When Colorado Golf Club in Parker hosts the biennial Solheim Cup matches between the U.S. and Europe Aug. 16-18, Lewis will be the participant with the most success in 2013. The former University of Arkansas golfer has won three times this year and will be the only competitor with a major championship title in 2013.

While the South Koreans as a group lead the way in women’s golf, the Americans and Europeans who will square off in the Solheim Cup have some pretty impressive credentials in their own right. Both teams were finalized on Sunday shortly after the conclusion of the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews in Scotland.

The automatic qualifiers — 10 on the American side and eight on the European — were set, then U.S. captain Meg Mallon announced her two wild-card picks, and Europe’s Liselotte Neumann her four. (Neumann is pictured above, at left, with Mallon.)

The USA’s automatic qualifiers — Stacy Lewis, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lincicome, 18-year-old Lexi Thompson, Jessica Korda, Brittany Lang, Lizette Salas and Morgan Pressel — were supplemented by Mallon’s choices of former teenage phenom Michelle Wie and Texan Gerina Piller, who’s winless on the circuit but is ranked No. 57 in the world.

“I’m just thrilled to finally have my team announced,” Mallon said. “I have 12 players who I am very excited to have on this team. They have all played their hearts out over the last two years. … We are playing on all cylinders right now and I’m really excited about it.”

Wie has won twice on the LPGA Tour, but not since 2010. However, that didn’t dissuade Mallon.

“Michelle to me was a no‑brainer,” the captain said. “With her experience, she can handle the big stage.  She’s played well in Solheim Cups, and I just really believe in Michelle Wie, and am excited for her to be coming to Colorado.”

Said Wie, who will be playing in her third Solheim Cup and has a 4-3-1 record: “I am so happy and so honored and so grateful to be a captain’s pick. To play under Meg and be with all the girls again, it’s a dream come true.”

The eight qualifiers for defending champion Europe were Suzann Pettersen, Carlota Ciganda, Catriona Matthew, Caroline Masson, Beatriz Recari, Anna Nordqvist, Karine Icher and Azahara Munoz. Neumann filled out her squad by naming wild-cards Charley Hull, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Caroline Hedwall and Giulia Sergas. Hull, a 17-year-old from England, will be the youngest player in Solheim Cup history.

U.S. team members have won a combined seven major championships and 50 LPGA Tour events. One American player — Lewis, who’s second behind Park — is ranked among the world’s top 10 women’s golfers.

The Europeans have won a combined three majors, 21 LPGA Tour events and 26 Ladies European Tour tournaments. Both Pettersen (third) and Matthew (eighth) are ranked among the top 10 in the world.

The Americans will have four Solheim Cup rookies on their team — Thompson, Korda, Salas and Piller. Meanwhile, the Europeans will have six first-timers: Ciganda, Masson, Recari, Sergas, Hull and Ewart Shadoff.

A couple of the most experienced Solheim Cup players ever — one on each side — won’t be back this year: American Juli Inkster, a nine-time Solheim Cupper and eight-time major champion, and England’s Laura Davies, a four-time major winner who had played in all 12 previous Solheim Cups.

“I spoke to (Davies) yesterday, and she knew and she said that, ‘You know, I haven’t played enough.  I tried but I haven’t performed well enough, and I just wish you and the team the best of luck and just go get ’em; you can do it in Colorado,'” Neumann relayed.

AMERICAN TEAM

Stacy Lewis of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 8, including 3 in 2013. … Major Wins: 2. … World Ranking: 2. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 1 (1-3 record). … College Golf: University of Arkansas. … Age: 28.

Paula Creamer of Windermere, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 9, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 11. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 4 (11-3-5 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 27 on Aug. 5.

Cristie Kerr of Miami — LPGA Tour Victories: 16, including 1 in 2013. … Major Wins: 2. … World Ranking: 12. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 6 (11-12-3 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 35.

Angela Stanford of Fort Worth, Texas — LPGA Tour Victories: 5, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 16. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 4 (3-7-3 record). … College Golf: Texas Christian. … Age: 35.

Brittany Lincicome of Seminole, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 5, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 38. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 3 (4-6-1 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 27.

Lexi Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 1, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 26. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: none. … Age: 18.

Jessica Korda of Bradenton, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 1, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 28. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: none. … Age: 20.

Brittany Lang of McKinney, Texas — LPGA Tour Victories: 1, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 50. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 2 (2-3-2 record). … College Golf: Duke. … Age: 27.

Lizette Salas of Asuzu, Calif. — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 19. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: Southern California. … Age: 24.

Morgan Pressel of Boca Raton, Fla. — LPGA Tour Victories: 2, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 41. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 3 (7-2-2 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 25.

Michelle Wie of Jupiter, Fla. (wild card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 2, including 0 in 2013. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 82. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 2 (4-3-1 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 23.

Gerina Piller of Plano Texas (wild-card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 57. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: Texas-El Paso. … Age: 28.

EUROPEAN TEAM

Suzann Pettersen of Norway — LPGA Tour Victories: 11, including 1 in 2013. … LET Victories: 5. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 3. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 6 (12-8-5 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 32.

Carlota Ciganda of Spain — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 2. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 30. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: Arizona State. … Age: 23.

Catriona Matthew of Scotland — LPGA Tour Victories: 4, including 0 in 2013. … LET Victories: 4. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 8. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 6 (11-8-6 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 43.

Caroline Masson of Germany — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 1. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 58. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: Oklahoma State. … Age: 24.

Beatriz Recari of Spain — LPGA Tour Victories: 3, including 2 in 2013. … LET Victories: 1. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 20. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: none. … Age: 26.

Anna Nordqvist of Sweden — LPGA Tour Victories: 2, including 0 in 2013. … LET Victories: 2. … Major Wins: 1. … World Ranking: 22. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 2 (4-4 record). … College Golf: Arizona State. … Age: 26.

Karine Icher of France — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 5. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 24. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 1 (1-2 record). … College Golf: none. … Age: 34.

Azahara Munoz of Spain — LPGA Tour Victories: 1, including 0 in 2013. … LET Victories: 1. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 27. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 1 (2-1-1 record). … College Golf: Arizona State. … Age: 25.

Caroline Hedwall of Sweden (wild card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 5. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 29. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 1 (2-1-1 record). … College Golf: Oklahoma State. … Age: 24.

Giulia Sergas of Italy (wild card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 0. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 62. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: none. … Age: 33.

Charley Hull of England (wild card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 0. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 147. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: none. … Age: 17.

Jodi Ewart Shadoff of England (wild card pick) — LPGA Tour Victories: 0. … LET Victories: 0. … Major Wins: 0. … World Ranking: 45. … Previous Solheim Cup Teams: 0. … College Golf: New Mexico. … Age: 25.
 

And, mind you, the event is still more than six months away.

With the Solheim Cup — a biennial Ryder Cup-like matchup between the best female golfers from the U.S. and Europe — being held in America just once every four years, there’s nothing held back.

The Solheim Cup staff estimates that the total economic impact for this year’s event at Colorado Golf Club in Parker (Aug. 13-18) could approach $30 million. And they’re hoping for total attendance of 110,000-120,000 at the golf course and for perhaps the best TV ratings of the year for a women’s golf tournament.

As LPGA commissioner Mike Whan noted earlier this week, “Colorado has been a consistent home run for women’s golf” in terms of fan support.

“This event doesn’t just happen,” said Pepper, the former NBC golf broadcaster, in an interview with COgolf.org on Friday. “You need community support and you need corporate support and you need awareness.

“It’s an event that although it’s over 20 years old now, it’s still gaining its traction, so everything we do is about awareness of the event, getting people involved, and telling them how great it’s been. The whole mantra has been, ‘Don’t wake up on Monday, the 19th of August, and say, ‘Oh man, I missed it.”’

Just this week, LPGA and Solheim Cup officials have gone on another publicity tour for an event that has already generated plenty of buzz with close results in recent years, including a 15-13 European win in Ireland in 2011.

Mallon and Pepper, who have won 35 LPGA Tour events and six major championships between them, and Whan led a contingent to Colorado. Among other stops, they promoted the Solheim Cup at the Denver Golf Expo, where between 100 and 200 people watched a Friday Q&A involving Mallon and Pepper and they later signed autographs. (Pepper, left, and Mallon are pictured above on Friday.) They and Whan also attended Thursday’s Denver Nuggets game, and all three made the rounds with numerous media outlets during the week.

This week was Mallon’s fourth Solheim Cup-related visit to Colorado since being named U.S. captain. She said she’ll probably make four more stops in the state before the week of the event. In addition, she said she’ll probably go on five or six other trips this year to promote the Solheim Cup and attend to various details of her duties.

As for Pepper, she indicated she’ll make six or seven Solheim-related trips leading up to tournament week.

“The event is so big,” said Mallon, whose promotional efforts take up much of her time as U.S. captain, particularly at this point. “It’s our biggest event on tour. It’s every four years that it comes to the United States and there’s an awful lot of planning that goes into it. So it’s just making sure we’re prepared for an incredibly hectic (tournament) week and trying to eliminate as much of the potential problems as possible so we can have a pretty smooth week.

“It’s eye-opening. Being the home captain is a lot of work and a lot of travel, and it’s good that the staff involves the captain. But it’s not something the everyday (tour) golfer does. Instead of being just in charge of your own life, now you’re in charge of 12 lives and trying to logistically make things happen. Not only 12, right now I have 30 people on my email list because I don’t know who’s going to be on the team.”

And the same is certainly true for European captain Liselotte Neumann and everyone assisting her. But the pressure is particularly intense for the Americans, who have never lost a Solheim Cup competition held in the U.S. And, of course, regaining the Cup after a close loss will be a high priority.

“Since they lost in 2011, we have a highly motivated group coming to Colorado,” Mallon said.

And Mallon and Pepper want to capitalize on that motivation by doing their part to assure the Americans play their best in mid-August.

“We want (the players) to know that we have their interests at the forefront,” Pepper said. “We want to make their week is as great as it can be, and as simple as it can be so that they can just go play great golf. The more we can get across to them — give us your junk (problems), we’ll take care of it, we’ll make it go away or we’ll deal with it. That’s what they need to know from us.”

Notable: World Golf Hall of Famer Kathy Whitworth, the captain for the first two U.S. Solheim Cup teams (1990 and ’92), will be the American captain for the Junior Solheim Cup that will be held Aug. 13-14 at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood. Scotland’s Janice Moodie will captain the European squad. Each team will be made up of a dozen players ages 12-18. … Pepper said Friday that the seventh hole at Colorado Golf Club, which normally plays as a par-5, will be a par-4 for the Solheim Cup.
 

With the year drawing to a close, it’s time to play one final 18. In this case, we’ll run down the top 18 Colorado golf stories of 2012, then throw in some honorable-mention selections at the end.

And just for the sake of a little suspense, we’ll start with the 18th-biggest story.

18. Woodard Inducted into National Black Golf Hall of Fame, Voted into Colorado Golf Hall of Fame: 2012 was a big year for longtime Coloradan Tom Woodard, now the director of golf for the Foothills Park & Recreation District. In March, he was inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame, then in October he was voted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, along with fellow Colorado PGA professional Alan Abrams and Jimmy Vickers. COLORADO GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY, NATIONAL BLACK GOLF HALL OF FAME FULL STORY

17. Tourney Routs by Eaton, Humerickhouse: There were a couple of lopsided state tournament victories that went beyond the norm. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton prevailed by 16 shots in the CWGA Senior Stroke Play at the course on which she grew up, Greeley Country Club. STORY And in winning his third straight CGA Mid-Amateur, Keith Humerickhouse was a dozen shots ahead of the runner-up, marking the biggest margin in the event since 1991. STORY Then Humerickhouse put an exclamation mark on the year by proposing to his girlfriend in the midst of his acceptance speech for the CGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year award.

16. A Lucky Seven Straight for Kent Denver: Kent Denver, coached by Bob Austin, set a Colorado record by winning its seventh consecutive state high school boys team championship, this time in Class 3A. STORY 

15. Bertsch, Jacques, Huffer ‘Open’ the Door: Three Coloradans qualified for the top USGA championship for their respective gender. Shane Bertsch of Parker earned a U.S. Open berth for the first time since 1998. STORY And Becca Huffer and Kelly Jacques made it through qualifying at the Broadmoor to punch their tickets to their first U.S. Women’s Open. STORY Then in December, Jacques joined former University of Denver golfer Stephanie Sherlock in earning LPGA Tour status in 2013. STORY

14. Jones Joining Nicholson in Colorado Sports Hall of Fame: Former USGA president Will Nicholson Jr., was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in April. STORY And after being voted in in October, 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, a former University of Colorado golfer, will follow suit in the spring of 2013. STORY

13. Ringsby Hits the National Stage: Calli Ringsby of Cherry Hills Village had a memorable 2012 tournament season. She swept both the CWGA Junior Stroke Play STORY and Junior Match Play titles. Then she was one of just four American girls selected to compete in the USA-China Youth Golf Match. STORY

12. Lee Adds Still More Variety to Her Accomplishments: With a nine-shot victory in the CWGA Stroke Play, Somin Lee became just the second player in history to win the CWGA Junior Stroke Play, Junior Match Play, Stroke Play and Match Play. Lee joined Wendy Werley as the only golfers to capture all four of those titles during their careers. STORY

11. Colorado PGA Keeps its Streak Going: For the sixth and seventh time in six years, the Colorado PGA earned national awards from the PGA of America. Dale Smigelsky, the director of golf at Collindale Golf Club in Fort Collins, was named PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Public Facilities, while George Kahrhoff, head professional at The Country Club at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, earned the Merchandiser award for private facilities. STORY The Colorado PGA also was among the national leaders in the “Get Golf Ready” initiative in which PGA and LPGA professionals teach people everything they’ll need to know to play golf with confidence — in five lessons, usually for $99 total. The idea is to bring new and former golfers into the game as seamlessly as possible in a no-pressure environment.

10. Tolan Doubles Up in Colorado Open: Coloradan Derek Tolan won his second HealthOne Colorado Open in the last four years, this time rallying after trailing by four strokes with six holes to play. STORY

9. Bermel Departs CSU After 13 Years: After 13 successful years at the helm of the Colorado State University men’s team, Jamie Bermel resigned to take the same job at the University of Kansas. Bermel’s teams went to the NCAA regional tournament in 12 of his 13 years, and in 2011 the Rams earned a berth in the NCAA Finals for just the second time in program history. Overall, the Rams won 18 multi-team tournaments in Bermel’s tenure, including two conference titles. Former national assistant coach of the year Christian Newton succeeded Bermel at CSU. STORY

8. Near Miss in College Finale for Knous: Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous finished up his college career with a flourish. After leading most of the final round of the NCAA Division II national finals, Knous finished second, losing in a playoff. STORY

7. Mallon, Neumann Will Lead the Way at Colorado Golf Club: The leadership of the competing teams for the 2013 Solheim Cup matches that will be played at Colorado Golf Club in Parker was set early this year. Meg Mallon, winner of 18 LPGA Tour events in her career, will captain the U.S. squad, while 1988 U.S. Women’s Open champion Liselotte Neumann will be her European counterpart. STORY 

6. CU Women Score NCAA Breakthrough in Colorado: An NCAA women’s regional golf tournament was held in Colorado for the first time, and the University of Colorado took advantage of its host role at Colorado National by advancing to the NCAA Finals for the first time in program history. STORY

5. Kupcho Rallies from 9 Down in Final Round to Win CGA Stroke Play: After starting the final round nine strokes out of the lead and in 16th place, Steven Kupcho posted one of the biggest final-round rallies ever by a winner of the CGA Stroke Play. His final-round 66 at Fort Collins Country Club gave him the title as a 19-year-old. STORY

4. Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy Debuts: The CGA and CWGA launched a unique initiative to promote the use of caddies and foster candidates for the Evans Caddie Scholarship at the University of Colorado. The Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course — which is owned and operated by the CGA and CWGA — provides a powerful incentive to use caddies by paying all of their base fees. The program’s mission is to use caddying and the game of golf to help kids learn how to succeed in life. STORY

3. Stacy Gains Spots in World Golf Hall of Fame: Part-time Colorado resident Hollis Stacy earned one of golf’s biggest honors by being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Stacy, who lives in Lakewood during the summer, won 18 times on the LPGA Tour, but particularly excelled in USGA events. She won three U.S. Women’s Opens and three U.S. Girls’ Juniors. STORY

2. Austin Departing Powerful USGA Executive Committee: Not many women preceded Coloradan Christie Austin as a member of the USGA Executive Committee, one of golf’s most powerful governing bodies. But after six years in that role, Austin will be stepping down in February. STORY 

1. U.S. Amateur a Hit in Colorado: The U.S. Amateur was held in Colorado for just the fourth time, with Cherry Hills hosting and CommonGround being the second stroke-play course. The week started with Jack Nicklaus, winner of 18 major championships and two U.S. Amateurs, playing the role of spectator as son Gary competed. It continued with two players with strong Colorado ties — Michael Schoolcraft and Justin Spray — qualifying for match play. And it ended with largely unheralded and 63rd-seeded Tennesseean Steven Fox winning a final in 37 holes after being 2 down with two holes left. Fox (pictured above with his dad Alan) was the the highest-seeded player to win the U.S. Amateur since the USGA began the seeding process in 1985. About 4,500 fans attended the final day, one of the largest totals in recent U.S. Amateurs. STORY

Honorable Mention: Former University of Colorado athlete Hale Irwin followed the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in receiving the Nicholson Award given for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf. Later in the year, the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program was launched, with the initiative designed to nurture the budding careers of exceptional young golfers in the state. … After Ray Makloski won the CGA Senior Match Play in May, son Jimmy claimed a CGA title of his own (the Junior Stroke Play) in June. Later in the year, University of Denver golfer Andy Yang qualified for the U.S. Amateur shortly after sister Jennifer advanced to the U.S. Women’s Amateur. … Former college hockey standout David Delich won the CGA Senior Stroke Play the week after placing second in the HealthOne Colorado Senior Open, which marked the best finish by an amateur in that event since 1999. … Despite dozens and dozens of entrants both years, Lone Tree Golf Club repeated as champion in the season-long CGA Team InterClub Championship. … Nicole Zhang made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur after qualifying for the event in Colorado. … At age 14, Jordan Sahm of Centennial qualified for U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. … Cherry Creek’s Mackenzie Cohen, who shot 93 in the first round of the 5A state tourney in 2011, posted a score 26 strokes better in the final round of this year’s meet en route to an improbable victory. … Six-time CGA Player of the Year Rick DeWitt, who had never before competed in an event on the PGA, Champions or Web.com Tours, qualified for the U.S. Senior Open.
 

Colorado has hosted U.S. Opens, U.S. Women’s Opens, PGA Championships, U.S. Senior Opens and a myriad of other PGA, LPGA and Champions Tour events over the last 75 years.

But when it comes to professional tour players representing their country or continent in team events, that’s something the Centennial State hasn’t experienced first-hand.

That will change Aug. 16-18 of next year when the Solheim Cup comes to Colorado Golf Club in Parker. And some of the competitors who know about the event from the inside believe that Coloradans are in for a treat when the best U.S. and European female golfers square off.

“I personally think it’s the biggest event we have in women’s golf,” German-born player Sandra Gal said Tuesday at a “Year to Here” Solheim Cup event at Colorado Golf Club. “You really can’t compare it to any regular tour event or major. Even seeing how involved the fans are in the tournament, in the event, with dressing up and chanting songs. You get goose bumps when you’re there. You just have to be there to see it.”

Added U.S. captain Meg Mallon, a veteran of eight Solheim Cups as a player: “If you’ve never been to a Solheim Cup, you’ll never see anything like you’ll see on the first tee. It’s even different than the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup has a wonderful atmosphere, but we have our own unique experience where there’s singing on the first tee, and they’re signing songs in Europe and they’re singing songs in the USA. And as soon as that person (gets ready to) tee off, you can hear a pin drop. And as soon as they hit it, they’re cheering and chanting again. There’s nothing like it.”

The Solheim Cup, like the men’s Ryder Cup, is held every two years, with the sites alternating between the U.S. and Europe. The last Solheim Cup held in the U.S., near Chicago in 2009, attracted more than 100,000 people for the week.

“It is one of the coolest atmospheres,” American Angela Stanford said. “I was blown away in Chicago because my previous two (Solheim Cups) were both in Europe, and the European fans are amazing. They bring it, that’s for sure. That’s why it’s so tough (playing for the Cup) over there. And I wondered what was going to happen in Chicago, and they were outstanding. So (there are) high expectations here in Colorado.

“People love it. You can tee off on the second tee box and you can hear them singing on 1. So you really have to be aware when you’re taking the club back (that) they could start signing. It’s so cool.”

Not surprisingly, it’s been very difficult for the visiting team to win the Solheim Cup on foreign soil. The Americans are 6-0 in the U.S., and the Europeans have won four of six on their continent.

“It’s hard to bring a lot of people over from Europe obviously,” said European captain Liselotte Neumann (pictured laughing at left, next to the Solheim Cup). “We’re trying to make some connections (in Colorado). We met some people here today. We’re trying to tempt everybody. We could maybe put an ad in the paper, maybe pay people to come out and cheer for us. We’ll see. We pay good, by the way.”

Joking aside, though, the competition can be very pressure-packed — and in a unique way — for the Solheim Cup, as it is for the men in the Ryder Cup.

“It’s very intense actually,” Gal said. “I think (the players) get along well off the course in regular tour events, but you could definitely feel the tension once the Solheim Cup came around. We stayed at the same hotel, but we were on different floors. We’d never cross those borders. It’s definitely a huge rivalry. Once that week starts, everyone just wants that cup.”

Added Stanford: “It is kind of a cool feeling that week. You play against each other all the time. Then that one week you get to come together as 12. And all of a sudden you get to root for those people that you want to beat every week. It’s a different feeling, and by far my favorite event.”

Sorenstam, Koch Named Vice Captains for European Team: World Golf Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who posted her first LPGA Tour victory in Colorado at the 1995 U.S. Women’s Open, was named a vice captain for the European Solheim Cup team for the second straight time on Tuesday.

European captain Liselotte Neumann said she’s chosen fellow Swedes Sorenstam and Carin Koch as her vice captains. The three have competed in a combined 18 Solheim Cups.

“Next year’s Solheim Cup in Colorado is very important for Europe as we need to keep the momentum going after winning the Cup last year in Ireland,” Sorenstam said. “I look forward to helping Lotta in any way possible.”

U.S. captain Meg Mallon previously announced that Dottie Pepper will be one of her vice captains, with another being introduced early next year.

Notable: Americans Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford and Europeans Sandra Gal and Anna Nordquist played in a three-hole Solheim Cup exhibition Tuesday at Colorado Golf Club (pictued at top), competing in the three formats: singles, four-ball and foursomes. The Europeans prevailed in the match. … The Junior Solheim Cup, held in conjunction with the regular Solheim Cup, will be played at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood Aug. 12-14 of next year. The event features a dozen Americans and a dozen Europeans age 18 and under. … The 2013 Women’s British Open, set for Aug. 1-4, will be the final event in which American and European players can earn points for the Solheim Cup. Points, accumulated via top-20 Tour finishes, are accumulated over two years. After the Women’s British, Mallon and Neumann will announce captains’ picks — two for Mallon, four for Neumann — for their respective 12-player teams.