LAURA Davies goes into her record 11th Solheim Cup today adamant that she never wanted to be captain.
An ever-present for Europe since the competition started in 1990, Davies has the chance at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois to overtake Annika Sorenstam as the leading points-scorer.
But more important to the 45-year-old English star is that the Am
ericans are beaten at home for the first time.
"It matters a lot," she said. "We're 7-3 down and I'd love to play in at least four more and try and make it seven-all.
"That would be my dream and obviously that would constitute a couple of wins in America, which is the ultimate as far as I'm concerned.
"I think the sense of satisfaction Sunday night would be beyond anything I've achieved and if we don't it would be a huge hole in my career."
Davies has already turned down the captaincy and added: "I really would never want to be the captain. I just don't see myself as a captain figure and motivational speaking is not my strong point. I don't think it's a bad thing not to want to do it.
"I'm just not the person to stand up in front of a room of people and try and cheer them all up. You have to command the audience and I don't think that's the sort of thing I can do."
Her former cup partner Alison Nicholas leads the team this week and after watching the Ryder Cup at Valhalla she was delighted when Nick Faldo's vice-captain Jose Maria Olazabal agreed to record a video message.
"His passion came through and it was really inspirational," said Nicholas, while Davies added: "It was just Ollie being Ollie and it was just absolutely fantastic. I think everybody was pretty shocked. I was shocked that he would take the time out to make us that video."
Even with two of this season's four major winners, British Open champion Catriona Matthew and Swede Anna Nordqvist, Europe are the underdogs. All the Americans are ranked in the world's top 50 – including 19-year-old Michelle Wie, given a wild card along with 49-year-old Juli Inkster.
Wie's US team-mates believe this week's Solheim Cup will show the Hawaiian teenager in a very different light for golf fans and players alike.
LPGA Tour rookie Wie, who at 13 became the game's most trumpeted teenager since Tiger Woods, is set to make her debut in the biennial competition.
"As team mates, I think that we've all gotten to know her in a different way," Morgan Pressel, 21, said.
"She's made a lot of new friends this week. It'll be a really good experience for her. I think it already has been."
