TOLEDO, OHIO | Before the first shot of the Solheim Cup, Europe already had a point on the board and a legend with a story. That’s because in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, 12 European juniors rallied from four points down after Day 1 to win nine of the 12 singles matches and capture the cup for only the third time, and for the first time on American soil.
They spent the rest of the week walking Inverness Club clad in yellow and blue, cheering for the team they all would love to play on someday. And they talked a lot about the lessons they learned from their captain, World Golf Hall of Famer and Rolex Testimonee Annika Sörenstam, not just about match play and their futures in the game, but about dedication and discipline; camaraderie and the value of seizing the moment. Lessons they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
“I remember we were at the putting green or we were eating lunch and (Annika) came in. The whole room went silent,†said Amalie Leth-Nissen of Denmark. “We were just looking, and I think we were all kind of star-struck. Then she started to come around and talk to us.
“I remember we were looking at each other because she’s a legend. But she’s a really cool, calm person, really down to earth. She makes you feel really comfortable.â€
Sörenstam knew that her fame would be a distraction. Every 17-year-old is petrified of saying the wrong thing or looking silly. Sörenstam did everything in her power to bridge the fame gap.
“It took a little while,†Sörenstam admitted on the phone on her way to the airport after the Junior Solheim Cup concluded. “In the beginning, I could feel a little (apprehension). They looked at me (wide-eyed). I was trying to bring a relaxed attitude and make them feel welcome.
“I told them early that this is your show. We're just here to get you on stage. Then when we were down (after the first day) I asked them, ‘How many points did you play for today?’ They said, ‘12.’ So I asked them, ‘How many points are out there tomorrow?’ And they said, ‘12.’ So I said, ‘OK, you’re only halfway. We just need nine (points). It’s still possible. I know today that many of you made some mistakes. Let's learn from our mistakes. It’s another day tomorrow.’
“I also printed out a note of European values that I put on the wall and shared with all of them. It said, ‘We will have a good time and we will embrace each other in the moment. We will walk like proud champions. We will give helping hands to our teammates. We will trust our teammates. We will bring good energy. We will have a good attitude. We will smile to each other as smiling is contagious. We will play for Europe and our teammates and we will fight to the end.’
“Those were our affirmations. The goal was, if you see some teammates, wave and smile. So, that's what we did – just team bonding, team connections.
“And it was all the players. I didn’t hit a single shot.â€
That’s true. Sörenstam did not hit a shot. She did something far more important. She impacted a group of young people for life.
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Steve Eubanks
