The action at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club for the 19th Solheim Cup begins in two days. While you wait to see a revenge match between Team USA and Europe after last year ended up in a tie, and Europe lifted the cup, we remind you that even this patriotic showdown is not without any controversy. Interestingly, one of them dates back over a decade.

It happened in the 2013 Solheim Cup during Friday’s afternoon matches. America’s Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson were competing against Europe’s Suzann Pettersen and Carlota Ciganda. As the match continued, at a point, Ciganda hit her shot into a water hazard, but instead of taking relief within two club lengths of the hazard, rules officials allowed the European golfer to move it back 40 yards. This proved detrimental for Team USA, as Ciganda was now in a much more favorable position to hit the shot.

As it turned out, she made a 15-foot putt that secured a victory for her and Pettersen on the final green over Lewis and Thompson. After this incident, the team Europe had the upper hand as the scoreboard showed 5-3 on Friday. Things got worse for Team USA as neither Lewis nor Thompson carded a birdie on any of the last nine holes. The lead extended further the following day, as the European team took a 6.5 to 5.5 lead over the USA.

Later, Stacy Lewis tried to discuss this with the rules officials at the end of the match, but it was too late by then as Team Europe already had the point. Following the incident, USA captain Meg Mallon expressed her frustration over the matter and said, “I’m not happy about it. The thing I’m most unhappy about is it took 25 minutes and the momentum, which was in our favor, had stopped,” as revealed on the Daily Mall.

It seems like it certainly did disrupt the moment for America, as Team Europe won the tournament in the end. One might think it’s the only controversial incident at the tournament. it’s not.

Another controversial incident at the Solheim Cup

Two years after the aforementioned incident, another controversy knocked at the St. Leon course of Golf Club. The American Team Alison Lee and Brittany Lincicome were competing against Suzann Pettersen and Charley Hull. They were playing on the 17th Hole, and Alison Lee needed one putt to win the hole but instead, something happened and team Europe got the point. While making a shot Lee’s ball drifted past the cup. As it happened, Lee saw Hull walking towards the 18th green.

Because of this chain of events, the American golfer got confused and picked up the ball as she thought the remaining 18-inch putt had been conceded. But it wasn’t the case whatsoever. Later, Charley Hull’s partner Suzann Pettersen entered the greens and revealed that no such concession had been made. Because of this incident, the rules official later awarded Team Europe a point, and they had an incredible 10-6 lead over the USA as they went to the singles. This incident resulted in a heated argument, and both Alison Lee and Charley Hull were in tears afterward.

Now that there are only two days left for this year’s Solheim Cup to start, how do you think it will turn out? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!