Team USA are Solheim Cup favourites despite not beating Team Europe since 2017; Suzann Pettersen has the more experienced side, while the United States have the world's top two players in their squad; Download and subscribe to the latest Sky Sports Golf podcast
Tuesday 10 September 2024 15:58, UK
The United States are looking to end their winless run in the Solheim Cup, but can Team Europe use their experience to deliver a historic four-peat on away soil?
Europe retained the trophy with a dramatic 14-14 tie last September, having won the previous two editions of the biennial contest, with Suzann Pettersen now looking to extend their run of success in this year's edition - live from Friday on Sky Sports Golf.
Pettersen has kept 10 of the squad from 2023, with seven of her side making their fourth or more Solheim Cup appearance, whereas Stacy Lewis' American team has seven players competing in their first home Solheim Cup and Lexi Thompson is the only survivor from their last win in 2017.
The latest Sky Sports Golf podcast previewed the Solheim Cup, with Jamie Spence and Sophie Walker joining Josh Antmann to discuss the two line-ups and look at which team may have the edge in Virginia.
"I think USA are strong favourites on this golf course," Spence told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. "I was speaking to Dame Laura [Davies] the other week and she said it's a long track, which influenced the picks that Pettersen made.
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"Europe have a much more experienced team than the USA. The United States have only got four players who played two more Solheim Cups, so they are quite inexperienced and that can work for you both ways.
"With the home advantage, with a crowd that are going to be rowdy, on a long old golf course, I think they're worthy favourites. But listen, with the team camaraderie that Europe possess, you just you just never know."
Team USA dominated the opening session last year, winning all four foursomes matches, with Walker believing that "stats woman" Stacy Lewis has already identified ways to try and give the United States the best chance of a home victory.
"She's basically made the course tight because out of the top 10 in driving accuracy [on the LPGA Tour], eight of them are American, so she's going for that," Walker explained.
"She's worked out that short game-wise, the Europeans are better. Finca Cortesin [last year] was wide, with reach par-fives and fours, whereas here they're going to carry five-irons, six-irons and seven-irons into holes.
"You look at the players that played well at Spain, they might not be the ones that play well here. I don't think we got the best out of Charley [Hull], Georgia [Hall] and Celine [Boutier] in Spain, but I would put them through as three really strong iron players.
"It's still the case that I feel the European players get better when they wear the European uniforms and I haven't seen that from the American side, over recent years."
The podcast also reflects on last year's thrilling finish and how Europe snatched the first tie in Solheim Cup history, while Walker takes a closer look at the two Solheim Cup rookies in Pettersen's 2024 line-up.
Spence explains the role that Thompson could play for Team USA in potentially her final Solheim Cup appearance, with the trio all offering their predictions on who will lift the trophy and which players could impress.
There's also a look back at the Omega European Masters, where Matt Wallace made an early push for Ryder Cup qualification with a play-off victory and Andrew "Beef" Johnston posted his best DP World Tour finish in four years.
Download and listen to the latest Sky Sports Golf podcast and don't forget to subscribe via Spotify, Spreaker or Apple Podcasts! If you'd like to contact the podcast, then you can email at golf@skysports.com.
Who will win the 2024 Solheim Cup? Watch exclusively live this September on Sky Sports! Live coverage from the opening ceremony begins at 9.30pm on Thursday, with the opening day's play live on the Friday from 11.30am. Stream the Solheim Cup and more with NOW.
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