2 weeks ago
10
Europe volition look a "hostile" location assemblage "absolutely desperate" for the United States to triumph backmost the Solheim Cup successful Virginia this week, says erstwhile skipper Mickey Walker.
Last year's 14-14 gully successful Spain, the archetypal successful the contest's 34-year history, meant Europe retained the trophy aft victories successful 2019 successful Scotland and 2021 successful Ohio.
No broadside has held the trophy for a 4th successive clip and Europe person won conscionable doubly successful 9 erstwhile events successful the US.
"The Americans volition consciousness it is indispensable to triumph and it's going to beryllium hard for Europe due to the fact that it tin get rather hostile," Walker, who led Europe to their archetypal triumph successful 1992, told BBC Sport.
"The American crowds volition beryllium retired determination to triumph it. It volition beryllium precise pro-American and that volition beryllium truly tough.
"Those that person played earlier volition cognize what to expect and they volition beryllium arsenic prepared arsenic they tin be, but it's a lonely spot erstwhile you're retired determination playing and 90% of the enactment is American."
Walker, who was Europe's skipper successful the archetypal 4 editions of the biennial contest, is wary that continued unsporting partisan behaviour volition spoil some the Solheim and Ryder Cup.
And portion the Solheim Cup does not look to person arsenic ample an issue, Walker said she felt "intimidated" arsenic a spectator arsenic acold backmost arsenic astatine the 2009 contention successful Chicago and "does not like" the mode it is going.
It is nary concealed that the Ryder Cup astatine Whistling Straits successful 2021 saw the European players and their families person immoderate horrendous maltreatment from a number of US fans astatine the people connected the banks of Lake Michigan.
No distant broadside has won the Ryder Cup since Europe's triumph astatine Medinah successful 2012 and portion Padraig Harrington accepted that immoderate of that is down to location captains being capable to dictate people set-up, helium besides acknowledged the portion fans play.
Speaking earlier past year's contention successful Italy, the Irishman, who led Europe successful 2021, forecast determination would beryllium trouble, telling the Daily Telegraph: "I privation I could accidental it is one-way traffic, but it isn't and we should realise that and look astatine our ain backyard arsenic well.
"It's not conscionable the players either. The aforesaid arsenic successful America, the wives and families are being singled retired by hecklers arsenic well, with immoderate beauteous atrocious worldly going on."
Walker agreed, saying: "The past 2 Ryder Cups person been bordering connected the crowds not behaving precise good due to the fact that they person been truthful overmuch down their team.
"Rome was the worst it has been successful Europe.
"I don't similar it, you privation to triumph conscionable by playing the amended golf."
It is simply a sentiment echoed by John Solheim, the lad of Karsten and Louise Solheim who person sponsored the tourney since the inaugural lawsuit successful 1990 and who the trophy is named after.
"It's highly important to the Americans to triumph it back, but it doesn't truly substance to maine who wins," helium told BBC Sport.
"I conscionable privation a adjacent match."
English (US)