US captain Sheahan (left) is consoled by Europe's Nilsmark

The home side's 17�-10� victory in Barseback, coupled with last year's Ryder Cup win at The Belfry and Great Britian and Ireland's triumph in the amateur Walker Cup at Ganton earlier this month, semingly leaves US team golf in a sorry state.

Only the US women's amateur Curtis Cup team is still on top, with Great Britain and Ireland last winning in 1996.

But America's figurehead in Sweden, five-time Solheim Cup veteran Juli Inkster, insisted there was no evidence of a major shift in the balance of the world's golfing power.

"I just think for these three days and these five matches, they made probably half a dozen more putts," said the 43-year-old Inkster, who is third on the LPGA Tour's all-time money list.

"It's not that they're better than us or they play with more emotion or they have more pride than us or we don't play hard because we don't have any money in front of us, that has nothing to do with it.

SOLHEIM HISTORY 2003: Europe 17�-10� US (Barseback, Sweden) 2002: US 15�-12� Europe (Interlachen, Minn.) 2000: Europe 14�-11� US (Loch Lomond, Sco) 1998: US 16-12 Europe (Muirfield, Ohio) 1996: Europe 11-17 US (Chepstow, Wal) 1994: US 13-7 Europe (The Greenbrier, Virg.) 1992: Europe 11�-6� US (Dalmahoy, Sco) 1990: US 11�-4� Europe (Lake Nona, Flo)

"It just has to do with these three days they played better. If we played next week and played for three days, we'd probably win."

Both teams contained two rookies but the Americans could boast 32 Solheim Cup caps between them to Europe's 23.

But European captain Catrin Nilsmark's side possessed the world's best player, Annika Sorenstam, who won four of her five matches.

And the team were also boosted by four points out of five from 22-year-old Norwegian Suzann Pettersen, ranked 31st on the LPGA Tour.

But American captain Patty Sheahan admitted that Europe had an extra benefit - the crowd.

"My players tried as hard as they could, but they holed a few more putts than we did," said Sheahan.

"The crowd was the 13th player this week, and it is very difficult to play against Europe in Europe."

Nilsmark was delighted that her team were able to hang on to their three-point lead going into the singles, an area where traditionally Europe have struggled - last year in Minnesota the US turned round a 9-7 deficit on the final day.

"My team played fantastic golf," said Nilsmark, who was on crutches and severely hampered by a back injury throughout the week.

"It was the best week of golf that I have seen in a Solheim Cup. I had 12 stars out there."