Sep. 5—On the first Saturday in September, it was the most raucous horseshoe in the state.
Ohio Stadium?
Nah, try the first tee at the Solheim Cup.
By sunrise at Inverness Club, the makeshift stadium that surrounded the opening stage was packed and rocking.
And by 7:30, well, as a long line of Rolex clocks that displayed times from around the world — and the Tito’s Vodka stand next door — helpfully reminded us, damn if it wasn’t pushing 5 o’clock somewhere.
Music thumped, marshals waved signs appealing for noise (“LOUD”), and the fans — including a small but spirited core of European supporters — obliged, volleying cheers and songs back and forth.
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé.
Then, moments later, came the moment Toledo has awaited, ever since the announcement in 2016 that its historic Dorr Street course had secured the biggest international event in women’s golf.
With thousands of fans sardined around the first tee and thousands more lined three deep the length of the fairway, Danielle Kang got it started for Team USA, motioning to the crowd to crank up the volume, and, over the early-morning din, striping her drive into orbit.
The biggest Toledo bash in more than a generation was underway.
And just getting started.
Which is why we’re taking the liberty of calling Saturday a thundering success.
Sure, you might have a different opinion if you’re a member of Team USA, or a star-spangled golf diehard. There’s no spinning it: The favored Americans had a bad day, winning only two of eight matches, both in the afternoon session. Europe’s 5 1/2 to 2 1/2 lead is its largest ever after one day, matching the Solheim Cup record previously set by the U.S. in 1998 and 2017.
Yet if the Americans are in the woods, let us not miss the forest through the brush.
The day thrilled — and delivered — just the same.
For one, the golf was good, with seven of the eight matches going the distance on a course prepped with excitement in mind. (One softening feature on this monster of a track: the rough is a modest 2 1/2 inches — shorter than your freshly mowed lawn. “We set the course up for entertainment and let the players dictate the play,” LPGA rules official Dan Maselli said. “No one wants to watch par win a hole.”)
For another, the party was better.
As the day’s headlines jumped from Europe’s searing start to Team USA’s milk-warm rally to a welcome dash of controversy — see: the Euros dropping a hole after Madeline Sagstrom picked up Nelly Korda’s overhanging putt too early — the one constant was the electricity that ripped through the grounds.
What a scene.
And what a turnout by Toledo.
One of the coolest features of Inverness’ recent restoration to its Donald Ross roots is that the removal of its interior pines created sweeping vistas of the rolling grounds, and the magic of the place was on full display Saturday.
Anywhere you stood, you could see an ocean of red, white, and blue in every direction. In the 2,500-seat stadium — topped by triple-decked hospitality suites — around the first tee. In the big greenside grandstands. In the supermarket-sized Meijer Pavilion. In the swollen galleries.
While attendance figures were not immediately available, the crowds no doubt numbered in the tens of thousands. Also, anecdotally, I can report the massive merchandise tent was virtually wiped out.
“Incredible, the atmosphere,” Europe’s Leona Maguire said.
“The crowds were amazing,” added Yealimi Noh, a Solheim Cup rookie for the U.S. “I think this is the most people I’ve ever seen on the golf course. It was so much fun.”
I’m not sure anyone would argue.
In the afternoon, I walked the course with Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, and I was struck by the joy that filled the course, including from Toledoans proud to show off their city and its most storied venue — a city and venue that, if given the chance, proved once more it can host any golf tournament on the planet (just saying, USGA).
“This is fantastic,” one spectator said.
“Isn’t this wonderful?” Kapszukiewicz replied.
“Amazing,” another fan told the mayor.
“When’s the last time you’ve seen such a large gathering of happy people?” Kapszukiewicz asked.
No one had a good answer.
If anyone still questioned the lengths the Toledo community went to land this event, the mayor suggested, “I think there’s a lot of crow being eaten.”
“This is really kind of a dream come true,” Inverness president Greg Kasper said. “We got to experience it in Des Moines [in 2017] and what we built is bigger than that. Just to see the electricity and energy and Toledo turn out like we knew it would, we’re blessed.”
Same time, same place. Let’s do it again Sunday, no?