There were three places reserved at the captain’s table in the Gullane media centre yesterday.

One, obviously, was for the European Solheim Cup skipper herself, Catriona Matthew, while another one was occupied by newly appointed vice-captain Kathryn Imrie.

The final spot was taken by a telephone doing a very good impression of Suzann Pettersen, the third member of Matthew’s backroom team.

Pettersen couldn’t make it in person as she is expecting a baby so had to blether away down that aforementioned landline from her American base.

You could say Imrie was something of long distance call too. Her relationship with Matthew goes so far back, BT just about had to create an itemised bill on a special friends and memories tariff.

“I do remember people talking about this young whippersnapper from North Berwick who was supposed to be pretty handy,” recalled Imrie, as she reflected on that first encounter with Matthew in those early days. “It was clear early on that Catriona was going to be a contender at any stage as she went forward.”

Not everybody had Imrie’s faith, mind you. “I remember being at Catriona’s wedding and dancing with her dad,” she continued. “I said, ‘Catriona is thinking about turning pro’, and he said, ‘I don’t think she’ll make it’.”

Things turned out quite nicely for Matthew, of course. In the build up to this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open in East Lothian, the 48-year-old took the opportunity to announce the first pieces of her European team in preparation for next September’s Solheim Cup contest with the USA at Gleneagles.

Imrie was an obvious choice to lend a helping hand. With her vast experience, the respect of her peers, a lively personality and an unwavering competitive instinct, she will fit into the role effortlessly.

“We’ve known each other for probably 30 years and anyone who has played at the top level is a fierce competitor,” said Matthew. “She is such a bubbly person. She’s been in the team room in the past and I think you need to keep that kind of light atmosphere in there.”

Imrie didn’t need a lot of convincing. “When Catriona called to ask if I wanted to assist, I thought about it for about a nanosecond,” said Imrie, who is a respected coach in California and counts the former US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, as one of her clients.

“This what I’ve always wanted to be doing. When Catriona got the captain’s job, I thought to myself, ‘I wonder if I will get the nod?’. That phone call could have been anything but luckily it was what I was wanting to hear.”

Having been in and about the Solheim Cup scene for years now, Imrie is well aware of what the job entails. Once you’re immersed in it, the Solheim Cup becomes all consuming.

“It can be 24/7,” she said. “We get very little sleep during the week. Graduating from a helper to an actual vice-captain means there’s going to be a lot more to do.

“It’s a Jack-of-all-trades role really and that’s the fun part of it. It’s a lot more than people think. It’s a lot of planning, communication and enthusiasm involved if you’re going to do it right. Come September, I’d like to think we’ll have left no stone unturned or left nothing to chance.”

Pettersen, meanwhile, will be a vice-captain for the second time after a hasty re-shuffling of the European cards in Des Moines last year.

The Norwegian had to pull out of the team at the last minute with a back injury and swapped places with Matthew, who was there as a backroom team member.

With eight Solheim Cup appearances of her own – the controversial 2015 match in Germany showed her fiery side – Pettersen is well versed in the cut-and-thrust of the transatlantic tussle.

While she has a Gleneagles role to perform, the 37-year-old mother-to-be has not given up hope of qualifying for the team as a player. “I’d like to come back as soon as possible and get a good year behind me before we get to Gleneagles and play our hearts out to win the cup back,” said Pettersen, who has 21 tour titles including two major crowns.

“Being a vice-captain last time was a very different experience and obviously time consuming. There’s the stress of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes that you don’t realise as a player.

“If I get on the team, I don’t know how much I would be able to assist (as a vice-captain). I don’t think you can combine them. It’s very energy draining.”

And talking of energy draining developments, any advice from the captain on Pettersen’s impending motherhood?

“Get lots of sleep at the moment,” said Matthew with a smile.