Knightsbrook Spa & Golf Resort provided a great venue to showcase the talents of some of the top young golfers in the world in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup (PJSC). This prestigious event began with a glittering opening ceremony at Knightsbrook Hotel on the Monday of Solheim Cup week. Both teams were introduced by their captains - Europe by Lotta Neumann and the US by Meg Mallon - and the PJSC was officially opened by John Solheim, whose support of Junior Golf had made the event possible. The highly competitive event provides valuable team match play experience for the Solheim Cup stars of the future. Jonathan Cusack of the Cusack Hotel Group welcomed Mr Solheim and his family and the players of both teams to Knightsbrook for the junior version of the event dubbed the Ladies Ryder Cup.
The opening day was played in glorious sunshine on one of the finest courses in the Boyne Valley and a large and patriotic crowd cheered off the teams for the Tuesday morning's fourballs, where Europe claimed a comprehensive 5-1 lead over the Americans following that opening session. The home side lost the top match when England's Lauren Taylor and Charley Hull went down by 2 & 1 to Mariah Stackhouse and Jaye Marie Green but Lotta Neuman's side won all of the five remaining foursomes and the Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, claimed Europe's second point of the morning when they defeated Emma Talley and McKenzie Talbert on the final green. In fact, Knightsbrook's magnificent but daunting Par 3 18th hole over water played a key role in deciding matches over the two days play.
The Ping Junior Solheim Cup continued after lunch with six fourballs and as expected Team USA bounced right back with a 4-2 victory in the afternoon matches. The Maguire twins were separated for the fourballs but Leona put another point on the board in company with Lauren Taylor - they defeated Kyung Kim and Karen Chung by 3&2. Lisa Maguire partnered Charley Hull but they were beaten on the 18th hole by Lindsay Weaver and Mariah Stackhouse.
Europe required 5½ points from the 12 singles matches to regain the Ping Junior Solheim Cup and in a dramatic final day played in driving rain and wind, they would agonisingly fall just short. Five of the day's 12 singles matches went to the pivotal 18th hole and the US won three and halved two of them. Lisa Maguire lost 3&2 against Alison Lee while Leona maintained her 100% record in the event by easily defeating Mariah Stackhouse 5&4. In the end, an exciting Ping Junior Solheim Cup came down to the very last match where Lindsay Weaver sealed America's all-important 12th point with a 2&1 win over England's Charley Hull. As the match finished 12-12, the USA retained the Ping Junior Solheim Cup trophy as defending champions.
It was a disappointing outcome for the European team who gave it their all but the future of Ladies golf in Europe is in good hands with the quality of play witnessed over the two days of the competition. At the Ping Junior Solheim Cup closing ceremony, John Solheim praised Knightsbrook Golf Club for the magnificent condition in which the course was presented and the thrilling event it produced. Overall, Solheim Cup week was a triumphant one for Co.Meath and the Boyne Valley region and it offered a valuable opportunity to showcase two of the many great golf courses that the North-East has to offer.
© 2012 Knightsbrook Hotel Spa and Golf Resort, Dublin Road,Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland.
Telephone +353 46 9482100, Fax +353 46 9482056
Reservations Lo-Call 1890 43 42 41, Email: info@knightsbrook.com
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