Matthew signs off in fine fashion

PICKING a woman of the match for either side at the Solheim Cup would be no easy task given how many performed with distinction.

On the American team every player contributed at least a point, with Cristie Kerr becoming the all-time leading US points scorer.

For Europe, Georgia Hall was sensational while Anna Nordqvist’s performance in claiming 3½ points from four matches following a nasty recent bout of glandular fever was astonishing.

I’m going with two players, however, who did not know they were playing at all when the teams were announced at Kingsbarns at the beginning of this month. Paula Creamer was drafted in shortly afterwards, while Catriona Matthew (below) had barely 48 hours to prepare, yet they each put three points on the board. Matthew once won the British Open a few weeks after becoming a mum and now, a few days shy of her 48th birthday, has signed off as a player at the Solheim with this wonderful display. If the next one was anywhere but her beloved Scotland, you would say she must try to remain a player but it is only right she will be the captain at Gleneagles. Golf already has one Dame — Laura Davies — but it ought not to be too long before there is a second.

JUST over a week after wondering whether he was done for the season, Rory McIlroy is back defending the FedEx Cup this week and planning to play in each of the four events that comprise the play-off series. No, it makes little sense to me either. If you start the season with a rib injury and you are still feeling it seven months later, in Rory’s position don’t you stop playing until you are no longer bothered by it? Yes, it is laudable in the sense that he feels a responsibility to defend his title and all that but, now the majors are done, it is hard to comprehend why getting fully fit is not the Northern Irishman’s No 1 priority.