Mary McKenna, captain of the Great Britian and Ireland team expressed her delight at the first staging of the Curtis Cup match at the Home of Golf. 'I think it will be very special,' she said today. ' I think its going to turn out to be the Curtis Cup.'
Mary was in confident mood ahead of the match with the USA which begins on Friday and continues over the weekend on the Old Course. Referring to her team's greater experience of playing links golf and their knowledge of the Old Course, Mary said; 'We should have the edge but at the end of the day we have to produce the golf.'
The team has been practising long putting, which Mary said was 'the secret here' and the players have also 'worked very hard on course management.'
Liz Bennett commented that 'options are the key here.' Like many of the GB&I team, Liz has been a competitior in the St Rule Trophy.
The squad has visited St Andrews several times in the past few months in preparation for the Curtis Cup clash, playing both the Old and the New courses and using the facilities at the Golf Practice Centre.
Sole survivor of the 2006 team Breanne Loucks recalled her experience of St Andrews had been 'always in still, beautiful weather' but that this week's strong winds and occasional rainfall had helped to widen her experience of playing the Old Course.
Liz Bennett agreed, saying that she felt she had played many of the shots required on the Old Course and was now 'ready for anything.'
Mary McKenna, centre, flanked by Liz Bennett (left) and Breanne Loucks