Gritty Pettersen could tilt scales in European favour

Leona Maguire will tee off in the third match of tomorrow morning's opening session of the Solheim Cup with European captain Suzann Pettersen hinting that the 28-year-old Cavan woman could be a lynchpin player in all five sessions just as she was in her unbeaten MVP performance in the stunning away success over the Americans in Ohio two years ago.

"Leona, I mean, I just think she's the type of player you would like to keep on the course at all times," Pettersen said this week.

"She’s just that feisty. She’s just that good. As soon as those sunglasses go on, she’s in her own little bubble, and just keep her there."

It came as no surprise when Pettersen yesterday paired Ireland’s only player on the team in the opening session of foursomes with Anna Nordqvist, who is the one player that Maguire has been grouped with in all of the three practice days this week at the Finca Cortesin venue in Southern Spain.

Nordquist is a veteran of seven consecutive appearances in the matches, including the dramatic come-from-behind win at Killeen Castle in County Meath in 2011 when a then 16-year-old Maguire was part of Europe’s Junior Solheim Cup team.

The 36-year-old is a three-time major champion, most recently in the AIG Women’s Open two years ago and has an impressive points haul of 15 and a half points with a 57% winning record.

Although six feet in height, she is more a steady consistent player than a long hitter, but that fits neatly into the broadly similar playing style of Maguire and sets up ideally for the alternate shot format of foursomes which tends towards risk-averse strategising.

Maguire and Nordquist have been drawn in the third match on the course against the combined highest ranked American pairing of Nelly Korda (World No 3)