Handa Cup expected to be tight battle
MANATEE -- Sally Little's first go-around as captain of the World Team in the ISPS Handa Cup didn't end with a trophy celebration.
This year, though, there's good chance the World could walk away from Palm-Aire Country Club as the new holders of the annual tournament, pitting international players against Team USA in a Solheim Cup-styled match play format for LPGA Legends Tour players.
That's because Little's group this year brings a little depth in the length department to keep up with the bombing American squad.
"For the first time, we are equal in length," said Little, captain of the World Team. "And you need length on this golf course. We have Wendy Doolan, who hits it a mile. Catriona (Matthew) is the rookie now. She bombs it. I can name seven players that can hit it far. And we lacked in that until this year."
The event kicks off Friday with fourball (best ball) matches in the morning, before the afternoon's modified foursome format.
The modified foursome format has each player teeing off. Players then criss-cross for the second shot, hitting their partner's ball and vice/versa, before they choose which one to play in from there in an alternate shot format.
No matter the format, the American side has dominated the event since its inception in 2006. Team USA won the first six events, retained the Handa Cup in 2012 after a tie, and regained the cup last year after the World broke through for a maiden victory in 2013.
"They didn't beat us last year, so you see them work a little harder to beat us so they definitely want some revenge," Team USA captain Nancy Lopez said. "My team's players have to really come out and play their best game, because it will be a fight to the finish."
Lopez, a Hall of Famer, has a personal connection to the area as her daughter and granddaughter live south in Venice. She also won her first LPGA Tour event at Bent Tree Country Club in Sarasota before winning her 35th tournament title there, which gave her entry into the Hall of Fame.
Little, a South African that won 15 times with two majors during her LPGA Tour career, also won at Bent Tree.
Now that the two are back in the area at Manatee County's Palm-Aire Country Club, they're attempting to guide their respective teams from the captain's position to victory this year.
Little's game plan is simple.
"You can have a captain that's half asleep at the switch, but I'm very motivated to have my team feel comfortable enough to win," she said.
That motivation comes from avoiding a 2014 defeat, and with longer hitters like Doolan, Matthew and Laura Davies at the ready, the distance advantage is no longer playing against the World.
"The teams are so evenly-matched, it's going to be so close," Davies said.
This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Handa Cup expected to be tight battle ."