Team Europe: the 12 players to face the USA at Killeen Castle on September 23rd-25th

The players who make up team Europe

Catriona Matthew

(Scotland)

Age: 42

Interests: Fitness, tennis, reading.

WINNER of the Scottish Open a fortnight ago, Matthew – who captured the Women’s British Open in 2009 – brings huge experience to the team. She won her first career title in the 1996 Australian Open and made a debut appearance in the Solheim Cup in 1998. this will be her sixth appearance in the match.

Sophie Gustafson

(Sweden)

Age: 37

Interests: Motor cycles, music and photography.

WINNER of the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle last year – her fourth success in the event – Gustafson will be making her eighth appearance in the Solheim Cup next month. Consistently one of the top players in Europe, she topped the LET order of merit on four occasions (2000, 2003, 2007 and 2009).

Azahara Munoz

(Spain)

Age: 23

Interests: Tennis and shopping

MUNOZ turned professional in September 2009 and made an immediate impression, winning the Madrid Ladies Masters on her pro debut in October. In 2010, she was named LPGA Rookie of the Year with a season best tie for fourth at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic. In 2011 her best finish was second at the Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle.

Caroline Hedwall

(Sweden)

Age: 22

Interests: football, sports themed films

IN HER “rookie” season on the Ladies European Tour, Hedwall has made a sensational impact on tour. Having topped the LET’s Qualifying School last December, the Swede won the New South Wales Open on the Australian Open in her professional debut and has since added the Slovak Open and the Finnish Open titles on the LET to her CV.

Karen Stupples

(England)

Age: 38

Interests: Cooking, watching movies, football and shopping

HAVING made her Solheim Cup debut in 2005, Stupples – benefiting from a captain’s pick from Nicholas – will make a second appearance in the match next month. Was somewhat controversially overlooked for a pick in 2009, and made her point by going out to win the Wales Open the following week.

Sandra Gal

(Germany)

Age: 26

Interests: painting and design, dancing, wakeboarding, playing the violin and modelling

A BREAKTHROUGH win on the LPGA Tour earlier this season – when she birdied the 72nd hole at the Kia Classic to edge out Jiyai Shin – put the German into contention for a wild card pick from Nicholas and she has continued to produce some good performances on tour, including a further two top-10 finishes.

Melissa Reid

(England)

Age: 23

Interests: Playing football, supporting Derby County, and snowboarding

TOOK UP golf as an 11-year-old when stopped from playing soccer with a boys’ team and has made a huge impact on the Ladies European Tour (LET) since joining for the 2008 season. Made her breakthrough win in last year’s Turkish Open and won the Dutch Open this season en route to topping the LET points list for what will be a debut appearance in the match.

Laura Davies

(England)

Age: 47

Interests: Playing football, supporting Liverpool FC, fast cars and gardening.

DAVIES will be making a record 12th appearance in the Solheim Cup. A winner of 45 tournaments on the LET and a total of 79 worldwide in an honour-laden career, Davies effectively secured her place on the team with five wins on tour in the 2010 season.

Remains one of the longest hitters on tour.

Suzann Pettersen

(Norway)

Age: 30

Interests: Skiing, keeping fit and music.

THE WORLD number two will be the talismanic figure of the European team. Her win in the Ladies Irish Open earlier this month demonstrated her liking for the Killeen Castle course, whilst her follow-up win in the Safeway Classic on the LPGA Tour confirms her as one of the hottest players around. This will be her sixth Solheim Cup appearance.

Christel Boeljon

(Netherlands)

Age: 24

Interests: Hockey, tennis, music and reading.

BOELJON will make history as the first Dutch player to compete in the Solheim Cup. Playing since the age of seven, Boeljon cut short a scholarship to college in the US to head out on tour and has proven to be one of the most impressive newcomers to the LET with a maiden win in the Turkish Open in May, featuring alongside five top-10 finishes on tour this season.

Maria Hjorth

(Sweden)

Age: 37

Interests: Reading, listening to music and aerobics.

A SEASONED Solheim Cup campaigner, Hjorth – based in the United States – will be making her fifth appearance in the contest. Her consistency over the two-year qualifying campaign was reflected in wins at last year’s LPGA Tour Championship and then again at the Avnet LPGA Classic in May of this year.

Anna Nordqvist

(Sweden)

Age: 24

Interests: All sports.

IN JUST her third season as a professional, Nordqvist – winner of the LPGA Championship in 2009 – will be making a second appearance in the Solheim Cup. She was a wild card pick for the match in Chicago two years ago. She has posted three top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour this season.