Solheim Cup: Jody Ewart Shadoff skipped due to two Scandinavians not in the top 100

Jodie Ewart Shadoff previously played in the Solheim Cup three times. Photo: Getty Images/David Cannon

European captain Suzanne Pettersen defended herself, ignoring Jody. Evart Shadoff at the Solheim Cup next month after the English pro's husband called the wildcard choice «puzzling».

Pettersen surprised no one by naming Sweden's Madeleine Sagstrom and Scot's Gemma Dreiburg, the only two Europeans in the top — Top 50 Europeans who didn't qualify automatically — as her first two picks.

But the eyebrows, of course, disappeared under the visors as the Norwegian introduced two more fellow Scandinavians in Emily Christine Pedersen and Caroline Hedwall to round out the dozen. They are ranked 114th and 120th in the world, respectively, and Ewart Shadoff, who ranked more than 60 places above both at 51st, was inevitably a source of concern.

Pettersen spoke to 35-year-old Ewart Shadoff before the live announcement. Sky Sports on Tuesday afternoon, but in Florida, her partner was clearly unimpressed by the snub.

Adam Shadoff, a sports broadcaster in Orlando, admitted «I'm biased» but in a social media post that was later deleted, he questioned why the three-time Solheim Cupper winning the LPGA tour 10 months ago was considered exceeding the requirements for fight in Finca Cortezin on the Costa del Sol in four weeks.

To be fair, Hedwall, Pettersen's former Solheim teammate, has made four appearances for the blue-golds. in his locker, and proudly being the first player in the biennial competition to score five points out of five in 2013.

She lost her LPGA Tour card but showed signs of improvement last month, finishing sixth at the Women's Scottish Open and fifth at the Aramco Series at St Albans. Pedersen, however, has only made it to the top 10 once in the past year.

«I can't think of a more energetic match-play opponent than Caroline, and she has that experience,» Pettersen told the Telegraph sport. «It's the same with Emily — she's a serious competitor.

«It was such a difficult decision, and now I understand what the former captains had in mind when they told me that this is the hardest part of the job — to let of people». . I talked to everyone who applied for the choice, and it was terrible.”

With Celine Boutier, Georgia Hall, Charlie Hull, Leona Maguire, Lynn Grant, Maya Stark, Carlota Siganda and Anna Nordquist, already performing as eight automatons, Pettersen is confident her team has what it takes to win an unprecedented third consecutive Solheim Cup. «This could be the best team Europe has ever represented,» said Pettersen.