Solheim

This weekend the LPGA's equivalent to the PGA's Ryder cup, the Solheim Cup, was played near Chicago. For those of you who do not golf the format has nothing to do with your final total. It is called "match play". The golfers compete hole by hole. If they get to the 14th hole and have won 5 holes the match is over. Winning 5 up with 4 to go. During the Solheim and Ryder competition they play 3 different formats. Four-ball, alternate shot and singles. Four-ball has 2 players from each team. If one play has less than the others that person or team wins the hole. The alternate- shot is really the hardest format. One player tees off and they alternate hitting the shot until the ball is holed out. If there is a low score that team wins the hole. Singles is head to head competition between 2 players. There are 14 players from America and 14 players from Europe. If the team ends up even at the end of 18 holes each team gets 1/2 point.

The first 2 days match 8 players (2 teams) from each team for 4-ball play in the morning and 8 players (2 teams) from each team for alternate stroke in the afternoon. On Sunday there are 14 matches of head to head competition.

After the first 2 days of competition the score was all tied at 8 wins each. If you think golf can't be exciting, you should watch the Ryder and Solheim cup competition. There are so many ups and downs and ties that it can really keep you on the edge of your seat. Although the US won 16 to 12 it really wasn't a run away on Sunday. The leads changed so many times it was hard to keep track. A lot of the matches came down to the last hole.

These matches were televised on the Golf channel. So if you don't get that tier of channels, you probably didn't even know this was going on. I have not seen even highlights on any other channel. Granted, I don't watch every news or morning show, but shouldn't the LPGA get as much attention as the PGA? The Solheim and the Ryder competitions are only played every other year. This year was the Solheim and next year the Ryder. Playing one year in the US the next in Europe. The US has never lost a Solheim match on US soil. USA, USA, USA!!!!!!!! You go girls.