Megan Khang says what Stacy Lewis told her before leaving her out of the foursomes on day one at the Solheim Cup

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With three previous appearances under her belt, Megan Khang was actually one of the most experienced players on the USA Solheim Cup team heading into last week’s event in Virginia.

Khang also actually went into the Solheim Cup with the third highest win percentage on the American side behind Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz, having won 5.5 points from her 10 matches.

Nevertheless, it would appear that the 26-year-old went into the week with something of a point to prove with captain Stacy Lewis, with Lewis looking to lead her side to the victory which they agonisingly missed out on one year ago at Finca Cortesin.

Khang was not used in either foursomes session, with Lewis instead putting her in the top match of both fourball sessions. Khang and Korda simply blew Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire away on Friday afternoon, winning 6&4, while she was paired with Alison Lee on Saturday.

Megan Khang shares what Stacy Lewis told her before the Solheim Cup started

The pairing of Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom had provided Europe’s glimmer of hope late on Friday, but Khang and Lee beat them 4&3 24 hours later.

And Khang continued her impressive form in the singles, as she beat Emily Pedersen 6&5 in the second match. And speaking to BBC Sport after her win, she hinted that she was driven by a conversation with Lewis ahead of the event.

“Honestly Stacy told me at the beginning I was probably only going to be playing best ball and honestly I just told Stacy I’m doing whatever is best for this team. You’re the captain. I’m just doing whatever is best. She said prove me wrong and I would like to see think that I tried my best to do so,” she said.

The result which has gone a little under the radar

Khang’s points on Friday and Saturday obviously proved to be crucial given how close the event ultimately turned out to be, but it has perhaps gone under the radar just how critical her result against Pedersen was.

Europe knew that they needed a rapid start if they were going to stand any chance of coming from 10-6 down to retain the trophy. Many will remember how Jose Maria Olazabal’s team won the first five matches on Sunday at the 2012 Ryder Cup to set up the Miracle at Medinah.

And Suzann Pettersen’s side did make some real statements in those opening games. Charley Hull emphatically beat Nelly Korda, while Georgia Hall beat Alison Lee. Neither match went to 16th hole.

So had Khang also lost to Pedersen, that would have given the rest of the European side a massive boost further down the order. The entire complexion of the final day would have changed had the visitors made it 10-9.

But Khang won her match almost as soon as Hull clinched the first point of the day. And that would have been exactly what many of her teammates would have needed to see as Europe put up a superb fight.