Solheim Cup 2024: Team Europe’s stars ready to battle for big win at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship | Golf news

Dame Laura Davies has praised the strength of European golf heading into a busy major stretch and backed Linn Grant to impress at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

The main women’s season continues this week at Sahalee Country Club, live on Sky Sportswhere players can boost their hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games and the Solheim Cup with a strong performance.

Linnea Strom has the only European win on the LPGA Tour this season, although Dame Laura Davies – two-time winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – insists several European Solheim Cup contingents can challenge for a big win.

“Obviously winning is a big part of the confidence for the girls, but we (Europe) have had players who played really well on the LPGA tour and some of the younger players who played on the Ladies European Tour,” Davies told Sky Sports.

“Although the winning breeds are winning, there is no need to worry too much as Nelly Korda has been doing so well for most of this year. There were no winners from any other nationality apart from Korda, who won six in quick succession and didn’t.” Don’t leave much for the others!

“If Korda shows how she did before these two missed cuts, I’ll test her and Linn Grant on Sunday. It’s time for Linn to take that step and go to the next level because I think she could potentially do that. be number 1 in the world one day.

Anna Nordqvist, Georgia Hall, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Carlota Ciganda all enter the week on the back of top-20 finishes at the Meijer LPGA Classic, with Davies impressed by the quality of European players competing on the LPGA Tour.

“There are so many good European players at the moment,” said Davies. “Charley Hull is probably our most gifted player and Maja Stark is really impressive because she had a really good performance in the Chevron Championship earlier this year.

“Grant has just won the Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden and you can never leave her out when looking at the top contenders. Alexandra Forsterling is someone who could push her way into the fold if she stays on the same trajectory as she is incredibly good played golf tournaments.

“Leona Maguire is one of the best players we have in the European team, especially when it comes to match play. But she should win more than she does and you would think she could have a great chance – on a tough course .”

What else is at stake this week?

The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is the last chance to earn qualifying points for the women’s golf competition at the Paris Olympics, and is also one of three majors still in the running to compete in the Solheim Cup in September.

Suzann Pettersen’s European team will consist of the top two in the European points table and the next six players in the world rankings, along with four captains. The full lineup will be confirmed after the AIG Women’s Open in August.

“The world rankings are a bit volatile because there are a lot of majors coming up in a short space of time in women’s football,” Davies explains. “You can get huge points (qualifying) and you can rocket through the world rankings.

“If you win a major you get huge points in the world rankings and you can easily stay ahead of three, four or five players. If you’re about to get in – someone who’s just outside the top 100 – and if you tournament, you can jump into those Solheim Cup positions.”

Solheim Cup in mind for Team Europe?

Pettersen’s side recorded back-to-back Solheim Cup victories in 2019 and 2021 before retaining the trophy with a dramatic 14-14 draw in Spain last September, with Davies enthusiastic about how the Team Europe squad is shaping up for this match year.

“We had a meeting at the venue a few weeks ago and about ten or eleven players turned up, which was impressive because it’s obviously a busy time for them,” Davies said. “I don’t think the team will make a huge difference from last time, maybe a few in and a few out.

“A lot of girls are playing well at the moment. It’s a long golf course and we have a pretty long-hitting team. I’ve had all kinds of tournaments and it’s a long, rolling golf course where length is a huge advantage. , so I think we’re having fun find!

“Depth-wise it’s good and we’ll probably have to let go of some really good players. That’s not good for them because they’re obviously great players and they’ve had good seasons, but it’s a nice problem for Suzann. ” to have. It works out well.

“Team USA has a lot of fantastic players, but not all of their best players are in the best position right now. In my mind, if I line up the twelve, I think we’ll get in at this stage – and it’ll be closer I think we definitely have a team that can gain ground both on and off.”

Watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship live on Sky Sports all week. Live coverage starts on Thursday from 9pm via the Red Button and 11pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the LPGA Tour, majors and more NOW.