes later: Daniel had a much different perspective about whether Annika would come back for the Cup.
“That’s one of the questions I asked her when she made the [retirement] announcement. [I said] ‘You know you could still make enough points this year to qualify for the European Solheim Cup Team’ and she kind of gave me the zipper lip. Which I kind of took as I think she’ll consider playing, but then she came back the next week and said that she wasn’t going to play. I wouldn’t rule it out that Annika Sorenstam won’t be here.”
Sorenstam has stated she is retiring to pursue other endeavors in her life, getting married, business deals and maybe starting a family. After she completes the 2008 season, retires, begins working on her new goals, and even possibly becomes pregnant, none of that dictates that she won’t play. Remember, at the 2005 Cup matches at Crooked Stick GC in Carmel, IN Laura Diaz (6 months along) and Iben Tining (5 months) were both pregnant during competition. It may even pose a new challenge for her.
Until the final team selections are announced, speculation will abound about the possibility of Annika returning for the Solheim Cup. Even though she would be on the opposing team, I would love to have another opportunity to watch her play golf. Having someone of her caliber in the tournament would also increase the excitement of the matches.
We still have over a year to find out who is going to be on the U.S. Solheim Cup team, but Daniel is on top of things.
“I like to keep them in tune to what we are doing. I send out emails, they don’t answer their phone anymore – it’s all text message and email. It’s like I call them and two days later they’ll call me back. If I text them I get an answer in five minutes.”
Daniel admits to monitoring the weekly Cup standings, but next year is double points so a lot can change in a year. The final event to earn Cup points will be at the 2009 RICOH Women’s British Open on August 2. It will also be when captain Daniel announces her two captain picks.
One of the most bizarre things I’ve seen on a golf course has been the artificial tee on Rich Harvest’s Silver No. 4 hole (which may be the 13th hole for the Solheim). Since the announcement that Rich Harvest was the site of the 2009 Solheim Cup I’ve wondered what in the world was going to be done with it. How would professional players respond to the artificial tee at such a prestigious championship?
The crisis has been averted as Daniel explained, “The LPGA has asked [Jerry Rich Harvest Farms’ course designer and owner] to put a grass tee there and he has said he will do that. He is going to build a grass tee. I’ve played this golf course so many times and truthfully the artificial tee doesn’t bother me. I’ve never slipped on it or anything. But you would hate to have a player slip on a tee like that and then that brings up a whole controversy. So he has agreed to put in a grass tee.”
Both captains had nothing but great things to say about the golf course and the amenities.
Nicolas, “this location is superb. I think I’ve died and gone to heaven right now. It’s absolutely fantastic.”
Rich has done an enormous about of work to get the site ready for the Solheim Cup. He put up a ‘player’s village’ where the team members and captains will stay not far from the 18th hole.
Daniel, “you’re in your room you can try and sleep or whatever, relax in your room and just walk out and literally hit balls and go play. It’s very, very nice for us to be able to stay right here.”
