Posted on: Thursday, June 10, 2004

AROUND THE GREENS
Curtis Cup captain has unique challenge ahead

By Bill Kwon

To Martha Kirouac, captain of America's youngest Curtis Cup team, the two-day matches with amateur women golfers from Great Britain and Ireland this weekend in England is all about strategy.

"That's all it is in match-play competition," said Kirouac, who will present her lineup for Saturday's matches tomorrow night. Whether or not she will use her ace-in-the-hole — Michelle Wie, the 14-year-old phenom from Hawai'i — in a singles match on the first day remains to be seen.

"There's a lot of strategy in this. I'll wait as long as I can," she said.

Kirouac didn't want to tip her hand, but it wouldn't be surprising if she uses Wie in both the singles and alternate-shot matches each day.

Why not? If you've got an ultimate weapon, why not use it?

Kirouac is well aware of Wie's talent, first on national television, and then having seen her for the first time when the team got together for a four-day practice and orientation session two weeks ago in Georgia.

The former two-time Curtis Cup player and 1970 U.S. Women's Amateur champion — she never turned pro — spent the time, mixing and matching player combinations.

"I had two goals in mind when we got together," Kirouac said in an interview before she left for England.

"One was to get to know the players and let them get to know each other. Especially in Michelle's case because she doesn't play in many events.

"The second was to see how they're going to pair up for the team matches in order to develop rapport," said Kirouac, who paired up several combinations to play foursome and alternate balls.

One interesting twosome would be Wie and Paula Creamer, who once fueled a rivalry with some comments two years ago. They got along famously at the practice session, according to Kirouac.

"I wouldn't hesitate to put them together. She and Michelle got along great," said Kirouac, who said that there had been some stuff written again about the two but it was taken out of context "because of quotes from an old story."

Added Kirouac, "If you ask Michelle, Paula would be high on the list of players she would want to play with."

If anything, when it comes to using Wie, Kirouac is more concerned about team chemistry than the youngster's ability to compete in an individual, stroke-play competition.

"It's a matter of finding someone with a game that matches hers. I got a couple of players within 10 yards (in driving distance) of her," said Kirouac, who is also looking for a partner who can cope with all the media attention that comes Wie's way.

"Michelle obviously handles it very well. I've got to find a couple of players who can handle it, too."

With six singles matches and three team matches each day, two of the eight players on the team must sit out. But Kirouac has guaranteed each player that she will play at least once.

"They'll play all four rounds if they play well," she said.

"I feel good about the depth of the team. Yes, they're young, but not in terms of experience."

Kirouac also knows that Wie will be the focus of the opponents who would like nothing better than to shake the U.S. team's confidence by beating Wie early.

"I think every member of the team would love to win a point off Wie," GBI captain Ada O'Sullivan told Golf World. "They have all said they would relish the chance to play against her."

Obviously, O'Sullivan is also confident because of a home course advantage. They're "Michelle-proofing" it by setting up the course so that length won't be a factor.

Kirouac walked the course during her visit in April.

"It's a links course with trees," she said. "It's fair and straightforward with a lot of pot bunkers. You're going to lose three-fourths of a stroke if you go into them. And the wind's going to be a factor. You've got to play bump and run."

Kirouac also thinks Wie can be a "Star-Wars" weapon of sorts — a shield deflecting all the expected "flak." But the youngster is used to it by now. Surely she owns a flak jacket with all the criticism she has been getting from her special exemption to the U.S. Women's Open.

In addition to Wie, the Americans have another thing going for them — pride.

Kirouac made it a point of telling her team that only the Curtis Cup still remains on American soil. The Europeans own the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup and the Walker Cup.

Played biennially since 1932, the Curtis Cup was perhaps the least heralded of international golf competitions. Not anymore, with all the attention Wie is generating as the youngest player to make the U.S. team.

Record crowds of about 6,000 are expected Saturday and Sunday at the Formby Golf Club in Merseyside, England. Like it or not, it's because of Michelle Wie.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.