Neumann to captain 2013 Solheim Cup side

LISELOTTE Neumann, a member of two winning teams in Scotland – at Dalmahoy in 1992 then Loch Lomond eight years later – will be the European captain for the 2013 Solheim Cup on American soil.

Her appointment as the successor to Alison Nicholas, last year’s winning captain in Ireland, was announced last night on the eve of the season’s opening major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

Another Swede, Annika Sorenstam, was tipped for the 2013 job after Nicholas stepped down in the wake of a dramatic 15-13 European victory at Killeen Castle last year.

However, the former world No 1 revealed earlier this year that she had turned down the chance to lead the side at Colorado Golf Club, where the Americans will have Meg Mallon, a four-time major champion, as their captain.

“I am extremely happy and honoured to have been selected as the European Solheim Cup captain in 2013,” said the 45-year-old Neumann, a six-time Solheim Cup veteran, at Mission Hills Country Club.

“This event has always been very special for women’s golf and it brings back wonderful memories of my years on the team. I look forward to the challenge of defending the title on US soil next year.”

Chief among those memories, no doubt, is the match at Dalmahoy, where Europe lifted the trophy for the first time. In a side that also included Scottish duo Dale Reid and Pam Wright, Neumann emerged with two-and-a-half points from her three matches and beat Betsy King in the last-day singles.

Neumann was one of Reid’s wild-card selections for the 2000 match at Loch Lomond, where she contributed a win and two halves in another victory on home soil.

She has won 27 tournaments worldwide, including the Women’s British Open in 1994 – before it was recognised as a major – and the US Women’s Open in 1998.

One player Neumann would surely like to have on her team next year is Catriona Matthew, who sets out in the opening round of the Kraft Nabisco today boosted by a strong finish to last week’s Kia Classic.

Fellow Scot Janice Moodie is also in the field, as is English Curtis Cup pick Charley Hull. American Stacy Lewis is the defending champion but world No 1 Yani Tseng, winner of her last two events, looks as though she’ll be the player to beat.