The latest inquest into failure by an American team on European soil involves slow greens, the perception of a premature celebration and a curious absence of statistical backup.
asserted
inquest → involve → backup
Angela Stanford, whose Solheim Cup team were defeated by Europe in the Netherlands on Sunday, warned Jim Furyk’s Ryder Cup contingent to take note.
asserted
team → defeat → note
Stanford used the numbers-based evidence of Justin Ray to assist with decision-making and Furyk will do likewise at Adare Manor next year.
asserted
Furyk → use → Manor
In the aftermath of the 15-13 defeat and assessing Ray’s input, Stanford clearly had an underlying gripe.
asserted
Stanford → assess → gripe
“I’m wondering how honest to be,” she said.
asserted
she → wonder → ?
We were missing some pieces this week.
asserted
We → miss → pieces
Like, in Spain [in 2023] we had people giving us strokes gained in each match, even in practice.
asserted
people → have → practice
And we didn’t have that this year.
asserted
we → have → that
“Because I know he’s working with Jim in the Ryder Cup, just now in the locker room, I told him exactly what he needed to do for Jim.
asserted
he → know → Jim
Those things do matter and Justin was a huge help.
asserted
Justin → matter → ?
He got us to this point.
asserted
He → get → point
“It’s easy to get blown out over here.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
So I think we had the right formula and he helped us make that formula, so Justin Ray is awesome.”
asserted
Ray → think → formula
Pressed on why there was not the adequate backup resource she had referenced, Stanford said: “We just didn’t.
asserted
We → press → ?
See, that’s why I couldn’t be so honest with you.
asserted
I → see → you
It should be remembered that the teams were level, at 8-8, before a Sunday singles session where the USA team stood as the favourites.
asserted
team → remember → favourites
Following Stanford’s logic, she appears to be implying her team were denied the opportunity to take a lead into day three.
asserted
team → follow → day
Saturday’s conclusion had felt significant.
asserted
conclusion → feel → ?
Extraordinary pieces of play by Jennifer Kupcho on the last two holes meant she and Lindy Duncan claimed an unlikely point against Carlota Ciganda and Céline Boutier.
asserted
she → mean → Ciganda
Social media lit up with video of the USA team celebrating with beers on the bus back to their hotel.
asserted
team → light → hotel
“They drink on Saturday, we drink on Sunday,” Europe’s team chanted when they made the same journey a day later.
asserted
they → drink → journey
Stanford disputed any sense of untimely euphoria.
asserted
Stanford → dispute → euphoria
She had been unwilling to ask the American players to tone down their joy.
asserted
She → ask → joy
“That’s kind of tricky because you don’t ever want to take away from that moment,” she said.
asserted
she → ’ → moment
“The worst thing I could have done is go in there and be like: ‘OK, y’all.
uncertain
I → do → all
You don’t want to take away from those moments.
asserted
You → want → moments
We’re never going to see anything like that again.
asserted
We → go → that
“I think they handled it very well.
asserted
they → think → it
We’ve never seen that so we don’t really know how to react.
asserted
we → see → that
I talked to Kupcho and everybody and they’re like, ‘Yeah, we got good rest, but it did take a minute to come off because it was a pretty high, high.’”
asserted
it → talk → minute
Anna Nordqvist, Europe’s captain, shrugged off any notion of gamesmanship by pointing out “we are in Europe in September”, but the pace of the greens had caught out the USA team.
asserted
pace → shrug → team
“Apparently I didn’t get to know the [greens] superintendent as well as I should have,” Stanford said only half in jest.
asserted
Stanford → get → jest
“Even when we showed up in July here, they were faster.
asserted
they → show → July
And I don’t think it had anything to do with the rain either.
asserted
it → think → rain
“Now, saying that, it’s my responsibility to get the team ready.
asserted
team → say → that
This is the one thing I am kicking myself [about], is that I just didn’t keep pushing, ‘We [have] got to figure out how to hit our putts a little bit harder.’
asserted
We → kick → putts
Which is really difficult, to change the way you putt.
asserted
you → change → way
“I’m a little frustrated with myself.
asserted
I → ’m → myself
Nobody complained about it at all.
asserted
Nobody → complain → it
It’s me saying this right now that I wish I would have maybe hammered it home more; they’re going to be slow, they’re going to be slow, they’re going to be slow.
asserted
they → ’ → it
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
