Can the Solheim Cup Be Improved?

by The Constructivist on Aug 8, 2007 8:54 AM EDT Comment 3 comments

(Editor: Bumped up from the diaries.)

With Europe's top stars injured and aging and its young stars untested in international competition, is it time to consider changing the format of the Solheim Cup? If your answer is yes, I have a few models for you.

Model A
Turn it into a North America vs. Europe thing. Not my favored model, as this tips the balance even more against Europe. No, not because of Alena Sharp. That other North American. You know, world #1...British Open Champion....

Model B
Turn it into a North America vs. Eurasia thing. Hmm, maybe this tips the balance too much against the North Americans, instead. Or not. But why should the Caribbean, South America, and Africa be excluded from this, anyway?

Model C
Turn it into a Western Hemisphere vs. Eastern Hemisphere thing. Solves that exclusivity problem, but may make loyalties and rooting interests too diffuse in this not-yet globalized world.

Model D
Add another round to it instead. Pit an Asian team against a European team and an American team against an Americas team.

Model E
Do the two-round system by tours rather than regions. Form an LPGA Team, a KLPGA team, a JLPGA team, and a LET team. Have the team with the lowest average Rolex Ranking face off against the team with the highest in the first round, as well as the two middle-ranked teams.

Can we generate enough models to get to a Model T?

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Model F

U.S. vs. Europe vs. International team (everyone not eligible for the U.S. and Europe teams).

I like this format for the Ryder Cup, too. But unlike the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup doesn't yet have the history behind to make such a change unthinkable.

But it will still never happen, in either the men's or women's versions, because anytime you add another team to the competition you decrease the chances of the U.S. winning. And if the U.S. doesn't have as good a chance of winning, then viewership and money and interest go down.

But it's a shame the Ochoa and the Koreans and Aussies can't take part in this event.

by Mulligan Stu on Aug 8, 2007 12:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I like the 3-way

But, uh, how would it be played? I can't get my head around the logistics. Lack of imagination, I imagine!

by The Constructivist on Aug 8, 2007 7:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Model G

Ah, HappyFan explained a version of your Model F to me over at Seoul Sisters. The responses to his ideas there combined with your comments here made me think maybe we should just call it America vs. the world and leave it at that.

by The Constructivist on Aug 8, 2007 9:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs