You Oughta Know 2013 Solheim Cup

Thanks in large part to a four match sweep Saturday afternoon at Colorado Golf Club the European squad is well on their way to retaining the Solheim Cup once again. Here's what You Oughta Know about how things shape up heading into Sunday's singles matches where Europe holds an 10 1/2 to 5 1/2 advantage over the Americans

While the Europeans currently hold the cup they've never before won the biennial event on U.S. soil. That all could change Sunday as they need to win just 3 1/2 of 12 available points during Sunday's matches to retain the trophy. In fact the Euros have never come within three points of the Americans while playing on the road losing by a 15 1/2 to 12 1/2 margin in both 2002 (Interlachen) and 2005 (Crooked Stick).

Should the Americans win the trophy they will need to pull off a comeback of unprecedented proportions. The largest final day deficit ever overcome in Solheim history is just two points as the U.S. erased 9 7 deficits to win the cup in both 1996 and 2002. The uphill climb facing the Americans is even larger than the one that faced the European men last year at Medinah who won the Ryder Cup in dramatic fashion despite trailing 10 6 entering the final day.

If a silver lining exists for the Americans they can take solace from the fact that they have historically dominated the singles' portion of this event. While the all time records in both the foursome and fourball formats are relatively close the U.S. holds a 77 1/2 to 58 1/2 edge all time over the Europeans on Sunday. They'll need to add to that already sizeable advantage this time around to have any hope of leaving Denver with the trophy.

The fact that the Europeans hold an edge heading into the competition's final day should not come as a surprise. This year marks the eighth consecutive Solheim Cup in which they have either led or have been tied after two days of matches a streak that dates back to 2000. The last time the Americans held an edge going into Sunday was in 1998 when the U.S. held on for a 16 12 win after leading 10 1/2 to 5 1/2 through two days.

As the only player to participate in all four sessions so far at Colorado Golf Club Caroline Hedwall holds the inside track for MVP honors as she takes a 4 0 0 record into Sunday's finale. Should she win her fifth and final match the Swede would become the first player to ever complete a Solheim Cup with a perfect 5 0 0 record. The best mark to date belongs to her countrywoman Carin Koch who halved her singles match to finish the 2002 edition with a 4 0 1 record.

While Italy's Giulia Sergas is the only European yet to contribute a point losing her lone match during Friday's fourballs the Americans have a trio of players still looking to get on the board in Colorado. Lexi Thompson has seen both of her matches reach the 18th hole but has come up short both times as has Gerina Piller who matches Thompson's 0 2 0 record heading into Sunday. Angela Stanford meanwhile is the lone player with an 0 3 0 record thus far in Denver now saddled with a personal six match Solheim Cup losing streak that stretches back to the 2011 edition at Killeen Castle.

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