Nicholas lauds state of European game despite poor recognition and representation in rankings and awards

Dubai Solheim Cup-winning captain Alison Nicholas believes Europe's triumphant year proves the game is on the up in the continent despite women being shunned at awards and poor representation of Europeans in the female world rankings.

Nicholas led the team that beat America to the women's Ryder Cup equivalent in Ireland in September for only the fourth time since its 1990 inception. Now in the UAE for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, she spoke to Gulf News to dispel talk that Europe wasn't punching its weight, with just one player in the world top 20 compared to America's seven and Asia's 12.

She also refused to hold up the example of no females being nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year award as typical.

Nicholas said: "I don't think the world rankings are a fair reflection as LPGA events hold more points. We have to be brutally honest, that's where the best players in the world are. You won't change it unless you go there.

Regular basis

"I think European players are very good and I back them 100 per cent, but I can't change the system. They need to take the positives and move forward and see if we can win the cup on a regular basis. European golf is strong and we have some very good golfers coming through."

Of the BBC Sports Personality controversy, with no women nominated and only 13 lady winners in its 58-year-long history, Nicholas added: "Nuts and Zoo magazine decided the vote and that's nuts. That's got to change. They are men's magazines for a start and you need to equalise that with two women's magazines, else we don't have a chance do we?

"We won The Sunday Times sportswomen's team of the year, came third in the Sports Journalists' Association's team of the year. We're up for a BBC team category award but we won't get it. The cricket will get that.

Most publicity

"If we get a mention I'll be pleased as it highlights the situation. It's difficult, it's always the sports that get the most publicity and we're always fighting that.

"The [Solheim Cup] girls did an amazing job, we're not necessarily looking for recognition. My task was to bring the cup back and we did. Sometimes you think it would be nice, but we've done the job and anything else is just icing on the cake.

"We've improved the profile of women's golf. We just have to take advantage of this situation. You can talk about low rankings and recognition but that's down to a process, I can't change that.

"We have some great players in Europe, it's just harder to get attention. Saying that I've had lots of messages from people previously disinterested in women's golf saying our win was as inspirational as the men's Ryder Cup triumph, so we've had a positive effect."