By all accounts, those responsible for choosing the next European Solheim Cup captain have a pretty simple job. Just give it back to Catriona Matthew and let her get on with it.

“I think she’s nailed on . . . if she wants to do it,” said Laura Davies, who was one of Matthew’s vice-captains during Europe’s epic conquest over the USA at Gleneagles My vote would go to Beany [Matthew] again next time, because everyone has enjoyed it so much.

“I always think that, if you win, you deserve the chance to go and get the trophy back again. Catriona and her family might think it’s way too much. It’s a hell of a commitment. When you see her husband Graeme’s reaction, that tells you everything. He was in tears on the 18th green.

‘Graeme is a very stoic sort of guy, he doesn’t get too worked up. So it shows that, as a family, they’ve put a massive amount into it.

“The win is the culmination of that, it’s incredible. But I’d encourage her to go for it again”

So what was it that made Matthew’s stint so special? “She’s Beany,” said Davies with a simple summing up of the Scot.

“She doesn’t get too worked up about anything. That’s just her personality – and that rubs off on the players Communication was good, everyone knew what they were doing at all times She also had to make a couple of tough decisions. A couple of players were sat out when they didn’t want to be.

“But that’s part of being a captain. You have to be strong – and she is. She might look like she just cruises along. But, if there’s a decision to be made, she proved this week that she can make it.”

Matthew has probably already garnered so much backing for the 2021 job, she’ll be attracting the interests of the Gambling Commission.

The Scot has stated that she wouldn’t turn it down but she is keen to let the dust settle and wallow in this monumental triumph.

For Davies, the decorated grand dame of women’s golf who has played in 12 of the 16 Solheim Cups and was part of the last two European sides to win on Scottish soil in 1992 and 2000, Gleneagles 2019 will take some beating.

“As a win, it’s the best win we’ve ever had in the Solheim Cup,” said the 55-year-old. “The win in Ireland (in 2011), when we came back in a very similar fashion was great but this tops it because of all the characters involved. It’s been the best Solheim Cup experience I’ve ever had.”

This was a true team effort although Davies wasn’t wanting to take any of the credit.

“I mean, people keep saying ‘well done’ to me,” she said with a smile. “I haven’t done anything. I’ve sat on a golf kart all week and have been driven around by one of my best mates, my ex-caddie Jonny (Scott), and just had a good laugh. I haven’t hit one good shot or one bad shot all week.”

Despite her enduring relationship with the Solheim Cup, Davies never wanted to be a Solheim Cup. Being a vice-captain has not changed her thinking.

“I don’t see why it would,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed this. People always thought I’d never be a vice-captain. Well, I was never asked to be a vice-captain by any of the Swedish captains.

“That’s fine, they filled their backroom staff with all their friends, the other Swedes. Beany asked me and I said ‘yes’ immediately.”

The captivating ebb and flow of Sunday’s showdown was sport at its very best.

In the background, however, the struggles that the Ladies European Tour has endured in recent years, with a ravaged schedule and a lack of sponsorship, continues to bring a sobering sense of reality to the giddy escapism of Solheim Cup success.

“For women’s golf overall, it’s a hell of a showpiece,” said Davies. “If people weren’t gripped by that ending, then I would be very, very surprised.

“I just hope it helps the Ladies European Tour because we deserve a little break, Maybe this is the break we needed? If they can’t get a lift out of this, it’s pretty grim.”

Four years after being left “disgusted” by Suzann Pettersen’s controversial unwillingness to concede a putt, Davies doffed her cap to the cup-winning Norwegian.

‘Simply the toughest competitor I’ve ever come up against,” she said. “I’m glad she’s on my side.”