WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Who is going to say no to Juli Inkster?
We’re about to find out.
Inkster, sitting behind the Solheim Cup that she helped deliver to the U.S. for the second consecutive time, said she’s not opposed to becoming the first American woman to captain the Solheim Cup for a third time.
“I don’t want to go there,” Inkster said Sunday, before going there.
“I would love to do it, but I think there’s other people in line that deserve the chance. But I’ll be there. I’ll be there with some hugs.”
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There really aren’t that many other options. The U.S. seems to have adopted much of the U.S. Ryder Cup formula for putting players into pods and making sure that future captains all have experience as a vice captain.
Inkster’s trusty trio in both Germany and here in Iowa was Wendy Ward, Pat Hurst and Nancy Lopez, who captained an American victory in 2005 at Crooked Stick. Laura Diaz and Dottie Pepper were assistant captains to Meg Mallin in 2013 and Inkster and Sherri Steinhauer were assistants to Rosie Jones in 2011.
“It’s awesome to have someone like Juli, obviously, as your captain,” Gerina Piller said. “But to sit there and really hug you, it’s very sincere in what she said. When she speaks, you listen. There’s not one word that she’s ever told me that I do not let it sink in.”