LONDON • Catriona Matthew says captaining the victorious Solheim Cup team this year was the highlight of her golfing career after being appointed on Thursday to lead Europe's title defence in 2021.

But the 50-year-old believes she faces an even bigger challenge to inspire her players to victory in the United States in two years.

"Capturing the Solheim Cup in Scotland, an hour's drive from our home, with my close friend Suzann Pettersen making the clinching putt on the last hole in the last match… you can't top that," the Scot said on lpga.com as her captaincy was announced.

"I've talked to people throughout Scotland and they tell me how overwhelmed they were by the moment. It was the biggest thing to happen in women's sport in Scotland, the United Kingdom, Europe... perhaps the entire world. It won't be soon forgotten.

"I've never seen anything like the crowds that week. It was extraordinary. They were desperate to cheer for Europe, so give them a reason to engage. No one disappointed."

But as thrilling as the one-point victory over the US was in front of overflowing galleries at Gleneagles in September, winning in 2021 at Inverness in Ohio will be a whole different challenge. Europe have only one away victory, in Colorado in 2013, in the biennial event.

"I'm sure we will have several of the players on the 2021 team that we had in 2019. But we will also have some fresh faces," she added.

"It will be a challenge. But it will also be a privilege to be their captain as we try to win again."

The American captain is not expected to be announced until early next year. Juli Inkster, 59, led the team at Gleneagles.

REUTERS