Solheim highs and lows

I'M glad I've got a bit more space to file this month’s diary piece. Because trying to cram in all my emotions and experiences from the Solheim Cup in one page would have been impossible. There's just so much to reflect on. Sometimes you build something up so much that it ends up being a disappointment. My Solheim Cup debut was not one of those occasions.

Of course there was one very big disappointment and that was we didn't win the Cup back. That’s why we all tried to qualify for the team ­ to play a part in keeping the trophy on European soil. It's back in America now for another two years and it hurts that we weren't able to finish the job having battled so well for two and a half days. A lot of the hard work had been done but we couldn't close out the win.

Needless to say, it was a sad journey back to Britain from Sweden. The European team went our separate ways in down beat mood because we had not accomplished what we set-out to achieve. What made it worse was that we felt we had played ourselves into position very nicely thanks to some courageous play, especially in the last three holes, during the pairs.

A lead going into the singles was precious but we couldn't find the six points we needed to regain the Cup. In the end the scoreline looks very one-sided but I don't think any American players would say it was as easy as it suggests. I won't dwell too much on the scores and the reasons for our defeat. That is covered elsewhere in Lady Golfer and elsewhere.

I will instead concentrate on what the experience was like for me to give you an insight to what life is like as a rookie. In short, pretty scary! I've never been as nervous as I was on the 1st tee on Friday. It really was a time to breathe deeply and think positively.

Lining up alongside Laura Davies in the Solheim Cup ­ that's literally the stuff of dreams. We were against Juli Inkster and Paula Creamer too. Could I have been in better company?

As I wrote last month, making the team was just the start. I wanted to play my part too and as I noted, was desperate to hit the ground running in practice. I must have done enough to impress captain Helen Alfredsson for her to select me alongside 'LD' on the opening morning. It was a very proud and special moment when I knew that was the scenario.

Things didn't go our way in that match but I was happy enough with how I played. I was disappointed to miss out on the foursomes but understood the captain was keen to give everyone some game time. I thought I had done enough to get another outing in the pairings and was really ready for the fourballs on Saturday.

That was an amazing experience because Laura played like an absolute legend and I had the best seat in the house! It was an absolute privilege to see the ball hit like that and if a few putts had dropped we could have been back in the clubhouse for lunch a lot earlier.

I can hardly remember Laura missing a shot when we resumed on Sunday morning (and not just because I could barely see anything it was so dark!). It was golf of the highest quality. Whenever Laura wasn't covering the flag, I was really pleased I was able to fill in. We ham and egged pretty well throughout I thought.

I was also very satisfied that I was able to give Laura some 'free' putts i.e. get my par and allow her to have a run at her birdie putt. So I felt I played my part but obviously I was the junior partner. It gave me a sight of what world-class golf looks like and is real inspiration to reach those standards.

I'll also always remember walking up the 18th and seeing the Welsh flag draped over one of the stands. It was brilliant to see that even if I hadn't played the hole all that well! Laura did though and her wonderful iron shot secured the win for us. I later heard that Laura had described me as a "great star of the future" and that she liked the way I hit the ball.

Hearing comments such as those is so special. It's just so satisfying and inspiring. I've been told a few others were complimenting my play and it's really nice that I've impressed some good judges. Mickey Walker said she liked my tempo and especially the way I managed to keep the ball under control despite the windy conditions and slower swingers can struggle in that weather.

I don't think she was being so kind because of the Lady Golfer link! Judy Rankin also said some nice and I can take a lot of encouragement from the words of two former Solheim Cup captains. In some ways the real test of a rookie comes in the singles when you have no team-mate alongside you to guide and assist you.

It was something I looked on as a challenge and, having played fairly well in the pairs, I was looking forward to ­ even if I was up against last year's Women's British Open champion! I was confident as we made our way to the 1st tee and I was pleased to be out early. I wanted to get some blue on the board and give the girls later in the draw something to be positive about.

Everything went well in that regard apart from one thing ­I couldn't hole any putts! I must have caught it from Laura in the morning...I felt for most of the front nine that I was in control of most of the holes but it wasn't until the 11th that I managed to finally hole a putt and go one up.

What happened next? Sherri made a birdie at 14 to make us All Square again! Great, I thought, I don't have another 13 holes to win another hole! At that point Suzann Pettersen, I'm told, went one down on the 16th and suddenly two potential points looked to have been dashed.

While Suzann wasn't able to turn her match around, rather than needing another 13 holes I was fortunate enough to immediately go one up again at the 15th. I was in trouble at 16 but holed out well and at 17 it looked as if I could close the match out. I missed a birdie chance but knew Sherri still had a 10-footer to keep the match alive.

She holed it. Never mind, I thought, I'll just make a par up 18 and see if she can produce a three. My drive wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. It left me in the semi rough and a decent shot at the green. Sherri was first to play though and she arrowed a fairway wood into the heart of the green. A class shot.

I wasn’t really daunted by that but maybe it affected me subconsciously as I pushed mine to the right. It ended up right next a tree. Not a difficult shot for a left hander but nigh-on impossible for a right hander. I tried to bunt it out with the toe of my putter but it was a shot to nothing really and it hit a photographer and rebounded almost back to my feet.

My view to the green was however now blocked to the green so I got a drop. If I'd got that originally I may well have a full point to my name but it didn't and so I don't. I was pretty gutted as we really needed a point at that stage but of course
it didn't matter in the long run. It still annoys me personally though. I just hope I have the chance to wear European colours again in 2009.