Key events
Charley Hull responds to the hammer blow of Ally Ewing’s long hole-winning rake across 15 by landing her tee shot at the par-three 16th 15 feet to the left of the flag. The camber of the green takes it back to six feet. As the ball sailed along its delicate arc, she stood back to admire her work. The USA are on the green, but much further from the pin, and may need some more long-distance magic if they’re not to find themselves dormie two.
At the par-five 14th, Lilia Vu sends a stunning hybrid from 200 yards straight at the flag. As sweetly struck as Allisen Corpuz’s earlier topper was awful, but the results are just the same: eagle opportunity coming up!
Allisen Corpuz isn’t able to rake home the long birdie putt on 16. That opens the door for Carlota Ciganda, who is a past master at making big putts in the Solheim Cup … but she’s seriously spooked by a huge roar that goes up when Ally Ewing makes a 40-footer on 15 for birdie and the hole! She doesn’t step away from the putt, and knocks it five feet past. What a huge error. She’s thankful to her partner Emily Pedersen for tidying up. Nelly Korda does the same for the hosts, and what a nerve-jangling series of events unfolded there.
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (16)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (15)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (14)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (13)
Lilia Vu sends USA’s third into 13 to ten feet, and though Sarah Schmelzel isn’t able to make the par save, the hole is halved, with Europe unable to get up and down from greenside sand. That’s a big escape for the States after Schmelzel battered the face of a bunker with their second shot. But they’re still four holes down with five to play.
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (15)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (14)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (13)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (13)
Emily Pedersen fires her tee shot at 16 over the flag to eight feet. Nelly Korda pulls her iron, though, sending her shot 35 feet to the right. Goodness knows how this lead match is going to end, it’s been glorious back-and-forth entertainment on this back nine.
Allisen Corpuz’s errant drive and Nelly Korda’s poor bunker shot cost the USA dear at 15. The lead match is tied again, with par enough to land the hole for Europe.
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (15)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (14)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (13)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (12)
Jennifer Kupcho’s wedge into 14 isn’t all that. Ally Ewing’s long birdie putt sails by, but with Esther Henseleit’s wonderful approach setting up an eagle chance from ten feet, she had to be aggressive. The hole is conceded and Europe are two up again.
1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (14)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (14)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (13)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (12)
Lilia Vu’s drive at 13 finds a fairway bunker, and Sarah Schmelzel hits the face firing out of it. The ball escapes onto the fairway, but the hosts are on the back foot here, and if they lose this hole, Europe will be dormie five. Big moments coming up there.
1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (14)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (13)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (13)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (12)
Lauren Coughlin rakes a monster across 13 for birdie! Georgia Hall was well inside her, but can’t make her 10-footer and the USA take proper control of the third morning match. But the first one is certainly not over, and when Nelly Korda can only find a greenside bunker from a fairway one, Emily Pedersen sends her approach into the centre of the green. A fine approach into 14 by Esther Henseleit, meanwhile, and Europe are finally showing signs of countering the fightback.
1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (14)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (13)
3UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (13)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (12)
Celine Boutier nearly drains a long eagle putt on 12. Not quite. Lilia Vu tidies up to halve the hole in birdie. The nerves continue to jangle meanwhile in the lead match, as Alissen Corpuz’s drive finds a bunker down the left of the fairway, while Carlota Ciganda hoicks hers into rough on the other side.
1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (14)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (13)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (12)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (12)
Nelly Korda walks in her eagle putt on 14! She punches the air theatrically. Talk about taking advantage of a big break! Somewhere in the multiverse, Allisen Corpuz’s topped hybrid whistled into the drink. But in our reality, it somehow squeaked pin high, and the USA hit the front in the lead match for the first time today!
1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (14)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (13)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (12)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (11)
An outrageous stroke of fortune for Allisen Corpuz on 14. She tops her second stroke, a hybrid from 192 yards, and it looks like disaster for the USA. But somehow the ball trundles down the fairway, and instead of kinking off towards the water on the left, makes it onto the green, the camber on the right kicking the ball towards the flag. She’s pin high, 15 feet from the cup! Corpuz and her partner Nelly Korda walk to the green laughing uncontrollably. It could be their day! Meanwhile Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull are always out of position going up 13, and finally Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, after three spurned chances in a row, win another hole!
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (13)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (13)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (12)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (11)
Lexi Thompson is on one today. At the par-five 12th, she wedges from 66 yards to three feet. She’s enjoying her valedictory lap, a huge smile on her face. It puts pressure on Europe, for whom Maja Stark had also gone close. Georgia Hall is up to the task of ramming home her birdie putt from six feet. Lauren Coughlin tidies up for the half.
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (13)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (12)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (12)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (11)
Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho won the 9th. They were then denied what looked nailed-on wins at both 10 and 11. So they really need to convert this one. Esther Henseleit rolls her birdie putt down to three feet, but it still shouldn’t be enough. Ally Ewing can’t make what is in fact a six-footer, and Charley Hull tidies up. Three escapes in a row. Meanwhile Allison Corpuz nearly drains a long birdie putt on 13. It’s still enough for the hole, and the lead match is all square for the first time since hole 1. And it’s back-to-back birdies for the USA in the final match, Lilia Vu creaming a gorgeous tee shot at 11 to six feet, Sarah Schmelzel finally making a putt. They couldn’t, could they?!
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (13)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (12)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (11)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (11)
Jennifer Kupcho and Charley Hull both in the bunker to the right of the 12th green. Kupcho’s escape is decent, no more, but left ten feet short. That opens the door for Hull … but she can’t make it through the frame, sending a skinny one 25 feet past the flag. Advantage USA here. Europe can’t escape again, can they?
Lauren Coughlin swishes her tee shot at 11 pin high, setting up Lexi Thompson with an eight-footer for par. Lexi’s not missing that, certainly not in the mood she’s in today, with her flat stick hot, and the USA’s lead is back to two holes. Maja Stark’s miss from short distance on the previous hole suddenly stings a little more.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (12)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (11)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (11)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 5UP (10)
Lilia Vu sends a tramliner into the cup for eagle at 10! That’s everything Sarah Schmelzel’s tee shot deserved, and technically, if not totally realistically, the comeback is on!
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (12)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (11)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (10)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 5UP (10)
Sarah Schmelzel has been having a hell of a time on the greens today. But she’s just hit one of the shots of the week so far on the driveable par-four 10th, creaming her ball pin high to 20 feet or so. Eagle opportunity coming up, and a chance to cut Europe’s lead to just the five.
Maja Stark misses a makeable right-to-left curler from eight feet on 10. A birdie would have tied up match three. She cocks her head back in disappointment, a Pez dispenser of emotion. But there’s a big birdie putt from 15 feet on 12 by Carlota Ciganda to salvage a half for Europe in the lead match. And another huge escape for Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull, this time on 11. Henseleit sends her tee shot towards the water down the right, but it plugs in the bank, and Hull is allowed to place. Europe get up and down, and breathe again.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (12)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (11)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (10)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 6UP (9)
Sarah Schmelzel’s putting woes continue. Celine Boutier rolls in a ten-foot birdie putt on 9. Schmelzel has a straighter, shorter one … and it slips by on the right. The biggest Solheim Cup foursomes result in history is 6&5, something that’s happened several times. We could be heading towards Spartacus Mills territory here.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (11)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (10)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (9)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 6UP (9)
A huge steal for a half on 10 for Team Europe. Not sure the exact outcome of Charley Hull’s errant tee shot, but it looks like Esther Henseleit took a penalty drop and chipped to 12 feet. A win for the USA was still on the cards, but Ally Ewing clanks a terrible chip from the fringe at the back of the green 20 feet past the hole, and when Jennifer Kupcho fails to rescue the situation by making birdie, the hosts are sickened when Hull curls in a left-to-right par saver. A half out of nowhere! That could prove crucial.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (11)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (10)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (9)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 5UP (8)
There’s a big search on for Charley Hull’s ball at 10. It’s a jungle down there, and it’s either disappeared or maybe even bounded into the water. They’re surely not going to find it. But some good news for Europe elsewhere: Carlota Ciganda makes a knee-knocking three-footer for a half on 11, Anna Nordqvist extends Europe’s lead in the anchor match with another birdie, and it’s a bounceback birdie for Maja Stark on 9.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (11)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (9)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (9)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 5UP (8)
Yep, this is changing quickly all right! On 11, Allisen Corpuz swishes her tee shot over the flag to 20 feet; Carlota Ciganda pulls hers 40 feet to the left of the pin. On the green, but still, that’s advantage USA. And it’s serious advantage USA on 10, where Jennifer Kupcho belts her tee shot through the back of the drivable green, spooking Charley Hull into sending a duck hook into the penalty area down the left. Europe in danger of laying waste to so much of their morning’s work here.
NBC have just pointed out that before that burst, Team USA had only won four holes all morning. They’ve just won three in as many minutes. Talk about a momentum shift! Europe need to dig in here.
There’s some American momentum here now. Three putts cost Georgia Hall and Maja Stark on 8, and for the third time today, Lexi Thompson wins a hole for the hosts. She fist-bumps with Lauren Coughlin and all of a sudden the scoreboard doesn’t look quite so comfortable for Europe.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (10)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (9)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (8)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (6)
Charley Hull splashes out of the bunker at 9 to 15 feet, and Esther Henseleit walks in the sandy par save. The best they could realistically hope for, but it’s all in vain as Jennifer Kupcho takes her turn to walk one in, for birdie from six feet. Some of Europe’s lead chipped away. And in the lead match, Team USA finally make a birdie, and there’s some more of Europe’s precious lead eaten into.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (10)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (9)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (7)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (6)
Hope ahoy for the hosts in the first two matches. Emily Pedersen sends her tee shot into fairway sand at 10, while Nelly Korda nearly reaches the green; Esther Henseleit tugs her tee shot at 9 into a greenside bunker, while Ally Ewing fires a dart at the flag. Should the USA win both of those holes … well, they won’t take any blue off the board, not yet, but the situation will suddenly look that tiny bit more promising for them. And it would get the Europeans thinking … and worrying about a potential momentum shift. There’s a long way to go.
Carlota Ciganda’s tee shot at the par-three 9th only just holds the back of the green with the pin at the front. Allison Corpuz pings hers to seven feet. Emily Pedersen’s long birdie effort sails four feet past, but when Nelly Korda misreads her putt, the door’s open for Ciganda to halve the hole, and she’s not missing a straight one from such a distance. The USA could easily have won both of the last two holes in the lead match; as it is, they’ve passed up makeable opportunities and remain two down.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (9)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 3UP (8)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (7)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (6)
Lauren Coughlin thinks she’s drained a huge downhill left-to-right curler across 7. It’s a magnificent effort, and looks in all the way, but just as she raises her arm in celebration, it slingshots around the back of the hole and stays out. It’s conceded, and Maja Stark tidies up from a couple of feet to halve the hole. Meanwhile on 8, Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho can only make bogey, and with Europe close and thinking about birdie, the hole’s conceded. Lilia Vu’s par putt on 6 for a half is the nearest the hosts have come to celebrating in the last half-hour or so.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (8)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 3UP (8)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (7)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (6)
Anyway, those shuttle buses aren’t the only problem at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club this week. Here’s “disappointed British golfer” Sue Taylor: “The organisation is lacking. Apart from the shambolic transport arrangements, there is only on teeny tiny coffee van with one coffee machine, where you wait in line to pay and then wait a further 25 mins for the coffee. I thought Americans were coffee drinkers?”
Allisen Corpuz takes about a tenth of the time it took Carlota Ciganda to line up. Perhaps a little bit longer might have been in order, because she sends her 15-foot putt wide right. That’s a big escape for Europe.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (8)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (7)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (6)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (5)
Birdie putts on the 8th. Carlota Ciganda is outside Allisen Corpuz, and though she nearly drains her uphill left-to-right slider from 25 feet, it doesn’t slide left to right quite enough. And that’s given Corpuz a teach. Big putt coming up, because if this drops, it could be a momentum-changer in the lead match.
Sarah Schmelzel’s head has gone for now. She blades out of the bunker at 5 and through the green. Lilia Vu does her level best to hole out from the thick rough but the jig is up. The anchor match is threatening to spiral out of control for the hosts. Meanwhile a sandy par for Maja Stark and Georgia Hall at 6 is enough to snatch a hole back for Europe. And completing a European trifecta, Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull on 7, where Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho find themselves unable to get up and down from the greenside filth to scramble par. All going Europe’s way at the minute. What Suzann Pettersen would give to declare right now.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (7)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 2UP (7)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (6)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4UP (5)
Trouble for the USA on a couple of holes here. On 7, Jennifer Kupcho, hitting their second from fairway sand, carves her shot wide right of the green and into thick cabbage. Charley Hull sends Europe’s approach over the stick to ten feet. Meanwhile back on 5, Lilia Vu sends America’s third into a greenside bunker, while Anna Nordqvist eases Europe’s third to ten feet.
A fine two-putt par from 50 feet on 7 for the European duo of Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen. Enough to salvage a half. A look of vague disappointment on the faces of Allisen Corpuz and Nelly Korda, who are struggling to make in-roads this morning.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (7)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (6)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (5)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 3UP (4)
Schmelzel shoves a nervy putt wide right. That was never going in. This is becoming hard to watch. On NBC, Paige Mackenzie observes that her short putts have been missed left, high right and low right. “It’s been a bit of a mess.” Ally Ewing meanwhile can’t make a downhill par putt from six feet to save the hole, and Europe lead in three of the four matches. But some good news for the USA in match three as Lexi Thompson makes another big putt on 5 to double the American advantage there.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (6)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (6)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (5)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 3UP (4)
USA captain Stacy Lewis arrives on 4 to give Sarah Schmelzel a pep talk. Or some soothing words. Either would work. Hopefully it does the trick, because Schmelzel has sent her tee shot into greenside sand, and though Lilia Vu splashes out brilliantly to five feet, that’s a testing one for par given what’s gone before. It’ll be for the hole, though, because Celine Boutier also sends her tee shot into a bunker and Europe can’t get up and down. Huge putt coming up, one that may potentially decide this foursomes match, because Schmelzel’s head will be swimming otherwise.
Sarah Schmelzel misses her second short putt of the morning, and the USA have three-putted from 20 feet on 3. It’s a horror start for the hosts in the anchor match. Europe were out of position there, too, Anna Nordqvist putting from the fringe and clanking her effort six feet past. But after Lilia Vu got uncharacteristically sloppy with her birdie putt, rolling it three feet past, Celine Boutier tidied up to put the hurt on Schmelzel. That’s a big mistake by the USA. But it’s a big escape for them in the lead match, where Nelly Korda nearly holes out from a bunker, but still leaves Emily Pedersen with a snaky downhill eight-footer for the hole. Pedersen’s effort looks in, but drifts left at the very last and lips out. Hole tied. Still, this is a good morning’s work for Europe so far.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (6)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (5)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (4)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 3UP (3)
Lauren Coughlin can’t make her birdie from the edge of the 4th green. But Georgia Hall can! She walks in her gentle left-to-right slider, and then leaves the green with slightly more spring in her step, having halved the USA’s lead in the third match.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (5)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (4)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (4)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 2UP (2)
Lexi Thompson’s tee shot at the par-three 4th is straight at the flag, 15 feet shy, only just on the green. Maja Stark gets a couple of feet inside. Nearly everyone coming up just a little short on this hole today. Putting contest upcoming!
Carlota Ciganda may be famously slow, but Nelly Korda takes her sweet time over a fairly straight uphill birdie effort on 5. It’s time wasted, because she doesn’t give it enough of a clack, the ball stopping one turn short. Chance for Emily Pedersen from eight feet … but her effort lips out. Both teams will rue those missed putts. They were extremely gettable.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (5)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (4)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (3)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 2UP (2)
Anna Nordqvist powers an iron from thick rough down the left of 2 to 15 feet. With the USA out of position – Sarah Schmelzel drove into a bunker – Celine Boutier has a birdie putt for the win. It stays out on the right, but the par will be enough anyway, because Lilia Vu’s ten-foot right-to-left tickle shaves the lip but doesn’t drop. A strong start for Europe in the anchor match … but it’s also a fast start for the USA in the third match, as Lexi Thompson’s pin-high arrow is enough to win the hole at 3.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (4)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (4)
2UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (3)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 2UP (2)
Charley Hall draws a high 9-iron into the par-three 4th. That’s delicious, five feet past the flag. Jennifer Kupcho, perhaps slightly spooked by the quality of Hall’s shot, hits an uncharacteristically weak effort that topples back off the front of the green. Still half a chance for Ally Ewing to rake in a birdie putt from the fringe, but it’s serious advantage to Europe.
Sarah Schnelzel pulls a short par putt wide left on 1. Or was it a misread? Either way, both she and her partner Lilia Vu look genuinely shocked that it didn’t drop. It costs USA the hole. Better news for the hosts on 2, where Lexi Thompson walks in a 12-foot birdie putt and calmly punches the air. A decent enough start for Europe, all told, though this is golf and there’s many a slip.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (4)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (3)
1UP Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark (2)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 1UP (1)
Neither Nelly Korda nor Emily Pedersen can find the green at the par-three 4th, but their partners will be putting nevertheless, from the apron at the front. Allisen Corpuz up first; her putt is never going in, but it’s close enough to secure par. That gives Carlota Ciganda a chance to put Europe three up with an uphill 20-footer … but that’s always staying out on the left. A half, and the teams move on.
From a fairway bunker on 2, Esther Henseleit whisks Europe’s second to five feet. It’s enough to win the hole. More good news on 3, where Allisen Corpuz’s wedge isn’t particularly good, leaving Nelly Korda with a long par putt. She can’t make it, racing well past the cup, and with Emily Pedersen having sent Europe’s second to ten feet, the hole is conceded. Back on 1, Coughlin elects to chip rather than putt, and it’s a good decision as she sends a crisp clip to kick-in distance. Hole halved.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 2UP (3)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (2)
Coughlin/Thompson A/S Hall/Stark (1)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist
The anchor match is out and about. Anna Nordqvist tees off and immediately looks at her partner with concern. Where did that ball go? She lost it in the sun. No worries, it’s straight down the middle. Nordqvist was serenaded with a chorus of “We love you Anna, we do, oh Anna we love you!” but that’s nothing compared to the mighty roars ringing in Lilia Vu’s ears as she splits the fairway. It’s all happening, then!
Lexi Thompson and Maja Stark take turns to send average approaches into 1. Thompson on the fringe front right, from where Lauren Coughlin will give Georgia Hall a read, because Europe’s ball is in the road, ten feet further up.
The third match takes to the first tee, and there’s a particularly rousing ovation for Lexi Thompson, playing in her last Solheim Cup. Georgia Hall hits a decent drive down the left but the ball scampers into the thicker rough. Lauren Coughlin splits the fairway. Up around the green, Esther Henseleit splashes out of the bunker to six feet, but Charley Hull pulls her par putt and the hole goes to the USA. Better news for Europe on 2, where Emily Pedersen converts the birdie chance set up for her by Carlota Ciganda, and the visitors hit the front in the lead match.
Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen 1UP (2)
1UP Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull (1)
Coughlin/Thompson v Hall/Stark
In the lead match, both teams are out of position down the right of the 2nd hole. Allisen Corpuz does well to find the front portion of the green, though that’ll leave Nelly Korda a long putt; Carlota Ciganda punches a low one over a hillock and rolls up to ten feet. She knew that was good, twirling the club and skipping up the bank to take a look at the result of her work. Advantage Europe in the upcoming putting contest.
Charley Hull catches her first shot of the day, from the fairway bunker down the right of 1, a bit thin. It squirts into the greenside bunker front right. Jennifer Kupcho, who was flinging darts at the flag on the back nine yesterday morning, sends her approach into the middle of the green. Another look at birdie for the USA from 30 feet.
The second match turns up for work. Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho bounce into view, high on life despite being the only US foursomes match to lose yesterday morning. A chance to right that wrong against Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull. Plenty of red USA foam fingers waggling around in the stand. Respectful silence as Henseleit finds the same bunker Carlota Ciganda found; bedlam as Ally Ewing finds the same left-hand side of the fairway Allison Corpuz did. Away they go. Meanwhile up on the green, neither Corpuz nor Ciganda get particularly close with their birdie attempts, but the teams agree to pick up the coins and move on. Nice and friendly, though you won’t expect similar three-footers to be conceded if this goes up 18.
Corpuz/Korda A/S Ciganda/Pedersen (1)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull
Nelly Korda up first. She safely finds the centre of the green, pin high from 200 yards with a hybrid. The putt will be from around 30 feet, but a half-decent birdie chance nonetheless. Emily Pedersen has to respond, and does so by sending Europe’s second over the flag. The ball rolls apologetically into the fringe, but doesn’t topple down the bank; that would have been a cruel outcome for such a fine shot. Europe are left with a birdie putt of about 20 feet. The first putting contest of the day coming right up!
Carlota Ciganda takes the opening shot of the second day … and sends Europe’s ball into the big bunker down the right of the fairway. That’s not ideal, but neither is it the worst place to be. Allisen Corpuz, to wild cheers orchestrated by her parter Nelly Korda, larrups confidently down the fairway. Another magnificent atmosphere in the grandstands, which this morning look a lot fuller than early doors yesterday, the shuttle buses hopefully running on time now.
Good morning Virginia! The lead match takes to the first tee, and when Europe emerge from the tunnel, Emily Pedersen bows and scrapes theatrically in front of Carlota Ciganda. The Spaniard, last year’s hero, is the beating heart of Team Europe in the time-honoured Seve / Sergio / Ian Poulter style, so no wonder Suzann Pettersen has sent her out in the first match, in the hope of setting a tone that will spark a comeback. There’s also the small matter of Ciganda’s notoriously glacial speed of play – she was put on the clock at one point yesterday – and the fact that her sort of methodical style gets right under Nelly Korda’s skin. Korda loves to get on with it; will this disrupt her flow? The world number one won her matches 3&2 and 6&4 yesterday, so I guess Pettersen had to try something. Let’s see how this pans out, then!
Preamble: USA 6-2 Europe
Stacy Lewis’s USA team have established a record first-day lead; Suzann Pettersen’s Europeans need to respond quicksmart. The 2024 Solheim Cup won’t be over if Europe fail to make headway in this morning’s foursomes … but it’ll nearly be over. Big four matches coming up.
12.05pm BST: Allisen Corpuz / Nelly Korda v Emily Pedersen / Carlota Ciganda
12.17pm BST: Ally Ewing / Jennifer Kupcho v Esther Henseleit / Charley Hull
12.29pm BST: Lexi Thompson / Lauren Coughlin v Maja Stark / Georgia Hall
12.41pm BST: Lilia Vu / Sarah Schmelzel v Anna Nordqvist / Celine Boutier