Look Whos Cupping

• By Mercer Baggs
• Aug 3, 2009 12:00 PM ET

 
U.S. VERSUS THEM: U.S. Solheim Cup captain Beth Daniel officially announced her team Sunday, deciding upon veteran Juli Inkster and rookie Michelle Wie as her captain's picks. The 10 automatic qualifiers were: Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Angela Stanford, Kristy McPherson; Nicole Castrale, Christina Kim, Brittany Lang, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome and Natalie Gulbis.
 
Wie always seemed like a lock – and for countless reasons should have been – which meant it probably came down between Inkster and Pat Hurst for the final spot. That had to be tough for Daniel, who is good friends with both players. She's closer to and known Inkster for longer, however. She also probably looked at the European roster and figured she could take Louise Suggs and Betsy Rawls, spot them 4 points, and still win.
 

 
US VERSUS THEM: Alison Nicholas' European Solheim Cup team was also finalized Sunday at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. British Open champion Catriona Matthew (Scotland) was joined by Gwladys Nocera (France), Tania Elosegui (Spain), Diana Luna (Italy), Laura Davies (England), Sophie Gustafson (Sweden), Suzann Pettersen (Norway), Helen Alfredsson (Sweden), Maria Hjorth (Sweden), Becky Brewerton (Wales, wild card), Janice Moodie (Scotland, wild card) and Anna Nordqvist (Sweden, wild card).
 
You never know how these things are going to play out, but the Europeans could be in some serious trouble. While Matthew was able to get the 'W' in England, the top 3 points earners were 55 over par in their six combined rounds. That included a nice little 91 by Nocera in Round 1. Also take into consideration that the U.S. has never lost on home soil and even Buster Douglas doesn't like Europe's chances.
 

 
BUICK OVERDRIVE: Tiger Woods notched his 69th career PGA Tour victory at the Buick Open. After opening in a dismal 71, he shot 63-65-69 for a 20-under total and a three-stroke triumph. He now has four wins in just 11 starts on Tour this season and is just four back of Jack Nicklaus for second on the all-time Tour victory list.
 
If you've ever wondered how Woods would fare on the Nationwide Tour, you found out this week. Woods held off the likes of Michael Letzig, Greg Chalmers, Roland Thatcher, Brian Vranesh, and fellow PGA Tour winners Y.E. Yang and John Senden. I could have seen Fredo taking over the Corleone family business before any of those guys beating Tiger. Not that it really matters who his competition is. This week he'll face the world's best at the WGC-Bridgestone. And he'll beat them all the same.
 

 
MOMMA PLAYS BEST: Catriona Matthew captured her first major championship by being the only player under par at the end of the Ricoh Women's British Open. The victory comes 10 weeks after she delivered her second child and a little more than a week after she and her husband/caddie (pictured above) escaped from a burning hotel at the Evian Masters.
 
Matthew is a very unassuming person. She could be in my house right now and I wouldn't even know it. And I'd probably just let her stay. I'm not sure what all this means. I think it's time to go take my medication.
 

 
FUNK FIGHTS BACK: Fred Funk fired a bogey-free, 7-under 65 Sunday to win the U.S. Senior Open by six shots over Joey Sindelar. Funk's total was a tournament record by three strokes. The triumph came one week after he lost in a playoff at the Senior Open Championship.
 
Once again Greg Norman blew a chance to pick up a senior major. Two weeks ago he led after 54 holes of the Senior British and failed to win. This time he was one back through three rounds and closed in 1-over 73 for a T-4, nine back of Funk. The Champions Tour is supposed to be golf's ultimate second chance, which for The Great White Shark means more opportunities to wave the great white flag.
 

 
ARE YOU KID(ROCK)ING?: John Daly, playing on a sponsor's exemption, shot 88 Friday at the Buick Open to finish dead last among those who completed two rounds. It was one off his highest career score, which came in the second round of last year's Open Championship.
 
Daly told Associated Press' Doug Ferguson that he was mentally and physically exhausted due to his world-wide playing schedule and new physique. Daly, who says he has lost over 80 pounds in four months after Lap-Band surgery, then said on his Twitter page that he was going to go work with Kid Rock. Well that should certainly help.
 

 
THE RETURN OF PHIL: Phil Mickelson announced that he will be competing in this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as well as next week's PGA Championship. Mickelson hasn't played since the U.S. Open, during which time his wife and mother each underwent breast cancer surgery.
 
Mickelson played a practice round last Wednesday at Hazeltine, site of the PGA, and left without talking to reporters, according to Golf World's Thomas Bonk. Bonk also said this might be a trend, that Mickelson might not be as open as he has in the past when it comes to discussing his personal life. If that's the case, then we should let the man speak his peace and play his game. This certainly isn't the time to pry.
 

 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Oskar Henningsson won the European Tour's Czech Open. ... Derek Lamely captured the Nationwide Children's Hospitals Invitational. ... Colorado Golf Club was tabbed to host the 2013 Solheim Cup. ... Various news outlets have reported that this was the final edition of the Buick Open.
 
Guy wins a professional event and all they give him is a super-sized golf ball – and a bald guy ... Lamely beat Rickie Fowler in a playoff and moved from 135th to 12th on the money list. ... Expect Juli Inkster, who has ties to the club founder, to be the U.S. captain. ... Regardless of who the next sponsor is, officials better hope Tiger likes their choice of course.
 
Related Links:

Full Coverage – Buick Open

Full Coverage – Ricoh Women's British Open

Full Coverage – U.S. Senior Open

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