FUTURES Tour Alumnae Contribute To U.S. Solheim Cup Win

CARMEL, Ind., September 11, 2005 -- With contributions by six FUTURES Tour alums on the 12-member American team, the United States reclaimed the Solheim Cup with a 15 1/2 to 12 1/2-point performance. This year's U.S. team was paced by its three California rookies, who contributed a total of nine points.

Rookie Paula Creamer, 19, of Pleasanton, Calif., won Sunday's first match for the Americans with a surprising 7 & 5 victory over FUTURES Tour alum (1986) Laura Davies of Great Britain. Creamer rolled in seven birdies and played the front nine holes of Crooked Stick Golf Club at six-under-par 30. She played in all five matches and posted a weekend record of 3 wins, 1 loss and 1 halve.

FUTURES Tour alum (2001-2002) Christina Kim, 21, of San Jose, Calif., won the U.S. team's fourth point on Sunday with a 5 & 4 victory over European rookie Ludivine Kreutz of France. Kim turned in a Cup record of 2-1-1 for the week. Natalie Gulbis, 22, of Sacramento, Calif., won the American's seventh point today with a 2 & 1 victory over Sweden's Maria Hjorth and finished the week 3-1-0.

"These players played their hearts out and it was a great team effort this week," said first-time U.S. team captain Nancy Lopez. "Our young players are not rookies to me. They played like veterans out here. I'm proud to take the Cup back. They won it."

"I don't think Paula even broke a sweat, " added U.S. team veteran Juli Inkster of Los Altos, Calif., who recorded a 2-1-1 showing this week and improved her cumulative Solheim Cup record to 12-8-3. Inkster added the third point for the U.S. with her 2 & 1 win over Sweden's Sophie Gustafson.

In a battle of two mothers-to-be, FUTURES Tour alum (1997-1998) Laura Diaz of Scotia, N.Y., was second on the board today with a 6 & 5 win over Denmark's Iben Tinning. She was followed by Californian Pat Hurst, who topped England's Trish Johnson 2 & 1. With five wins in the morning's first six matches, the U.S. team went up 13-9 and sent an early message to the Europeans that, once again, Sunday's singles would have to be wrestled away from the hard-charging home team.

Two days earlier on Friday's opening day of the Solheim Cup, the Europeans won the morning foursomes matches 3-1. But the Americans came back to tie in the afternoon four-ball matches 2-2, giving Europe a 5-3 first-day advantage.

The Americans then won the morning foursomes 3-1 on Day 2 Saturday, and once again split in the afternoon four-ball session 2-2 with the Europeans. That tied the two squads at 8-8 going into Sunday's 12 singles matches -- an event that has been won by the American team in all but three times in the Cup's nine-event history.

"Our team is getting better playing well over here," said Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, who finally put Europe on Sunday's scoreboard with her 4 & 3 win over veteran Beth Daniel of South Carolina. "I thought today's singles were very close and it could have gone either way."

When Gulbis won her match, it gave the U.S. an overall 14-9 advantage. The Americans needed only a half point to win back the Cup from the Europeans. But Europe battled back to win the next three points, moving closer to the Americans and shaving their lead to 14-12. Kicking off that charge was Scotland's Catriona Matthew who topped Wendy Ward of Texas 3 & 2, Sweden's Carin Koch who edged FUTURES Tour alum (1989-1991) Michele Redman of Minneapolis 2 & 1, and European rookie Gwladys Nocera of France who defeated FUTURES Tour alum (1995-1996) Cristie Kerr of Miami 2 & 1.

That left only two matches on the course to be decided. FUTURES Tour alum (1985-86) Meg Mallon of Massachusetts had her hands full with Solheim Cup rookie Karen Stupples of England. Mallon was 3-up after 14, but Stupples birdied the 15th hole to trim the veteran's lead to 2 -up. All Mallon had to do was halve the 16th hole to give the Americans a half point to win back the Cup. Mallon made her par putt to win back the Cup and moved to the 17th tee 2-up with two holes to play. As if to put the punctuation mark on the day, Mallon birdied the 17th hole from 16 feet to top Stupples 3 & 1 for the match.

"I was really happy for Meg and I watched her walk off the 16th green and thought, 'That's a great walk that Meg is having right now' to win back the Cup for the U.S. team," said veteran Rosie Jones, 45, a FUTURES Tour alum (1981-1982), who has hinted that this could be her last Solheim Cup appearance as a team member.

After Mallon wrapped up her win and the team's victory, only Jones remained on the course in a tight match against Suzann Pettersen of Norway. In the only singles match that went to the 18th tee, Pettersen held a 1-up lead when she hit her tee shot into the right water hazard lining the treacherous and signature 18th fairway at Crooked Stick. Missing the green on her approach, Pettersen conceded the hole to Jones for the halve.

"I've seen that water on 18 a few times this week," said Pettersen, who was 2-0-2 this week. "I tried to hang in there and get my point and make it look a bit better."

Once again, the Americans held on to the Cup at home, and in perhaps the finest mix of youth and experience ever assembled on a U.S. Solheim Cup team, the Americans walked away not only with the 2005 Cup, but also with kudos from veterans of what is to come in years ahead.

"I've played with Kathy Whitworth and Paula Creamer, so my career has spanned some good golf," said Jones, whose career Solheim Cup record improved to 11-9-2. "I think I can speak for the veterans and say we feel good about where our tour is and where it's going to go. I'm glad it's in the hands of these girls."

Contact: Lisa D. Mickey, FUTURES Golf Tour, 863-709-9100, Ext. 2 or lisa@futurestour.com.