By Mark Lamport-Stokes

SUGAR GROVE, Illinois (Reuters) - Holders the United States will aim to make the most of home advantage while Europe will rely on their array of big hitters when the teams clash in this week's 11th Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms.

Although neither side has been eager to accept the favorites tag in the biennial competition, Europe face a daunting task in their bid to win for the first time on American soil.

"It would be the ultimate as far as I'm concerned," Britain's Laura Davies, 45, told reporters in the build-up to Friday's opening fourball matches.

"To overcome the crowds and the American team ... the sense of satisfaction on Sunday night would be beyond anything I've achieved. If we don't do it in my time playing in the Solheim, then it would be a huge hole in my career."

A four-times major winner, Englishwoman Davies has played in every Solheim Cup since the competition was launched in 1990. Her career tally of 23 points trails only Swede Annika Sorenstam (24) in the all-time standings.

American Juli Inkster, a veteran of seven Solheim Cups, believes her largely youthful team will have to capitalize on partisan support if they are to beat a more experienced European combination.

"(The fans) are our sixth man out there this week," the 49-year-old said, adapting a basketball analogy for the first player used off the bench. "We certainly need them out there.

"Europe have got a great team, one of the best they've had. Most of them hit the ball extremely long so it would probably favor them on the par-fives."

LONGER TEAM

U.S. captain Beth Daniel agreed: "I think Europe is a longer team than the United States. They were in '07 and they were in '05.

"None of us have really read much about whether we're favored or not favored and the perception in our team room is that we have to play our best golf to beat them. And we do."

The par-73 parkland layout, at 6,670 yards, is the longest to stage the Solheim Cup and could play further into European hands after being saturated by rain earlier this week.

"It's in great condition but it's quite wet," said Britain's Becky Brewerton, one of six players on the European team who have triumphed at least once this year. "And that's good for us because we've got lots of very long hitters."

While the Americans boast two players in the world's top four and will be banking on exuberant home support, they also have the psychological advantage of being unbeaten on U.S. soil.

"My girls feel they are the underdogs if you look on paper, and that's fine with us," said European captain Alison Nicholas. "Everyone knows we have not won on American soil.

"But there has to be a first time. My word is 'possible'. I opened that word up to them. The girls are really buzzing and everyone is keen to get on with it now."

The event will start at 0805 local (1305 GMT) on Friday when top-ranked Americans Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer take on Norway's Suzann Pettersen and Swede Sophie Gustafson in the opening fourball match.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)