"That noise you can hear is the LPGA taking another shot at its foot."
/Pond Scrummers Huggan and Elling aren't too high on Mike Whan's decision to not immediately grant Lexi Thompson tour status, but save their best chat for this week's unfortunately-scheduled but still intriguing Solheim Cup:
Elling: The scheduling of these LPGA-sanctioned events continues to baffle one and all. Why have this event the same week as the PGA Tour's bazillion-dollar finale? With the choice between watching the Solheim or the East Lake event, most Americans will, of course, choose ... football. Hey, at least I am honest.
Huggan: I hear you. That noise you can hear is the LPGA taking another shot at its foot.
Elling: They must be running low on bullets.
Elling: John, you penned a colorful tale in the Sunday Scotsman about the rancor that has marked this event over the years. It's actually worse than the gamesmanship at the Ryder Cup. Someday, one of the Solheim players is going to have a nervous breakdown on the course and bust out in tears. It has been vicious at times.
Huggan: It has been disappointing over the years, with most of the nonsense emanating from the American side. Like their male counterparts, a lack of match play golf growing up does nothing for their knowledge of rules and etiquette later on.
Elling: Yeah, decorum has been spotty. Like when the U.S. made Annika Sorenstam replay a chip shot she holed, but played out of turn. She almost cried, and she's colder than Christmas in Stockholm generally.
Huggan: Dottie Pepper was the worst example with her scream of "Yes!" just after her opponent missed a short putt. But Meg Mallon wasn't far behind when she knowingly tramped all over Sorenstam's line. Ignorance isn't always bliss.
Elling: Meg Mallon? That had to leave some footprints.