A massive week for women’s golf in the Mile-High City

The Solheim CUP takes centre stage this week, and it’s the perfect showcase for the best of women’s golf.

Europe v USA, in exactly the same format as the Ryder Cup. How can you not get excited about that?

That was certainly the case at Killeen Castle in Ireland two years ago, as Europe produced great golf in the Singles to regain the Cup.

Watching Spain’s Azahara Munoz hole a four-foot putt on the last green to win the match generated as much passion and excitement as we see at the Ryder Cup. It was must-see TV.

However, our girls will have to be history-makers if they want to bring the Solheim Cup back next weekend.

The Americans have won every home match since the event started in 1990. Just think, it was 60 years before we had an away victory in the Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village in 1987!

And the home side will have a distinct advantage in Colorado.

The course is just outside Denver, ‘The Mile-High City’, and at more than 6,000 feet above sea-level, few of the Europeans will be used to that altitude.

It catches your breath, so it’ll be a physically-demanding week for the players. And there is the subtle adjustment of your shots travelling 15 to 20% further in the air.

I’ll be fascinated to see how 17-year-old Charley Hull does in her first match.

The English girl only turned professional in March, but she finished second in her first five events as a pro. Without doubt, she’s an outstanding prospect, and Tony Jacklin whom I respect a lot has predicted great things for her.

Charley can bring the energy and sparkle into the locker-room that Sergio Garcia did when he first played in the Ryder Cup.

She’s the youngest player ever to appear and she’ll be the main focus of attention.

But Captain Liselotte Neumann wouldn’t have given her a wildcard if she didn’t think she could handle it.

Charley represents the future, but it’ll be strange to see a European team without Laura Davies in it.

Laura’s played in every single Solheim match up to now but, by her own admission, she simply hasn’t played well enough this time to justify selection.

Her presence as on-course leader will be missed. That role must now be assumed by Catriona Matthew.

Every captain needs someone to inspire the rest of the team in action, and Catriona can be a huge positive influence to the younger girls.

This is a massive week for the women’s game in Europe. The Ladies European Tour is struggling for sponsors, so imagine what a Solheim Cup victory in the States could achieve.

It was only after the Ryder Cup victory at The Belfry in 1985 that sponsors became keen to get involved.

And someone like Charley can be the role model needed to inspire younger girls to take up this great game.