Solheim Cup: Battling Europe remain in control
USA 3 Europe 5
Match 1
Lewis & Thompson v Pettersen & Ciganda
Europe won 1 up
Lexi Thompson began her Solheim Cup career by hitting her opening drive to the crowds’ applause and then became the first player to knock it on the 1st green.
Ciganda began hers with a host of wide and poorly struck shots but her partner kept them in it with a 35-footer at the 6th and another birdie at 10.
But the match turned when it took an inordinate amount of time for the Spaniard to be given a drop at the 15th before then holing a rapid putt from off the green.
The out-of-sorts Lewis and the more impressive Thompson then both missed birdie putts and were unable to compose themselves coming in.
It was rightfully Pettersen whose par closed out the match at the 18th (after Ciganda missed a short one) to record the most unlikely of points.
Match 2
Stanford & Piller v Hedwall & Masson
Europe won 2&1
Another new European pairing and another which will likely be seen again.
The damage was done with three birdies in the first four holes and, from there, it was a case of hanging on with some gritty and imaginative putting.
The Americans, mainly through Stanford, kept coming at the visitors but never managed to get back on level terms.
A Stanford birdie at 14 got it back to one hole but the German then birdied both the par 5s at 15 and 16 and a par was enough to wrap things up.
By the close Europe were a highly impressive seven under to add another vital point towards the golden 14 required.
Click here for a review of the morning foursomes
The match turned when it took an inordinate amount of time for Ciganda to be given a drop at the 15th before then holing a rapid putt from off the green Match 3
Lincicome & Lang v Nordqvist & Sergas
USA won 4&3
The two Brittanys got the first point of the afternoon on the board after turning it on in the back nine.
Europe led after five holes but Lincicome birdies at nine and 10 put the hosts ahead for the first time.
From there they were never really pushed and a holed bunker shot from Lang at the 14th made it three up.
Another adjacent pitch at the 15th from Lang closed things out.
Sergas, on her debut, made two birdies on par 5s but that was all the Europeans had to show in red figures as the putts slipped by.
Nordqvist will likely appear again in the foursomes with Hedwall and then be rested.
Match 4
Kerr & Wie v Matthew & Hull
USA won 2&1
Charley Hull’s debut ended in a narrow defeat after Wie and Kerr proved to be too strong.
The teenager’s opening drive was a beauty but it was a Kerr birdie that opened the scoring. A brace of double bogeys at the 3rd gave Europe some brief respite but the rest of the hosts’ play was sublime.
Kerr had spent most of the morning missing putts but found her range in the afternoon while Wie looked every inch the superstar that she might one day become.
At the 13th Wie chipped in down the hill to double their lead and, while the Europeans pressed hard (Matthew holed a similar putt to Ciganda’s at the 15th) the home side were too solid.
Matthew’s day ended with a pair of rare defeats, for Hull she easily played her part and will be better for finally getting her debut out the way.
Click here for a review of the morning foursomes
