Associated Press
The golf notebook …
SUGAR GROVE, Ill. ó The United States didn’t want to be called the favorites at the Solheim Cup.
Winners has a much better ring to it.
Morgan Pressel delivered the clinching point with her 3-and-2 victory over Anna Nordqvist on Sunday, and the Americans won their third straight Solheim Cup with a 16-12 decision over Europe. After Nordqvist missed an 8-footer to keep the match going, Pressel’s teammates, who had been watching at the side of the green, leaped up and started celebrating.
“This is so important to us,” Pressel said, wiping away tears. “It’s not about pride. It’s not about money. It’s about country. It’s about our teammates.”
Michelle Wie, whose 3-0-1 record was the best of any American this week, grabbed a U.S. flag and held it aloft to cries of “Wheee!” from the crowd. As the last three matches finished, there were shrieks of joy when the next American joined the party, and new rounds of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”
Fittingly, one of the players who changed the momentum in the Americans’ favor was Juli Inkster.
At 49, she’s the oldest player in Solheim Cup history, with a daughter who’s only a few months younger than Wie. She was a captain’s pick and, after a rough day Saturday, struggled most of Sunday afternoon against Gwladys Nocera.
But as always, when her team needs her most, Inkster was there.
Down 2 after 12, she made birdies on 14 and 15. She evened the match with a solid shot into 12 feet on the par-3 16th, then actually went 1 up when Nocera missed a 6-footer for par on the 17th. Inkster would bogey 18, but still left with a half-point.
TIGERJERSEY CITY, N.J. ó Tiger Woods entered The Barlcays, an indication that the world’s No. 1 player plans to compete in all four FedEx Cup playoff events for the first time.
In a tough economic year in which PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has asked the players to do more for the sponsors, Woods came through in a big way by agreeing to compete in The Barclays. He has not played the tournament since 2003, when it was held in June, and he has not played since Barclays took over as title sponsor in 2005.
Barclays’ contract with the PGA Tour is up for renewal next year.
Woods is assured of being the No. 1 seed when the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedEx Cup begins Thursday with The Barclays.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
SUNRIVER, Ore. ó Mike Reid made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to beat John Cook and win the Jeld-Wen Tradition for his second career major on the Champions Tour.