Girls Win Solheim Cup

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/sports/golf/24golf.h

August 24, 2009

GOLF ROUNDUP

United States Wins Third Consecutive Solheim Cup

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Morgan Pressel delivered the clinching point with her 3-and-2 victory over Anna Nordqvist on Sunday, and the United States won its third consecutive Solheim Cup with a 16-12 decision over Europe in Sugar Grove, Ill.

After Nordqvist missed an 8-footer that would have kept the match going, Pressel’s teammates, who had been watching at the side of the green, leapt up and started celebrating.

“This is so important to us,” Pressel said. “It’s not about pride. It’s not about money. It’s about country. It’s about our teammates.”

Michelle Wie, whose 3-0-1 record this week was the best of any player on the United States team, grabbed an American flag and held it aloft as the crowd cheered.

The Americans were heavy favorites. They had some of the top players in the world; four of Europe’s players were ranked 125th or lower. They had won the last two Solheim Cups and were unbeaten in the United States.

But the European captain Alison Nicholas worked to inspire her team, including playing video messages from Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal. Midway through the day, Europe was leading in 6 of the 12 matches.

“Most of the day, I didn’t think it was going to happen,” the United States captain Beth Daniel said.

Angela Stanford gave the Americans their first boost, beating Becky Brewerton, 5 and 4, to give the United States the first point of the day. Paula Creamer followed with a victory over Suzann Pettersen, and Wie rebounded to beat Helen Alfredsson, 1 up.

FIRST-TIME PGA WINNER Ryan Moore won for the first time on the PGA Tour with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to beat Kevin Stadler at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.

Moore and Stadler could have avoided the playoff, but they each bogeyed No. 18. Moore, who had five consecutive birdies on the back nine, had two chances to seal the victory after his approach on the third playoff hole rolled to 6 feet. He then sank a putt.

REID CAPTURES TRADITION Mike Reid made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat John Cook and win the Jeld-Wen Tradition in Sunriver, Ore., for his second career major title on the Champions Tour. Reid’s only other tour win was the 2005 Senior P.G.A. Championship.

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