We are never done counting down to events these days, even if those said events are so far off in the distance they may as well be stationed on the outer rings of Saturn.
There has been a lot of talk recently about a little gold chalice but there is a decorative clump of cut glass that is starting to get tongues wagging too. Forget the Ryder Cup in 19 months' time, the Solheim Cup is a mere seven months away. Europe's good ladies will be aiming for an unprecedented third successive victory over their American counterparts when the biennial outbreak of golfing hostilities resumes in Germany this September. On the other side of the world, meanwhile, the scramble for qualifying points continues this week in the New Zealand Open where Scottish hopefuls like Kylie Walker (11th on the qualifying standings) and Sally Watson (19th) will be looking to make some strides up the order and barge their way into contention.
Two years ago in Colorado, a European side featuring six rookies swept to a first ever win on US soil with a record-busting 18-10 triumph. Vice-captain during that match, Carin Koch has slipped on the skipper's armband this time. From the sidelines in 2013, Koch, the 44-year-old Swede who holed the winning putt in the 2000 match at Loch Lomond, watched her compatriot, Caroline Hedwall, become the first player in cup history to win all five matches. Of course, Koch was close to racking up a similar tally back in 2002 when she claimed 4 ½ points out of a possible five. Given she was 12 weeks pregnant, it was a fine effort. "I was on a high from having a great year but I didn't want the media to know (that she was pregnant)," recalled Koch. "There are enough pressures and stories in Solheim Cup week. I was lucky because I thought my clothes would not fit and everyone would figure out why as the fitting had been a few months prior. I didn't want the captain, Dale Reid, to know either because she may have rested me and I really wanted to play all the matches. So I knew why Caroline (Hedwall) wanted to play all five matches in Colorado. She had so much confidence and knew she would play great."
Rather like the men's set-up in the Ryder Cup, the sense of togetherness is a key weapon in Team Europe's armoury. In the 25-year history of the Solheim Cup, this will be the first time that the Europeans will defend the trophy on home soil and Koch is keen to keep the good times rolling, both on and off the course. "I've learned both good and bad things from captains I have played under," she added. "You can't be everyone's friend, you have to be a captain. The main thing, though, is to make sure everyone is having a good time. It's an experience of a lifetime to play and there is pressure but you want it to be a fun week. I'll be a fun captain."
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