3 months ago
23
The United States held off a spirited European charge in Saturday's opening session of the Solheim Cup to maintain their four-point lead.
Needing a fast start after a chastening first day that saw the US open a 6-2 lead, Europe were up in three of the four matches by halfway.
But the US fought back to draw a thrilling alternate shot foursomes session 2-2 to leave the overall score at 8-4.
"We were hoping for 3-1 and some of the girls were disappointed they didn’t get their point but I was immensely proud how they came back out," said Europe captain Suzann Pettersen.
"We could have a strong afternoon and be right back in it."
US skipper Stacy Lewis added: "That finish got us some momentum back."
With the transport issues of day one resolved, there was a raucous atmosphere in a packed stand on the first tee but the home fans were soon muted as Europe took control of three matches.
Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda won two of the first three holes to put early blue on the scoreboard against unbeaten foursomes specialists Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz.
But when given the opportunity to hammer home their advantage, the Dane crucially missed short putts on the fifth and sixth holes that would have put them almost out of sight.
Behind them, Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit won three on the trot from the sixth to take control of match two while Anna Nordqvist and Celine Boutier were six ahead after a sensational opening nine holes.
The only red on the board was in match three where Lexi Thompson and Lauren Coughlin were always ahead of Georgia Hall and Maja Stark.
But the momentum in what felt like a pivotal top match for both sides was switching to the US.
Pedersen left a short putt on the 13th green to allow the US to level and on the next, fortune favoured Corpuz when a mis-hit second shot, which never got more than five feet off the ground, bounded on to the green.
Korda then drained the 20-foot eagle putt to win the hole and put the US ahead for the first time in that match.
"I told her that could be the top three best shots I've ever seen in my entire life," laughed Korda.
The world number number one missed from similar range on the 15th to allow Europe to get back level.
But her superb approach to 17 set up a winning birdie for Corpuz and they halved the 18th to earn a one-hole victory that is their fourth as a pairing in this format and will have stung the Europeans.
By that point, Thompson and Coughlin had cantered to a 4&3 victory over Hall and Stark to put the US 7-2 ahead.
But shortly after, Nordqvist and Boutier, who had been helped by US rookie Sarah Schmelzel missing three short putts on the opening four holes, closed out their own 4&3 win.
That left Hull and Henseleit scrapping for a point against Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho.
The Americans gnawed away at the European lead on the back nine with Ewing holing a huge putt on 15 to get within one and, when Hull cleared the green by 20 yards with her second to the par-four 17th, the match was back all square.
But the Europeans snatched a crucual point after Henseleit's delightful approach went close enough to be conceded for a birdie and Kupcho was unable to hole from a bunker.
Saturday's afternoon fourballs are in progress.
Europe need 14 points to lift the Solheim Cup for a record fourth successive time, while the US require 14½ points to win the trophy for the first time since 2017.
