Albane Valenzuela has the great honor of competing in the Solheim Cup this weekend in Gainesville, Virginia. The event is the equivalent of the men's Ryder Cup between the USA and Europe.
It is a real childhood dream that is becoming a reality for the Geneva native. "I'm lucky enough to have achieved pretty much everything you can experience in the world of golf. I've played in all the big tournaments. After the Solheim Cup, the only ultimate goal missing is a title on the Ladies PGA Tour," said Valenzuela in a media round organized by the Swiss association.
"The Solheim Cup is a very, very prestigious tournament, I've been aware of that since I was a child. There is nothing bigger," Valenzuela emphasizes. Eight European players qualified for the continental tournament via the world rankings, Valenzuela and three other players were selected by captain Suzann Pettersen from Norway.
Valenzuela's euphoria is great, as is her respect. "The Solheim Cup is more than just golf. I was told that you are never really ready for a competition like this. Some players have told me that they almost threw up before their first shot," says the thirteenth-placed player at the Paris Olympics.
"I love match play"
"I'm ready to listen to the 'buus' from the crowd and the 'USA, USA, USA' chants," Valenzuela assures. "And anyway, I love match play." - the format used in this competition. "My best memories in the amateurs come from team competitions" - especially from the European Championships, where she represented Switzerland.
"It's sometimes hard to motivate yourself when you're on your own and not everything is going well," she admits. "But in a team, you can never give up." Last year, Valenzuela finished fourth at The Woodlands event in Texas, becoming the first Swiss woman to finish in the top five at one of the five women's major tournaments.
The 26-year-old Valenzuela is convinced that she will play in the final singles on Sunday. "But I don't know if I'll be in the line-up on Friday and Saturday." On the first two days, 16 doubles (foursomes and fourballs) are on the program. "But I was also selected because of the adaptability of my game," continues the Geneva native, who will take what comes. "It's going to be incredible. I'm so happy to be involved. The Solheim Cup is the grail of women's golf," she smiles.
"Tears in my eyes"
When she found out about her nomination, she was moved. "I had tears in my eyes. I didn't sleep for three nights afterwards. My thoughts were completely elsewhere in Boston." She missed the cut in the tournament in Massachusetts at the beginning of the month.
Valenzuela owes her nomination not only to her adaptability, but primarily to her good performances. At the Summer Games in Paris, she played the final round 7 strokes under par. At the British Open on her way to 20th place, she managed a phenomenally good round of 6 under par in round 3. "My fourth round in Paris and the third round at the British Open made me believe that a nomination was possible."
On the other hand, there were also doubts because Valenzuela was not considered a year ago when she had hoped to be nominated. "Captain Pettersen congratulated me in St. Andrews (the venue of the British Open) on my incredible performance at the Olympic Games and told me that I deserved to be nominated."
What does Albane Valenzuela expect from this week? "It will be exhausting, full of emotions. For me, taking part is confirmation of my steady progress. I hope that I won't be overwhelmed by the emotions. In match play, it's all about willpower. I just have to play golf."
SDA
