Carlota Ciganda doesn’t have the career resume to inspire any level of intimidation.
asserted
Ciganda → have → intimidation
She has only three wins in 15 seasons on the LPGA Tour, eight more on the Ladies European Tour.
asserted
She → have → Tour
Ciganda has never won or even finished runner-up in the 74 majors she has played.
asserted
she → win → majors
The 36-year-old Spaniard missed the cut in four of the five majors this year.
asserted
Spaniard → miss → majors
But dress her in blue and gold, put 11 teammates around her with nothing more than the Solheim Cup at stake and American players standing in her way, and Ciganda is a different player.
asserted
Ciganda → dress → way
“I love beating the Americans,” Ciganda said after silencing Jennifer Kupcho in singles for the final point in a 15-13 victory in the Netherlands.
asserted
Ciganda → beat → Netherlands
That’s not an original thought, but it is key to European success in both cups.
asserted
it → ’ → cups
Some 20 years ago, Paul Casey caught some heat when he said he learned to “properly hate” the Americans in the Ryder Cup.
asserted
he → catch → Cup
It’s just sport.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Americans love to win, but do they love beating Europe?
asserted
they → love → Europe
Dottie Pepper did.
asserted
Pepper → do → ?
She once said Europeans would be bagging groceries if not for the LPGA Tour.
asserted
Europeans → say → Tour
“Just winning for Team Europe, it’s the best feeling,” Ciganda said.
asserted
Ciganda → win → Europe
“Playing for something bigger than yourself, I guess my mind gets to be very focused and I love this week.
asserted
I → play → week
This is why I play golf.”
asserted
I → play → golf
The lingering question about this U.S. loss was not about pairings or captain’s picks or lineups or even a lack of statistics.
asserted
question → linger → statistics
Whose idea was it to post their beer-happy celebration on the bus — on Saturday?
asserted
it → post → Saturday
The ultimate payback was Europe singing on the bus after leaving Bernardus Golf with the crystal trophy: “They drink on Saturday.
asserted
They → sing → trophy
We drink on Sunday.”
asserted
We → drink → Sunday
Kupcho delivered a big moment in an otherwise pedestrian performance Saturday when she made a 93-foot birdie putt — so long she didn’t even study the break before giving it a whack — and then won the match with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
asserted
she → deliver → 18th
“Vamos!” Kupcho screamed on the 17th green, directed at the equally vocal Spaniard.
asserted
Kupcho → scream → Spaniard
Imagine the delight when the blind draw for Sunday singles was announced, and Ciganda saw her name against Kupcho in the 11th spot on the card.
“I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho,” Ciganda said.
asserted
Ciganda → imagine → Kupcho
“She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter.
asserted
I → ’ → ?
And I told her, ‘Look, great playing.’
asserted
I → tell → her
But today I knew she had no chance.
asserted
she → know → chance
I was like, ‘I want to kill you.’”
asserted
I → want → you
Five holes into their singles match, Ciganda already was 4 up, and she closed out a 4-and-2 victory as the celebration was getting started.
asserted
celebration → close → victory
Equally key for Europe was what Ciganda did on the 18th hole Friday afternoon, when the Americans were poised to take a one-point lead after the first day.
asserted
Americans → poise → day
Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin each had good looks at birdie.
asserted
Korda → have → birdie
Ciganda was playing a different hole.
asserted
Ciganda → play → hole
She pitched that to 12 feet and, after both Americans missed their birdies, holed the putt to escape with a halve.
asserted
Americans → pitch → halve
Ciganda dropped her putter and shook her arms after her unlikely par with a clutch putt.
asserted
Ciganda → drop → putt
This from a player who ranks No. 155 in the key putting statistic (strokes gained) on the LPGA Tour.
asserted
who → rank → Tour
For putts in green in regulation, her rank improves to No. 151.
asserted
rank → improve → .
It’s the Solheim Cup.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
“I don’t know what happens at Solheim Cup, but I make a lot of putts,” Ciganda said.
asserted
Ciganda → know → putts
“I need to take this mentality into the regular tournaments.”
asserted
I → need → tournaments
Too bad her play down the 18th in Friday fourballs didn’t include a shot from the car park.
asserted
play → include → park
European men wear his image on their sleeves and in their hearts.
asserted
men → wear → hearts
Ballesteros is why all of Europe was invited to the Ryder Cup, and it remains the best rivalry in golf.
asserted
it → invite → golf
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
