TThe penchant for drama remains the Solheim Cup’s most endearing quality. In 2000, Europe was in a rage when Annika Sörenstam was accused of playing late at Loch Lomond. Alison Lee burst into tears after an infamous collision with Suzann Pettersen in 2015. Madelene Sagström was in the same state six years later after picking up Nelly Korda’s ball too quickly. In 2013, an epic row erupted over a European penalty drop. The normally benign golf world changes course at the Solheim Cup.

The latest example of friction occurred on Wednesday. Stacy Lewis, the USA captain, spoke of “problems” with the European base, a house adjacent to the practice facility. “Their team room exploded a little bit into the driving range,” said Lewis. “But we got it under control. It’s all good. We adjusted the layout of the facility a little bit and moved the US team further down so Europe could basically do what it wanted.”

“Our players were warming up and eating breakfast and talking. We were just trying to give everyone some space so they didn’t have to listen to them eating breakfast. That’s all.” Ding ding.

The closeness of the competition also sets it apart from the Ryder Cup. When the women of the USA and Europe meet, the outcome is usually determined by narrow margins. In four of the last five Solheim Cups, the biggest win was by two points. In the Ryder Cup, comprehensive home victories have become the everyday norm, despite all the hype surrounding the event.

The Solheim Cup’s strong growth is evidenced by the attendance of more than 100,000 spectators at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Virginia attendance and revenue records are expected to be broken. “There’s nothing like Lake Nona in 1990 to what it is today,” said Solheim Cup veteran Laura Davies. “The infrastructure, the support the teams get now, it’s a world-class sporting event. I personally think it’s probably the best women’s world sporting event in world sport.”

“The drama of the last four or five Cups has been unbelievable and now it’s on the world stage. People want to see it. People want to come. We’ve heard the numbers coming this week. In 1990, it was probably 30, 40 spectators and it had some of the best women golfers in LPGA history, Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley. It just didn’t have that seriousness that it has today.

“But it had to start somewhere. The foresight of the Solheim family, how they thought about it. It obviously suited the Ryder Cup, which was getting stronger and stronger, but they were the ones who stood out. They created a monster and it’s great fun to be part of it.”

Sky Sports, however, appears not to have noticed; the arrival of a skeleton team from the UK offers a dispiriting insight into the standing of the Solheim Cup compared to the broadcaster’s poor approach to its male equivalent.

From a sporting perspective, the USA must win after losing the trophy to the Europeans three times in a row. The 14-14 result in the last clash was particularly painful for Lewis and the USA, who had led 4-0 after one session. Given the strength of the home team, it would be a huge surprise if Pettersen’s team won again. This match marks an inevitably emotional farewell for Lexi Thompson, who at 29 will soon end a career widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in women’s golf.

As for the wider scene, this Solheim Cup will almost certainly be an improvement on the Finca Cortesin of a year ago. In Spain, the terrible logistics would have been an even bigger story for spectators if the action inside the ropes hadn’t been so breathtaking.

There has never been any synchronization between the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup, which is a shame given the fragmentation of golf. Saudi Arabia has supported the Ladies European Tour through the Aramco Series, where prize money is cheap compared to other smaller tournaments. It is notable that Saudi Arabia has become involved without the controversy surrounding its foray into men’s golf. In the US, individual competition remains very lucrative; for the rest of the year after Solheim, there is no prize money on the LPGA Tour worth less than $2 million (£1.5 million).

Angela Stanford, now vice-captain of the U.S. team, played in the Solheim Cup for the first time in 2003. “The strength of each team has gotten better and better,” she said. “Every time I leave a Solheim Cup, I ask myself, ‘How can we beat this? How do they keep getting better?'”

Fireworks are guaranteed. The Solheim Cup is an addictive team battle where golf demands more than you think.