The captains receive a specially commissioned gold necklace featuring a miniature Solheim Cup in white gold, set with a diamond for each year of captaincy. Kathy Whitworth has two diamonds, and Rankin will receive her second this year. Walker has four diamonds, while Nilsson will be receiving her first. Since 1994, the gallery sings at the first tee, sharing tunes connected with each player. What began spontaneously has become an orchestrated method of introducing the competitors.
Opinions abound, but most veteran players and coaches agree it's a tough call.
European players have been performing well this season and are likely to arrive at Muirfield Village with renewed confidence. But both teams have many strong players, so it's hard to say which group will be favored when the competition begins. You'll find a common theme in the comments that follow. In our previous competitions, it hasn't really mattered how people performed in the weeks leading up to the Solheim. It all comes down to those three days.