Solheim Cup to start today

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. (AP) — The Americans have stuck to a pretty tight script at the Solheim Cup this week: They talk about how much fun they’re having, how honored they are to represent their country and rave about what great shape the golf course is in.

Not Angela Stanford.

Stanford is sick of hearing what overwhelming favorites the Americans are when the Solheim Cup opens today. Never mind that the U.S. team includes two of the world’s four best players, while four of Europe’s players are ranked 125th or lower.

Or that the United States has yet to lose on home soil, and has won the last two Solheim Cups. Or that the Europeans no longer have Annika Sorenstam, the best player in Solheim Cup history.

“We need to go out and play like we’re the underdogs because I think that they’re going to be ready to play and they’re going to be ready to fight,” said Stanford, who has been in the top 10 in half her starts this year, including winning her fourth career title at the SBS Open.

“It’s one thing to think, yeah, we have a lot of talent and we’re stacked,” she added. “But you can’t go in thinking that the ball is just going to go in the hole. I mean, it’s still golf, it’s still match play, and they still have two major champions on their team and a boatload of experience.”

The first two days consist of 16 team matches and the tournament closes with 12 singles matches. As defending champions, the Americans need 14 of the 28 points to retain the cup. Europe needs 141‚Ñ2.

On paper, the Americans would seem to have a huge advantage.

Of the 12 U.S. players, only Natalie Gulbis isn’t in the top 50 of the world rankings, and she’s at 51. Three players are in the top 10, and three more are in the top 25. The team has 63 wins on the LPGA Tour — though, to be fair, Juli Inkster’s 31 victories kind of skews that.

And the U.S. players have combined to win 10 majors — though, again, Inkster is responsible for seven of those.

Cristie Kerr leads the LPGA Tour in scoring average (70.17) and top-10 finishes (11, in 17 starts). Paula Creamer is right behind Kerr in top 10s (eight, 14), and leads the tour in greens hit. Lincicome’s game is back on track after a rough year last year, and Michelle Wie is finding her stride.

“The American team ... is always first-class and they always come in playing really well, which they’ve done again,” Europe’s Laura Davies said.