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SPORTSSaturday 19 December 2015
Juli Inkster returns as Solheim Cup team captain
DOUG FERGUSON Juli Inkster hits out of a bunker of the Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, Calif. Juli Inkster said turned out well.”
AP Golf Writer Inkster, who captured the
Juli Inkster said being the being the U.S. Solheim Cup captain was one of the biggest thrills of her career. Inkster was career Grand Slam during
U.S. Solheim Cup captain her Hall of Fame career,
was one of the biggest introduced as captain Friday, Dec. 18, 2015 during a surprise announcement at Des Moines played nine times in the
thrills of her career. Solheim Cup, once as a
And now she gets to do it Country Club, the Iowa course that will host the 2017 matches. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) playing assistant captain.
again. “I’ve had a lot of exciting
Inkster was introduced as improbable rally in Ger- cans, furious at what they have done it again,” she and memorable highlights
captain Friday during a many to beat Europe this considered a breach of said. “It was so much fun. during my time on tour,
surprise announcement at year after a heated de- sportsmanship, won 8 1/2 It was an amazing experi- but leading that team of
Des Moines Country Club, bate over Alison Lee pick- out of 12 points in singles to ence for me. I grew as a 12 women was one of the
the Iowa course that will ing up her short putt after reclaim the cup. person doing it, and some biggest thrills of my entire
host the 2017 matches. She assuming Suzann Pettersen Inkster said winning was of the leadership skills I career.” Inkster said. “So
is the fourth American to had conceded it. Pet- sweet, though it that didn’t didn’t think I had, I found the answer was easy.”
be captain a second time, tersen was on the far end define her experience. out that I could. The hard part was keeping
and she will try to join Judy of the green. The Ameri- “Even if we had lost, I would “We won, and things quiet.
Rankin as the only captain Inkster said she had been
of two winning teams. sitting on the news for more
It wasn’t a difficult deci- than a month, and she said
sion. it was uncomfortable “tell-
“The committee ... got to- ing people, ‘I don’t know’
gether right after the Sol- when I already knew.”
heim Cup and decided That’s why the LPGA Tour
which way to go,” Inkster decided to announce the
said in a conference call. next captain so far in ad-
“They asked me to do it vance of the August 2017
again, and I jumped at the matches, and on a Friday
opportunity.” afternoon a week before
The Americans staged an Christmas.q
