AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND | They came in the early gloaming. At 8 a.m. on Sunday, a full three hours and 40 minutes before the first ball would be struck and 10 hours before the thrilling conclusion of this Solheim Cup, the narrow, stone-wall-lined streets around Gleneagles teemed with walkers, some clad in getups so over the top you wouldn’t wear them to your favorite football game. Others sported more subdued outfits but still team-specific colors. All had a rooting interest. And all wanted to be here in plenty of time.

By 9 a.m., the grandstands surrounding the first tee – the same configuration that was used for the Ryder Cup in 2014 – were packed, as were all the seats around the practice range. People pushed against the barricades and swelled, three deep against the gallery ropes the entire length of the first fairway, even though the first match between Europe’s Carlota Ciganda and America’s Danielle Kang didn’t go out until 11:40. It wasn’t quite 50 degrees (10 Celsius, as the locals were kind enough to remind their invited guests). And the sun didn’t peek through the clouds until a few minutes after 1 p.m.

This was arguably the most exciting Solheim Cup in the nearly 30-year history of the event, with a storybook ending that would have been rejected as far too fanciful if it had been written as fiction. There was piped-in music so loud it could be heard all over the course, as well as singing, shouting and a little dancing. U.S. captain Juli Inkster busted a few 59-year-old moves on the youngsters, even getting into a minor dance-o with a young girl in the grandstands to a Bruno Mars number.

There were also smoke cannons that looked like something out of a made-for-TV wrestling match and a master of ceremonies (Di Dougherty) who could have been leading cheers at an American football game. This was arguably the most exciting Solheim Cup in the nearly 30-year history of the event, with a storybook ending that would have been rejected as far too fanciful if it had been written as fiction. But the outcome – Suzann Pettersen finding redemption with a putt for victory on the final green in what she claims is her last competitive shot as a professional – had nothing to do with the enthusiasm or, ultimately, this event’s success. The Solheim Cup might not yet be the biggest women’s sporting event in the world – that distinction still goes to soccer’s Women’s World Cup – but it is far and away the best.

I’ve been to the WNBA Finals, world championship women’s gymnastics meets, more Women’s Tennis Association events than I can count, all the major championships in women’s golf, along with softball and lacrosse games and ski and swim meets, and nothing comes close to the Solheim Cup. For those of you tempted to yell at your screens about Wimbledon or Bianca Andreescu’s stunning upset of Serena Williams in the recent US Open tennis championship, remember that the men and women play their tennis majors the same weeks at the same places. One day after Andreescu’s victory, Rafael Nadal captured his 19th major in a thrilling five-setter. So, those don’t count. Most WTA events (women only) could be held in high school gymnasiums.

This Solheim Cup was an event that drew a total of 90,000 people for the week, 20,000 on a Saturday when the weather was so bad you wouldn’t have put a Scottish Terrier out in it. And they stayed, battling wind that gusted upwards of 40 mph and a bone-chilling North Atlantic rain blowing sideways.

“You saw by the crowds out there this week,” American competitor Nelly Korda said. “They were really into it. And I’ve got to give them props; they were really respectful to each team. I’ve never seen crowds like that before. I mean, they were three deep on almost every fairway. So for them to really get into it and to back women’s golf, it was incredible for me to see.” Korda’s sister, Jessica, jumped in and said, “To all the fans, I don’t know if they’re ever going to see any of this, but they were insane. To show that type of support for us, it’s indescribable, really indescribable. And I just hope that this inspires and shows people who we are and what we stand for and why we’re doing what we’re doing.” “And for it to continue to grow,” Nelly added.

“I think a lot of people underestimate women’s golf,” Inkster said. “They don’t give it the credit that we deserve. But these ladies are athletes. They’re amazing at what they do. And it really irks me how we always have to take a back seat because I don’t think these ladies should take a back seat to anybody. Not only their golf but the way they handled themselves and who they are. We have to grind for everything we do and (these players) are why the LPGA is so successful.”

That is the absolute truth. Yes, the World Cup is bigger. But you don’t have to worry about a Solheim Cup player stepping on a flag, kneeling at an inappropriate time, or insulting half the population of their home country. They know they are role models. And everything they do reflects that. “I think this is one of the biggest women’s sporting events in the world,” winning European captain Catriona Matthew said. “Obviously the Women’s World Cup is huge. But this, like the Ryder Cup, has grown hugely over the last 30 years since it first started. It’s such a spectacle of women’s golf.”

It is, indeed, a sporting spectacle, one worthy of all the praise it receives. And then some.

Steve

Article republished from The Global Golf Post with author’s permission.