CATRIONA MATTHEW’S RECORD

In the lead-up to September, Matthew has already been making the very most of the home advantage. The 49-year-old lives in North Berwick, just 90 minutes’ drive from Gleneagles, and has been able to visit regularly.

“It’s been nice to go up and see the golf course and hotel to get a full understanding of how it will all work,” she says. “In terms of the course, I’ve been round with Gleneagles and LET staff, and it was useful to play in the European Championship last summer. We’ve made a couple of tweaks, which I won’t reveal, but not too many. Having the experience of the Ryder Cup in 2014, the Gleneagles team know exactly what they’re doing.”

Home advantage

Thinking of Gleneagles 2014, the Scottish connection is a significant one for Matthew and she’s keen to inspire the home fans and draw on their support, as Paul Mcginley did in 2014.

“Of course, the home crowd can be a great help,” she goes on. “If you can get the momentum going your way, the players can really ride on that and it does make a difference.”

With those knowledgeable Scots in mind, an official Solheim Cup tartan was launched in January 2019. Commissioned by Visitscotland and created by Lochcarron of Scotland, it comprises a blue, red, yellow and white design to mirror the colours on the flags of Scotland, Europe and the USA. Something that Matthew has discovered through the course of her captaincy is the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to prepare for an event like the Solheim Cup.

“You see how involved it is and the amount of planning that goes in,” she admits. “I’d probably not been fully aware of the extent; everything down to thinking of team uniforms, where hotel rooms are – all those details. But, I’ve had a tremendous amount of help from the LET. They really do a huge amount of work.”

And now with her vice captains named as Dame Laura Davies, Kathryn

“I would say Barseback in 2003 stands out,” she tells me. “That was the first winning team I’d been on and I actually got the winning point, beating Rosie Jones. I remember huge crowds there in Sweden. That was a great moment for me.”

But the Solheim Cup is far from being all about the individual, and Matthew is very aware of just what a unique and special week it is for the players on the team.

“Colorado [2013] on the Saturday afternoon – I wasn’t playing and Suzann [Pettersen] and Anna [Nordqvist] weren’t either. We were all sitting at the back of the 18th and three of the games came up the last. Europe managed to win them all and it was just great to watch and to cheer them on – it just shows what the event is all about, that team spirit is brilliant.”

The role of captain in team golf events has always been about instilling ‘that team spirit’ and Matthew is keen it should be a focus of her attention in the build-up to, and during the week at, Gleneagles.

“Week in week out, it’s just you and your caddie and you’re just out there for yourself,” she says. “To have the extra 11 players, caddies, captains, helpers, everyone pulling together – that’s the camaraderie you don’t normally experience. And that’s the role the captain has to play – to make sure the players will pull for one another.”

Matthew will continue to play a fairly full schedule in 2019 with a view towards interacting with the players and building that team spirit, but also benefiting from a close-up view of those qualified for the side and those with a chance of a pick. Matthew will have four of those at her disposal.

“I think it’s important to be out and playing with them,” she explains. “That’s how you really see how people are performing in tournament conditions, how you see what people are made of. Laura and Suzann will be playing too so we’ll have a good view of the players.”

Although Matthew has stated she will not be a playing captain under any circumstances, she would support a playing vice-captain. “Suzann is fully intending to try and play. She’s come

“Instilling ‘ that team spirit’ will be a focus of Matthews’ attention in the build-up to Gleneagles”

back after having her baby and wants to play well and make the team. I hope she does,” says Matthew. “And Laura, well – it’s Laura!”

Perfect blend

At this stage the European team is looking strong with a good blend of youth and experience.

“Obviously we have Georgia [Hall] and Pernilla [Lindberg] who were Major winners in 2018 and that is great for us,” enthuses Matthew. “A number of others have been playing very well – Caroline Masson and Anna Nordqvist, for example, but there are Anna Nordqvist Pernilla Lindberg Captain’s pick Carlota Ciganda Caroline Masson Azahara Munoz Captain’s pick Captain’s pick Anne van Dam new players too. Bronte Law has been on good form as has Anne van Dam. Like Georgia last time and Charley Hull before, there’s usually someone who breaks through and performs well and that’s inspiring, both for the professionals and for golf in general.”

As a Ping player, Matthew is very aware of the contribution the Solheim family has made to golf and the importance of this event to the women’s game. “It’s thanks to them that we have the Solheim Cup and it’s so important in women’s golf,” she says. “There’s such a fabulous atmosphere and it can bring in Nelly Korda