Davies backing Euro stars

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

Davies is preparing for a record 12th appearance in the competition and knows the home continent face a massive task of they are to upset the Americans.

She admitted: “It (this weekend’s clash) is probably more like the last Champions League final. They’d probably be Barcelona and we’d probably be Manchester United. It’s a close thing. The star players have to step up and win the points at vital times. So hopefully we will have a Lionel Messi or a Wayne Rooney on the European team who can step up to the plate.”

As a Liverpool fan, Davies knows the impossible dream can become reality. Her beloved Reds were 3-0 down in the 2005 European Cup decider in Istanbul before winning the dramatic and unexpected penalty shootout.

Such an approach, the English veteran believes, won’t serve Alison Nicholas’s side well however as Davies looks to surpass vice-captain Annika Sorenstam as Europe’s top points scorer in the Solheim Cup.

“I wouldn’t like to see an Istanbul-style comeback from Europe on Sunday,” insisted Europe’s only ever present since the tournament began with a low-key event in Florida 21 years ago.

“I’d like us to start off strong and get further and further away from them. We don’t need a close run thing because the Americans have proven over the years that singles are their forte. I believe we need a lead going into the singles. If we don’t have a lead we will be in a little bit of trouble. The good thing with this European side is that it is strong from number one to number 12. Suzann Pettersen is the stand-out player but the rest of us can take on the Americans in the singles. Finally we have got 12 players who can go toe to toe with the American and have a really good crack at it.”

This week, for all the pomp and ceremony that goes hand in hand with a Solheim Cup, will be no different as far as Laura Davies is concerned.

“It is always nice to meet the local people and they are really nice in Dunboyne, it’s important to mix with them and enjoy yourself,” she maintained.

“We went in to the pub on the corner again on Monday night, nine out of 10 of them there are into their sport and a lot of them are golfers too. They love watching it and they all wished us the best of luck. I know we have no Irish players in the team but I hope Ireland comes out to support us this week. We need them to cheer us on because this is a tough American team to beat.

“The home advantage is not the course, it is the fans and the galleries. If it is quiet on the course this week we will know things aren’t going our way. We need those fans behind us.”

Davies knows more than anyone on the current squad what it means to beat the Americans. “There have been a couple of spats — Dottie Pepper annoyed us once so we stabbed her face on a punch bag and also they made us take a re-chip at Loch Lomond which was crazy — but overall I’d say these matches have been very friendly,” she said. “The thing for me, especially because I have played a lot in America, is that these girls are my friends... and there is nothing quite like beating your friends.”