The Hague (AFP) – The Solheim Cup teetered on a knife-edge after a see-saw day one Friday, with Europe and the United States locked at 4-4 after both sessions were drawn for the first time in the competition’s history. A dramatic first day came down to the last putt, with Europe’s Carlota Ciganda holing a long-range effort on the 18th in dazzling evening sunshine to ensure the spoils were shared.
The afternoon fourballs saw Europe off to a flying start with their first pairing of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad birdying five of the first six to race to a three-hole lead. However, their US opponents Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin hauled themselves back into the match, aided by some uncharacteristic wayward putting by England star Hull. Woad, playing in her first Solheim Cup at the age of 22, seized back the initiative with a stunning eagle on the par-five 10th to put Europe two up.
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Then at the par-three 15th, Noh produced the highlight of the day, hitting the flag off the tee and narrowly missing out on a hole-in-one. On the deciding 18th, Woad missed a birdie putt by a whisker, giving Noh the chance to snatch the match for the US, but she left the putt short, resulting in a thrilling half—a fair result. “I feel tired and I can’t wait to go to bed,” said veteran Hull, who played 36 holes on the opening day.
In the second match, the US combination of Megan Khang and Alison Lee dominated Frenchwoman Celine Boutier and Nanna Koerstz Madsen with a 5&3 win, taking Khang’s unbeaten Solheim Cup streak to nine, which is tied for the second-longest ever. Europe’s rookie pairing of Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud showed few first-time nerves as they held off a late fightback from Allisen Corpuz and Auston Kim to win 2&1.
The last fourball saw Korda and her partner Lauren Coughlin face off against Ciganda and former amateur world number one Julia Lopez Ramirez. Befitting a day in which the two sides could not be separated, the pair were all square going up the 18th. Both Europeans managed to find bunkers or rough while the American pair found the green. However, Korda and Coughlin missed makeable putts, giving Ciganda the chance for an improbable half, which she made. “We fought hard and at least we got a half point, which I think is going to be important,” said Ciganda.
Korda had led the charge for the US in the morning foursomes, teeing off first with Corpuz and defeating the top European pair of Hull and Woad convincingly. Despite falling behind after the first hole, the US pairing showed their class in a 4&3 win—marking a record fifth straight Solheim Cup win as a combination. The second US pairing of Lee and Coughlin never looked in difficulty against Madsen and Boutier, taking the match 3&2.
However, Europe scored two points of their own, with Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire holding their nerve to defeat Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan 1-up in the third pairing, the only match to go to the 18th. The US is aiming to win their first Solheim Cup on European soil since 2015, to extend their series win from their current 11-7 advantage. The format is the same as the men’s equivalent, the Ryder Cup, with fourballs following the foursomes on Friday.
Saturday sees eight more points up for grabs in foursomes and fourballs, before the crunch singles on Sunday, featuring all 12 players on each team. The European team was cheered on by a boisterous crowd at the Bernardus course as the Dutch celebrated hosting their first Solheim Cup. Waving a banner reading “Dutch courage, European glory,” fans in fancy dress serenaded the players on the first tee, who sang and danced before getting down to business.
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