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Interesting to note that Lilia Vu and Jennifer Kupcho didn’t concede Carlota Ciganda’s putt there. Europe had two putts from five feet for the win. Ciganda made it anyway, much to the glee of the gallery. Don’t expect too many concessions going forward from here.
Anna Nordqvist finds water down 4. For a moment, it looks as though Europe will get away with another one, as Lexi Thompson’s approach sails right, snookering Megan Khang behind a bunker, into which she then dunks. But Thompson redeems herself by splashing close, and the USA make the par they need. Errors meanwhile by both Lilia Vu and the misfiring Jennifer Kupcho on 5, the former leaving her partner short of the green, the latter skinning a chip through it. Europe hit the front in the lead match.
1UP Pedersen/Ciganda v Vu/Kupcho (5)
Nordqvist/Maguire A/S Thompson/Khang (4)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (2)
1UP Stark/Grant v Kang/Lee (2)
Europe 3-5 USA
Maja Stark rolls in a long par putt on 2. It’s a huge save, because it ramps up the pressure on Danielle Kang’s birdie putt. Kang can’t make it for the win and the hole is unexpectedly tied.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (4)
1UP Nordqvist/Maguire v Thompson/Khang (3)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (2)
1UP Stark/Grant v Kang/Lee (2)
Europe 3-5 USA
Carlota Ciganda has momentarily mislaid her hot form of yesterday. On the par-five 4th, she leaves partner Emily Pedersen in an awkward position in a greenside bunker. Pedersen, one foot in the trap, one foot out, splashes out wonderfully to five feet, the best she could do. But Ciganda misses the birdie putt. However Jennifer Kupcho hasn’t brought her best stuff this morning either, and she yips a short putt for the win, her second such miss of the morning. Europe, and Ciganda in particular, get away with one.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (4)
1UP Nordqvist/Maguire v Thompson/Khang (3)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (2)
1UP Stark/Grant v Kang/Lee (1)
Europe 3-5 USA
It’s two birdies in the first two holes for the USA in match three. The fastest of starts. And when things are going well, they keep going well. Nelly Korda pushes her tee shot at the par-three 3rd and the ball looks for all the world like dunking into the bunker on the right. But it pings off the shoulder and rolls into the heart of the green, from where the USA will have a look at another birdie.
Maja Stark chips to six feet at 1, and Linn Grant steers in the right-to-left slider. Birdie, and an opening statement by the European duo. “What does it say that Caroline Hedwall is still not getting a match?” wonders Richard Hirst. “Her confidence must be taking a battering.” The 34-year-old Swede certainly hasn’t been on top of her game in recent years – her tie for 66th at the recent British Open was the first time she’s made the cut at a major in four years – but she’s a captain’s pick so for that reason alone it’ll be a surprise if she doesn’t get a run-out this afternoon. Either way, Hedwall has a world of experience to fall back on, having become the first player in Solheim Cup history to win all five of her matches, back in 2013. So all is not lost.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (3)
1UP Nordqvist/Maguire v Thompson/Khang (3)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (1)
1UP Stark/Grant v Kang/Lee (1)
Lexi Thompson’s mind may still be slightly addled. Leona Maguire wedges Europe’s third shot close at the par-five 2nd. It’s an almost surefire birdie. Megan Khang sets up Thompson from six feet, and the half looks on, but then Thompson races the putt almost the same distance past. She almost shapes to stand over it and take the putt back, before remembering she’s playing foursomes. A quick discussion with Khang and the hole is conceded.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (3)
1UP Nordqvist/Maguire v Thompson/Khang (2)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (1)
Stark/Grant v Kang/Lee
The final foursomes match of the morning takes to the tee. Maja Stark and Linn Grant versus Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee. Kang’s 3-wood is short of the green; Grant’s drive bounds through it. A couple of chips coming up, and given what’s gone before, there’s no point trying to call the likely outcome from here.
Georgia Hall chips gracefully to a couple of feet. That’s almost certainly a birdie, though it’s not been conceded, and the pressure’s on Allisen Corpuz to pull out a sand shot here. But the US Open champ hits it a bit thin, and the ball races a good 20 feet past the hole. You’d think a win for Europe is in the bag … but Nelly Korda sends a tramliner into the middle of the cup at speed! That suddenly puts the pressure on Celine Boutier, whose two-and-a-half footer suddenly looks a lot longer. It lips out, and what a classic matchplay turn of events! All three opening matches to-ing and fro-ing on the 1st!
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (2)
Nordqvist/Maguire A/S Thompson/Khang (1)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (1)
The third match sees Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier take on Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz. Korda flies the green with her drive and ends up in the bunker at the back; Boutier makes the conservative play down the right of the hole. The first match this morning where neither team is favourite after the opening tee shots. Perhaps someone will go on to win the hole this time; golf’s a bit like that.
Megan Khang isn’t giving this up lightly, and knocks a fine chip from the dropzone to 12 feet. Then an uncharacteristically poor chip from Leona Maguire stops well short of the green. Anna Nordqvist opts for the Texas Wedge and lags up to kick-in distance. She’s not an Open winner at Carnoustie for nothing. Thompson then steers in a perfectly paced right-to-left curler to salvage par and make up for her mistake. The famous Lexi moxie; after last night’s shank, she then wedged to close range from the bottom of a swale. Anyway, that’ll make her feel a whole lot better.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (1)
Nordqvist/Maguire A/S Thompson/Khang (1)
Hall/Boutier v Korda/Corpuz
Vu’s eagle putt dribbles four feet past the cup. A bit of work left for Kupcho … and after Pedersen tidies up for Europe’s par, she pulls the short putt on the dewy morning green and that’s a half that will feel like a loss for the USA. Back on the tee, Lexi Thompson takes driver and goes for the green … only to hit the face of the pond wall and plummet into the drink. Given her last meaningful shot was last night’s shanked chip on 18, that won’t settle her mind. No thousand-yard stare, but a steely look of concern all right. Anna Nordqvist makes the smart matchplay move and takes a safe 3-wood down the right.
Pedersen/Ciganda A/S Vu/Kupcho (1)
Nordqvist/Maguire v Thompson/Khang
Pedersen’s chip is pretty dismal. She’s got plenty of green to work with but seriously underhits it. Back to Ciganda, who could seriously do with draining the 30-footer that remains. She gives it a good run, but America now have two putts to win the hole and make the fastest of starts.
Here we go, then, as the first match takes to the first tee. Jennifer Kupcho is up first … and she hits an absolute pearler into the heart of the green. Her partner Lilia Vu will have a great look at eagle. That was a high tariff shot in foursomes and a statement of intent from the Americans. Over to the home hero Carlota Ciganda, who pulls her drive and is forced to shout fore, scattering a few punters to the left of the green. At least it’s dry. Emily Pedersen has some work to do. Immediate advantage USA.
PreambleA wild to-and-fro opening day included a session whitewash, a hole-in-one, a dramatic shank, and a determined afternoon fightback by the hosts. More please! More please! Here are the tee times for the day two morning foursomes (Europe first, all times BST) …
7.10am: Emily Pedersen / Carlota Ciganda v Lilia Vu / Jennifer Kupcho
7.22am: Anna Nordqvist / Leona Maguire v Lexi Thompson / Megan Khang
7.34am: Georgia Hall / Celine Boutier v Nelly Korda / Allisen Corpuz
7.46am: Maja Stark / Linn Grant v Danielle Kang / Andrea Lee
… and we’ll get going immediately. It’s on!