Laura Davies hails 1992 Solheim Cup as one sport's biggest-ever upsets

Former world No 1 unsure about fairytale farewell at St Andrews

Laura Davies was one of Team Europe captain Catriona Matthew's vice captains for the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

Laura Davies reckons one of her most memorable moments in a glittering career came on Scottish soil but she’s not sure if she’ll be able to bid a fairytale farewell to the game as a player in St Andrews next summer.

Making a visit to Glasgow to be presented with a PGA Recognition Award at the PGA in Scotland Annual Luncheon, the four-time major winner was asked what her best memory had been on Scottish soil.

“Got to be 1992 at Dalmahoy,” she said of Europe winning the second edition of the Solheim Cup 11.5-6.5 on the outskirts of Edinburgh after being thumped 11.5-4.5 in the inaugural match at Lake Nona in Florida two years earlier. “That was the best. It was incredible. I think it’s still hugely underrated. If you look back over the last 50 years of sport, that’s the biggest upset in terms of class.

“I think ten of the US players were all Hall of Famers. We were just a bunch of players who pretty much turned pro in the last four or five years and we beat them. Incredible. The weather was horrific. It was good for us. The US hated every second of that.”

As was the case for Davies when she was forced to pull out of this year’s AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath after just six holes due to a wrist injury.

“Not playing, no,” she replied to being asked if she still enjoyed playing golf. I had a horrible time at the Women’s Open at Walton Heath. I have retired from regular golf.

“I’m in St Andrews next year, it will be my last year of the exemption being 60 now. But, at the moment, I don’t think I can tee it up. I’m playing in a few senior events before then and, if I show any signs at all, then I might play.

“But I don’t want to take someone’s spot. It would be lovely to walk over the bridge on the 18th but not at 35-over for 35 holes it won’t be as much fun. I’ll enter but it will depend if up here (the head) is working right. It would be lovely. I’ll be there anyway with TV, so I’ll make a decision nearer the time.”

Davies revealed she’s a big fan of new Scottish star Gemma Dryburgh, who landed her breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour in Japan just over a year ago before helping Europe retain the Solheim Cup in Spain in September after being handed one of Suzann Pettersen’s captain’s picks.

“I didn’t know her until the start of the Solheim Cup week and didn’t appreciate fully what a good player she was,” admitted the former world No 1, who was one of the European vice captains at Finca Cortesin. “You see her results and you see her hit shots but until you see her under pressure and pulling off the shots she did that week, that’s when you know how good she is.

“She’s got a big future. She’s got a great temperament. She’s almost got Catriona’s temperament, nothing seems to faze here. A win is massive. That’s when you know you belong.”