Sorenstam helps Europe to win over United States

LODDEKOPINGE, Sweden (AP) -- Annika Sorenstam made history at the Colonial as the first woman in 58 years to play on the PGA Tour.
That was a personal challenge.
She found her way into the record books last month by winning the Women's British Open to complete the LPGA career Grand Slam.
That was personal satisfaction.
The best reward might have been one she shared Sunday in her native Sweden.
Standing on the 18th green as she waited for the rest of the team to join the celebration, Sorenstam's husband handed her a T-shirt that proclaimed Europe as winners of the Solheim Cup.
"The is the topper of all toppers," Sorenstam said. "It seems like it never ends. Everything is happening, and everything is going my way."
Everything certainly went in Europe's direction, starting with the raucous gallery singing, "We all follow the European" team to the chorus of "Yellow Submarine" on the first tee Friday morning.
When it ended -- sooner than anyone expected, as it turned out -- Europe had the largest margin of victory in Solheim Cup history.
It won eight points, three of them conceded in the chaotic conclusion, for a 171/2-101/2 victory that left the United States without the Solheim Cup or Ryder Cup for the first time.
"We've always thought they were so much better," Sorenstam said. "This year, I didn't think the gap was that big. And the advantage we had was being over here."
More than 90,500 people passed through the gates of Barseback Golf & amp; Country Club during the week.
They were heard as much as they were seen.
The gallery, many of them with European and Swedish flags painted on their cheeks, chanted and cheered before matches arrived on the first tee, and they never let up during the final round Sunday until Europe was holding the cup.
The Europeans built early leads in four of the first five matches, and the cheers only got louder as more blue scores were posted on the board. Soon, the outcome was inevitable.
Four wins in event
Sorenstam won her fourth match of the week, 3 and 2 over Angela Stanford, to put Europe on the cusp of winning.
Catriona Matthew, left off the last two teams, earned the decisive point with a shot from the right rough that stopped 10 feet from the hole. Rosie Jones conceded after missing her own birdie putt.
That set off a wild celebration as fans pushed past the ropes surrounding the 17th green, their cheers resounding across the course to the other five matches in progress.