Carin Koch will be expecting her second child on April 6th this year and with that kind of perfect timing, she intends to battle for her place in the 2003 Solheim Cup in Sweden.

Many other top female athletes have given birth and returned to their respective arenas stronger and fitter than before, most notably Sonia Sullivan, the world record breaking Irish runner.

Koch will have nearly five months after the birth to get back to the top of her game. And assuming she makes the team at Barseback, you can expect that the Swedish dream team of Koch and Sorenstam will return to business to steal a few points from Patty Sheehan's team.

The winning putt at Loch Lomond

The performances in the foursomes with Sorenstam were incredible. The pair were ten under par after just 30 holes played – a birdie every three holes – in foursomes? Beat that.

“I intend to be there and it’s lucky that the timing has worked out perfectly," said Koch from her home in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“Stefan and I wanted to try for another baby last year and we were going to hold off until after Interlachen. But when we knew that there would be another Solheim in 2003, we didn’t want to wait another year.

“We’ve timed it well and now I’m really excited because I will have the chance to play in 2003.

“I’ll return back to the Tour around June and all I think I have to do is show some form and with a little luck, I’ll either play my way in, or perhaps Catrin will give me a pick – at least I hope she would!

“She knows I want to be there. We played really well with each other at Loch Lomond and she knows I just love it in that arena. It will take a while to get back into shape, but I’ll get there, I’ve done it before remember!”

Carin Koch

This year, Koch put herself on ther golfing map for more than one reason. Of course, winning the Playboy.com poll was a big PR boost for her, but it was her golf that caught the eye of most women's golf fans.

“It’s been an incredible season,” added Koch, who notched up 13 top tens in 25 starts on the LPGA amassing a cool $785,817.

“I’ve been so much more consistent and I’ve taken my game to the next level. I only missed one cut this year and the only thing missing was a win. That would have been the icing on the cake.”

Racking up seven and a half points was a tiring effort from the pig tailed blonde and she, aloong with 11 other Europeans will be fighting to get the Waterford Crystal Trophy back from Ms. Sheehan et al.

“Interlachen was a draining week and I was so tired after it. The reason we lost on Sunday is simple - we just didn’t play well enough.

“After Saturday’s win in the fourballs, we were all so sure that we were going to win for the first time over there. I think that some people just wanted it too much.

“We do well when it’s team play but on Sunday, it’s so different when you are out there on your own and you feel so lonely, especially when you see all that red on the board and not many European fans.

“I felt it at Loch Lomond from the other side when Michelle Redman was beating me by heaps – but when you have a crowd willing you on, it’s such a good feeling and it inspires you.

“Some singles matches were won too easily this year and that didn’t help anyone’s confidence out there. But we have all of next year to work it out and hopefully we will have a lot of players who have been there before and in Sweden, with all of our fans, it’s gonna be great.

“I really don’t think we will have a problem winning the Cup back at all.”

Neither do we Carin, neither do we!

REPRODUCED WITH KIND PERMISSION FROM LADY GOLFER MAGAZINE - TO GET YOUR COPY EMAIL editorial@sportspub.co.uk