Europe won the Solheim Cup for the first time in four renewals after a dramatic finish to the final day’s singles.

BLUE was the colour for Europe at Killeen Castle yesterday — and pacesetter Suzann Pettersen saw more than enough to fuel her belief that the home team can win the Solheim Cup for the first time in four attempts.

IRELAND and the Irish struck a blow for Europe at the opening ceremony for the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle yesterday evening – thanks to designer Paul Costelloe and captain Alison Nicholas.

SO far it’s been all cuddles at the Castle – this morning the Solheim Cup becomes more like the Ryder Cup’s famous War on the Shore.

SUZANN PETTERSEN, the second ranked female golfer in the world, yesterday declared at Killeen Castle that Europe are ‘here to win’ the Solheim Cup.

EUROPE will have a Cork factor working in its favour at Killeen Castle this week — Douglas caddy Roy Clarke.

ENGLAND’S Laura Davies sought a football analogy to describe Europe’s challenge against the USA in this week’s Solheim Cup.

FIRST blood went to Europe’s Solheim Cup hopefuls yesterday when they took to Twitter to laugh at America’s expense.

THE greatest week in the history of Irish ladies’ golf has arrived with the 12th Solheim Cup clash of the United States and Europe set for the Jack Nicklaus-designed Killeen Castle near Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, on Friday.

EUROPEAN captain Alison Nicholas unveiled her very own Seven Nation Army in Dublin yesterday then revealed she has borrowed some inspiration from Ryder Cup heroes Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie in how to defeat the Americans.

DARREN CLARKE’S stirring British Open success can act as an inspiration to European golf’s top ladies when they face a seemingly invincible American side at Killeen Castle next month.

EUROPEAN skipper Alison Nicholas has refused to rule out handing an Irish player one of her four wildcards for the Solheim Cup clash with the United States at Killeen Castle in 150 days’ time.

Alison Nicholas has named former US and British Women’s Open champion Liselotte Neumann and England’s Joanne Morley as her assistant captains for next year’s Solheim Cup in Illinois.

Defeats in the last two Solheim Cup matches have resulted in changes to the way Europe select their side.

South Korea’s Jeong Jang, the leader from round one, too an even firmer grip on the Weetabix Women’s British Open after a third round 69 today at Royal Birkdale.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM’S historic season has been recognised with her winning the 2003 Golf Writers’ Trophy.

Annika Sorenstam’s historic season has been recognised with her winning the 2003 Golf Writers’ Trophy.

SOPHIE GUSTAFSON produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the year to win the BT Ladies Open at the Warrenpoint club in Northern Ireland.

AUSTRALIAN Karen Lunn continued her quest to win for the first time in six years

Britain’s Catriona Matthew was one of only half a dozen players to break par as she continued her record as a US Women’s Open form horse today at Prairie Dunes in Kansas.

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson doubled her overnight lead to four shots after a fine 70 in the third round of the LPGA Subaru Memorial of Naples in Florida.