Don't count on the European Solheim Cup team being one big happy family
next week when the players battle the Americans at Loch Lomond Golf Club
in Scotland.
One of the siblings, Annika Sorenstam, is upset about who
was left off the team and thinks the criteria that deterimine the team
need to be changed.
On Tuesday, Sorenstam aired her disbelief about captain Dale Reid's
five wild-cardpicks. The No. 2 player in the world thought there were
two players, most notablyher sister Charlotta, who deserved to be on
the team and were mysteriously passed over.
"To be honest, I was shocked by the picks," Sorenstam said. "I think
there are two players that deserve to be on the team that are not on
theteam."
Besides her sister, Sorenstam felt that Scotland'sCatriona Matthew
had better credentials to makethe team.
Both had been on the team in
1998 and both are currently in the top 40 on the LPGA money list.
Charlotta, who is ranked 20th, which is higherthan all but four of the
European Solheim members, even picked up her first career victory by
besting Karrie Webb and Annika at the Standard Register PING in Phoenix
earlier this season.
When Annika got the disturbing news she immediately called her sister to
console her. But Charlotta had yet heard that she was left out, so
Annika had the unenviable task of springing the bad news.
"I told her I didn't understand what was happening. I told her it must
have been some kind of joke because she is right now 20 on the money
list," said Annika, who began to choke up retelling the phone
conversation.
"It's really tough to understand why she's not on the
team."
While the Sorenstam sisters haven't always been on the best of terms,
the two have settled their differences over the past couple of years. At
the last Solheim Cup, that wasn't the case, and the two didn't team
together in any of the matches. Annika was hoping that she could make up
for lost time this year.
"I wish there was something I could do to help her, because we had
talked about playing together, either in alternate shot or in best ball;
and so there goes myteam," Annika Sorenstam said.
"So I was fairly
disappointed and sad for her."
Sorenstam thinks they would have been a tough team and has actually
chosen Charlotta to be her partner in the upcoming World Cup in
Malaysia. But that stilldoesn't make up for Charlotta's disappointment
at not being selected.
Annika Sorenstam - not happy at Solheim Cup wild card picks. .Allsport.
"We are getting along really well, and I think we play similar golf. It
would have been fun. I mean, we have a lot in common, and I really think
we would have done welltogether," Annika said.
"I am going to play
with her in Malaysia in the World Cup; so, that gives us a chance to
prove that, but it doesn't really make her feel anybetter at this
time."
Annika didn't single out anyone who shouldn't have made the team, but
the obvious question marks are Liselotte Neumann and Helen Alfredsson.
The two have both had sub-par years but made the team because of their
experience. Neumann, who is currently No. 54 on the LPGA money list, and
Alfredsson, who is No. 72, have both played on every European Solheim
team.
Because of the snubs, Sorenstam would like to see the politics taken
out of theselection process and players rewarded for playing well no
matter what tour they play.
Currently, European players can only earn
points to make the Solheim team by playing in European events. Sorenstam
would like see some kind of system set up that would include the
performances from the LPGA events, which most of the Europeans play on a
full-time basis.
"We have a system now that it's very difficult to get the best players
on the team, and I definitely want to see a different system in the
future," said Annika, who will be playing in her fourth Solheim Cup.
"Actually, I'd like to see a world ranking for the women and pick the
best 12 European players on that. You should somehow get points playing
over here (LPGA Tour), because there is where all of the best players in
the world are, and this is where we all want to play.
Sorenstam isn't really sure what is the best way to select the team, but
she knowsthings are going to have to be changed if the Europeans want
to have better chance of beating the Americans, who have dominated the
event with a 4-1 record.
To find asolution, she is even is willing to
use her mathematical expertise.
"I don't know, I haven't really figured something out, but I'd be happy
to," Sorenstam said. "I mean, I love numbers; I could figure out a fair
system."
