Europe faces a mountain of Medinah proportions to retain the Solheim Cup after they ended day two of the matches nonetheless trailing america by 4 factors.
After the primary day, the US led 6-2 and the hosts continued to take care of that benefit on day two at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Virginia
Europe secured two factors from the morning foursomes and two factors from the afternoon four-balls to path 10-6.
To ensure that Europe to safe a ‘four-peat’ and maintain onto the celebrated trophy for the fourth time in a row, they would want eight factors from the Sunday singles, whereas the house aspect wants simply 4.5. It’s the identical scoreline that Europe’s Ryder Cup workforce confronted at Medinah in 2012, earlier than they went on to win 14.5-13.5.
SATURDAY FOURSOMES
The morning session noticed Europe’s factors come from Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull as they defeated Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho 1up. Henseleit knocked her strategy on 18 inside 5 toes and after the US did not make an up-and-down from the greenside bunker, Europe secured the victory.
“Charley performed nice all day,” mentioned the rookie. “She hardly missed a shot. I used to be glad I might step up in the long run and safe this level. Our video games are related, so I really feel like we all know when the opposite one is feeling good.”
Europe’s different level from the morning got here from Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and France’s Celine Boutier as they clinched a 4&3 victory over Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel.
“I by no means performed with Celine earlier than and I completely liked it,” mentioned Nordqvist. “I felt like I actually wanted a degree, and it’s good to see some blue on the board. We’ve simply bought to maintain doing our greatest. However I had a extremely enjoyable morning with Celine.”
SATURDAY FOURBALLS
It was an analogous story within the afternoon because the US and Europe every got here away from the session with two factors – the primary time in Solheim Cup historical past the place each periods ended up tied.
Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen battled in opposition to Ally Ewing and Lexi Thompson to triumph on the seventeenth inexperienced. The European duo went into the lead on the thirteenth and had been 2up by means of 15, however Thompson then rolled in a birdie on 16. Nonetheless, Pedersen caught her strategy shot on 17 – with the People conceding the birdie – and the US pair had been unable to transform their lengthy putts giving Europe one other level on the board.
“I feel we performed superb golf, morning and afternoon,” mentioned Ciganda. “Clearly it’s powerful to beat the People. They had been enjoying some nice golf, and with the house crowds, it’s not straightforward, however I advised Emily, ‘Let’s put on them out. Let’s hit as many greens as we are able to. The putts are going to drop’.
The ultimate match of the afternoon session noticed English duo Charley Hull and Georgia Corridor defeat Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu 2up. It was solely the second time ever the English duo have performed collectively, they by no means went behind, however they needed to play all 18 holes to safe the ultimate level of the day.
Hull mentioned: “We was buzzing as a result of we’re finest mates. We all know one another inside out. We all know what we are able to and may’t say to one another. Properly, there may be just about nothing we are able to’t say to one another. I used to be getting Georgia to learn my putts. Felt like I used to be struggling yesterday with a couple of of my reads. I simply know that Georgia is an excellent inexperienced reader, so I belief her with my life for placing.”
Europe want eight factors from the singles session to retain the trophy, whereas america wants simply 4½ factors to win the cup for the primary time since 2017.
Again in 2003, Europe gained eight singles matches at Barsebäck in Sweden and so they might want to do the identical tomorrow.
ORDER FOR PLAY FOR SUNDAY SINGES (UK time)
1.50pm – Charley Hull vs Nelly Korda
2.00pm – Emily Pedersen vs Megan Khang
2.10pm – Georgia Corridor vs Alison Lee
2.20pm – Anna Nordqvist vs Allisen Corpuz
2.30pm – Carlota Ciganda vs Rose Zhang
2.40pm – Esther Henseleit vs Andrea Lee
2.50pm – Celine Boutier vs Lexi Thompson
3.00pm – Maja Stark vs Lauren Coughlin
3.10pm – Albane Valenzuela vs Lilia Vu
3.20pm – Madelene Sagström vs Sarah Schmelzel
3.30pm – Leona Maguire vs Ally Ewing
3.40pm – Linn Grant vs Jennifer Kupcho
