The European staff faces a mountain to climb on Saturday to in its bid to retain the Solheim Cup after they path the US by 4 factors on the finish of day one.
Within the morning foursomes session, the house facet obtained off to a sizzling begin, successful three of the 4 matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership in Virginia.
Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull went out within the first match and have been defeated 3&2 by Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz.
Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin beat Celine Boutier and Albane Valenzuela by the identical margin. Whereas the scoreline was repeated within the ultimate match when Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel took down Linn Grant and Carlota Ciganda.
Europe’s solely level of the morning session got here from Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark who mixed nicely of their 2up win.
After Europe constructed a 4-up lead by way of the primary 5 holes, the American duo of Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho clawed the rating again with birdies on 14 and 15. Nonetheless, the Europeans held on with pars on 16 and 17 earlier than a superb method on the final by Pedersen noticed the duo win their ultimate gap to complete 2-up.
AFTERNOON FOURBALLS
Within the afternoon four-ball session, it was an analogous story for each groups because the US repeated the 3-1 scoreline from the morning session to construct a snug 6-2 lead over the Europeans on the finish of the primary day.
Korda teamed up with Megan Khang and the duo defeated Georgia Corridor and Leona Maguire by 6&4, whereas the all-rookie pairing of Coughlin and Schmelzel defeated Pedersen and Stark 3&2.
It was an emphatic end to the afternoon for Andrea Lee and Zhang who each made eagles on the 14th gap to safe a 5&4 victory over Grant and Hull after the match had been all sq. after eight.
Europe’s second level of the day got here by way of the all-Swedish partnership of Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagström. The Swedish duo, who have been taking part in collectively for the primary time within the Solheim Cup, dominated their match in opposition to Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee.
Sagström and Nordqvist received six holes on the trot from the eighth by way of to 13 to file a 6&5 victory.
Pettersen appeared happy that her staff managed to keep away from the 4-0 whitewash that they suffered within the opening foursomes in Spain final 12 months saying: “Clearly, we had – I wouldn’t say a poor begin – however we made development in our morning session from final 12 months, which was good; one step in the appropriate path.
“The afternoon, one level out of the 4. I wish to say we performed opponents which can be taking part in unbelievable golf, that’s primary. Generally we nearly invite them to play even higher generally.
“On the similar time, we now have to face actuality, and we now have a large job to do. We proved to ourselves we have been able to doing this final 12 months, so the idea is there. There’s lots of factors but to be performed for. We’ve simply obtained to come back out tomorrow hungry.
“I feel the gamers have to really feel some form of a revenge to really feel like they will get some momentum going. It’s all the time exhausting once you see your opponents making putt after putt, after which we don’t make any. I feel it’s a mix of the whole lot. On the similar time, the Individuals performed unbelievable.”
TRAFFIC CHAOS
The beginning of the Solheim Cup obtained off to a chaotic begin off the course, with hundreds of followers left in queues for hours after issues with shuttle buses from a public automotive park. The delays meant that the opening matches have been performed in entrance of half empty grandstands as followers, lots of of whom had queued since daybreak, have been unable to get to the course. Such was the chaos that some followers even gave up and went residence with out having seen a shot. Refunds will certainly be required,
“We recognise and deeply apologise to all followers affected by the challenges with shuttling from parking to the golf course,” the LPGA stated in a press release. “We’ve made important adjustments to our transportation system to mitigate these points shifting ahead, and we’re engaged on methods to specific our remorse to these impacted.”
SATURDAY FOURSOMES PAIRINGS (UK time)
12:05 am: Emily Pedersen/Carlota Ciganda v Allisen Corpuz/Nelly Korda
12:17 am: Esther Henseleit/Charley Hull v Ally Ewing/Jennifer Kupcho
12:29am: Maja Stark/Georgia Corridor v Lexi Thompson/Lauren Coughlin
12:41am: Anna Nordqvist/Celine Boutier v Lilia Vu/Sarah Schmelzel
