There’s few rivalries in sport as heated as that between Team Europe and Team USA when the Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup roll around… with the former providing quite the number of controversies in recent years.
With Team Europe chasing a historic three-peat over Team USA at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain, exclusively live on Sky Sports from Friday, September 22, here we look back on some of the biggest clashes in previous years.
Sky Sports will have round-the-clock from Andalucia, with live coverage before the first tee time until after play has finished for each of the three days, plus daily highlights and a host of extra programming available to enjoy.
2021 – Sagstrom in tears
We don’t have to go far for our first contentious moment, with Madelene Sagstrom reduced to tears to mar an otherwise superb first day for Europe in their defence of the Solheim Cup, where Catriona Matthew’s side raced out to a three-point lead.
An emotional Sagstrom questions the decision to award the eagle at the par-five 13th to Team USA
Europe finished unbeaten in the fourballs and shared the spoils with Team USA in the afternoon session at the Inverness Club in Ohio, although all the talk post-round was about the incident at the par-five 13th in the first fourballs match.
Nelly Korda’s eagle putt at the 13th stopped on the edge of the hole, but her ball was swiftly picked up by Sagstrom, conceding a birdie. However, the Swede was deemed to have not waited long enough and Korda was credited with an eagle.
Korda and Ally Ewing have their say on the contentious rules incident at the par-five 13th, as they were awarded the hole after Sagstrom picked up Korda’s ball too early
Under Rule 13.3, if any part of the ball is overhanging the lip, the player is allowed a ‘reasonable time’ to reach the hole and then 10 seconds to see if the ball would drop.
Sagstrom, playing partner Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Matthew argued that the ball was not going to drop in, but the ruling of the on-course official was confirmed and Korda and Ally Ewing went on to claim a 1up victory.
2015 – Gimme gate
The 2015 Solheim Cup, which saw the United States produce a dramatic comeback victory, was marred by controversy after Europe’s Suzann Pettersen was embroiled in a concession furore against the USA.
Pettersen, who initially showed no regret about the incident before publicly apologising, was criticised after failing to grant her American opponent Alison Lee an apparent ‘gimmie’ putt during a fourball encounter.
After missing a putt to win the 17th hole, Lee picked up her ball believing the remaining short putt had been conceded, only for Pettersen – European captain for 2023 – to claim that she and Charley Hull, who was already walking to the next tee, had not given the go-ahead.
Europe would go on to win the match and take a commanding 10-6 lead into the singles action, only for the United States – motivated by a sense of injustice – to mount an incredible comeback to clinch their first Solheim Cup success since 2009.
2013 – Who said that?
While rookie pairing Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Charley Hull claimed a surprise 2up win over experienced American duo Paula Creamer and Lexi Thompson in the Saturday fourballs, the tie was overshadowed by confusion at the seventh hole.
With the match level and Paula Creamer about to face a bogey putt, one of the European caddies attempted to concede the hole to the Americans on the advice of assistant captain Annika Sorenstam.
A lengthy delay followed while a decision was made as to whether Team Europe should be handed a penalty and although caddies aren’t allowed to give concede holes, no punishment was given.
With Creamer no longer needing to putt, playing partner Thompson was left to save par, only for officials to interrupt proceedings again as the American was about to take her shot.
Some 30 minutes after the players made their way to the green at the par-three, Thompson holed her putt to win the hole for the hosts.
2013 – Where to drop?
An incorrect ruling helped Carlota Ciganda save par and guide Europe to victory in their afternoon fourball against Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson.
With the tie all-square with four holes to play, Ciganda and playing partner Suzann Pettersen both sent their second shots at the par-five 15th into the water hazard. While Pettersen didn’t attempt to continue the hole, Ciganda’s decision to take a drop caused confusion between the players and officials.
After a long discussion with rules officials that took the best part of half an hour, Ciganda was allowed to take her fourth stroke some 40 yards behind where the ball was deemed to have gone into the drink, rather than within two club lengths of that point.
The hosts felt that gave the Spaniard an unfair advantage and better position, as she found the green with her fourth shot and holed the 15-foot par save to halve the hole.
Europe went on to win the 16th hole and close out a narrow 1up victory, helping the visitors to a 5-3 lead after the opening day.
2007 – Always check your mic!
Dottie Pepper forgot to follow the No 1 rule of broadcasting when part of the commentary team at Halmstad, with the three-time Solheim Cup winner’s comments caught on air and leaving her unpopular with the American team.
Pepper, a two-time major winner, was heard referring to Laura Diaz and Sherri Steinhauer as “choking freaking dogs” after they failed to close their match, leaving her having to repeatedly apologise for a number of years until becoming assistant to the 2013 side.
It wasn’t the first time Pepper had been involved in Solheim Cup controversy, either, having screamed ‘”Yes” after opponent Laura Davies missed her putt in 1998. When asked about her sportsmanship, she replied: “I don’t really care”.
2003 – Call it a day
Europe may have equalled the record home-win in Solheim Cup history with a 17.5-10.5 scoreline, but the seven-point victory didn’t tell the full story.
Needing five points on the final day to take the title, Europe got off to a flying start with Janice Moodie, Sophie Gustafson, Iben Tinning and Annika Sorenstam all notching early victories.
Shortly after Catriona Matthew holed the winning putt over Rosie Jones at the penultimate hole, it was decided the rest of the matches still being played would be conceded by the person trailing.
US captain Patty Sheehan said it wasn’t her decision and hoped there wouldn’t be a finish like it again, with four of her five players still out on course ending their singles matches early.
2000 – Robbins forces retake
When Annika Sorenstam holed a chip shot from just off the 13th green for birdie, she thought she had pulled her and Janice Moodie level in their fourball clash with Kelly Robbins and Pat Hurst. Team USA had other ideas.
Despite being on the green, Robbins pointed out that she faced a longer putt than Sorenstam’s chip and, after consulting captain Pat Bradley, ordered the shot to be retaken.
The rules state that, in matchplay, an opponent can force a player to take their shot again for playing out of turn, but Team Europe were still angered by what they branded an “unsporting” decision.
Bradley defended the decision, saying they “have only the greatest respect for the rules of the game” and that they “followed the rules as written”.
Although the European side would go on to lose the match 2and1, they would recover to claim the Solheim Cup trophy for only the second time in their history.
Who will win the 2023 Solheim Cup? Watch exclusively live this September on Sky Sports! Live coverage from the opening ceremony begins at 5pm on Thursday September 21, with the opening day’s play live on the Friday from 6.30am. Stream the Solheim Cup and more with NOW.