Red faces for the Solheim Cup organisers. Red faces for the European team. The next two days of competitive action will clarify whether one, or both, can repair faltering reputations.
The 19th staging of this event got off to a highly inauspicious start. Thousands of fans were left in queues for hours after problems with shuttle buses from a public parking lot. What should be a marquee moment for women’s golf, the 1st tee on Solheim Cup Friday, proved a damp squib due to huge gaps in stands. Given big crowds had been anticipated and the last staging of the Solheim Cup, in Spain last year, was a logistical nightmare for spectators this really did constitute an embarrassment. After 8am, with an hour of play already gone, fans arriving at the shuttle area were told they faced a three-hour wait for buses.
