Scottish veteran Catriona Matthew lands Solheim Cup wild card

Scotland’s Catriona Matthew will make her eighth Solheim Cup appearance next month after being handed a wild card spot.

European captain Carin Koch named Matthew, Caroline Hedwall, Karine Icher and Caroline Masson as her four wild card picks for the biennial match against the United States at the Leon-Rot club near Heidelberg, Germany, from September 18-20.

Matthew, 46, is the most experienced player in the team alongside Norway’s Suzann Pettersen.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play in a few Solheim Cups and it’s the highlight,” Matthew said.

“I played in my first Solheim Cup in 1998 and you thought it was huge then, but it’s just got bigger and bigger as the years have gone on.

“And with us winning in Colorado, the first time we’ve won in the States, I think it’s bigger than ever this year.”

Swedish star Hedwall and Icher, of France, will both be making their third Solheim Cup appearances, while Germany’s Masson played in Colorado in 2013 and will have the support of the home crowd behind her.

The four wild card picks join Pettersen, Gwladys Nocera (France), Charley Hull and Melissa Reid (both England), Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Sandra Gal (Germany), Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz (both Spain) in Koch’s 12-strong team.

“We’ve got a great mixture of youth and experience which really excites me,” Koch said.

“Each of our players has a role to play and I have a team of stars.”

Europe will be chasing a third consecutive victory for the first time in the competition’s 25-year history after winning the last two matches at Killeen Castle in Ireland and the Colorado Golf Club.