USA leading by 4 entering the Singles

The USA will start with a four-point lead on Sunday. The largest lead overcome entering the Solheim Cup singles is four points. The European Team led the US Team 10-6 entering singles play in 2015 in Germany. The Americans won the singles session, 8.5 to 3.5 and won the Solheim Cup, 14½ to 13½.

“We don’t really have much options,” said Suzzan Pettersen on her Sunday singles lineup. “We have to go by form, try to send the players that have been playing really good out first because if we don’t get enough points in the first six, seven matches, it’s game over anyway. I mean, we have to go strong. But the lineup, if it would go further down the list, we have great players that’s ready to kind of take on that responsibility. But first of all, we have to cover — try and cover the first top half.” –

There were no ties through the four sessions of partner matches over the first two days this year for the first time since 2002. That year, there were no ties in any of the 16 matches that preceded the singles session.

The US Team won each session of foursomes matches this year, as they did in Spain last year. It is the first time that the Americans have won both foursomes matches in back-to-back Solheim Cups.

“Thought it was a very successful day for us. I kind of compared it to shooting a 62 one day and then how do you follow that up. I thought the team did a really good job of following that up. And to come out of the day with the same lead that we started was really big for us, and we had to fight through some tougher matches today,” said Stacy Lewis on Team USA’s play on Saturday. “I thought in the morning that the European matchups were a little bit tougher, and then in four-ball you just never know who’s going to get hot. To take those last two matches to 18 I thought was really good momentum, and they got to see the whole golf course, so it’ll be good for tomorrow.”

Saturday Foursomes

MATCH 9 – Allisen Corpuz/Nelly Korda (USA) def. Emily Pedersen/Carlota Ciganda (EUR), 1 up

After trailing the Europeans for most of the match, Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz staged an incredible comeback Saturday morning to become the winningest foursomes team in Solheim Cup history. Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen led either 1 up or 2 up from holes 2 through 12, but the Americans clawed their way back starting on the par-5 13th. The shot of the day came on 14, when Corpuz mis-hit her approach, resulting in a low burner that skimmed the grass but stayed just right of the water and rolled up the green. Korda sunk the resulting 10-foot putt to move the US 1 up. Ciganda and Pedersen tied it again on the next, thanks to a close approach from Pedersen, and the match remained tied through 16. Then, the 17th hole all but decided it. After Korda’s drive found the fairway, Corpuz stuck the second shot within 5 feet. When the European missed their first putt for birdie, then second putt for par, they conceded the hole to the Americans. With at least a half point guaranteed for the US, both teams moved to 18, the first time the hole has been played this week, and the hole was eventually tied.

Today’s victory marks the ninth time in her Solheim Cup career that Korda trailed by two or more holes in a match. Over the previous eight occurrences (all since 2019), Korda has three victories and one tie. Korda remains undefeated (3-0-0) in the 2024 Solheim Cup.

“Honestly Nelly was playing really solid all day,” said Corpuz. “I hit a few squirrelly ones and she saved me there. I feel like every single time you play with Nelly it’s kind of like, hey, it’s going to turn around at some point, just be patient and keep playing and keep playing the way that we have.”

MATCH 10 – Esther Henseleit/Charley Hull (EUR) def. Ally Ewing/Jennifer Kupcho (USA), 1 up

2024 Solheim Cup rookie Esther Henseleit wins her first match for the European Team alongside Solheim Cup veteran Charley Hull. The duo started slow, losing the first hole to Americans Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho. The Euros won the second hole and kept the match tied through the next three holes.

Henseleit and Hull built their lead and won holes 6, 7 and 8. The Euro duo lost the par-3 ninth and sat at 2 up until No. 13, where they started to waver to the Americans. Ewing and Kupcho won the 13th, but conceded the 14th hole to Henseleit and Hull with a short putt for eagle remaining. Heading to the 15th 2 down, Ewing sunk a nearly 30-foot putt to move to just 1 down with three to play. Hull knocked her tee shot on the par-3 16th close after Kupcho landed hers about 40 feet to the right of the hole. Again, Ewing drained a long birdie putt to survive and Henseleit matched her birdie. On 17, the Euro team made a faulty error, sailing their approach shot over the green and landing in the hazard. After a failed up-and-down, the Euros conceded the hole and the match stood all-square on the 18th tee.

Henseleit knocked her approach shot on 18 within 5 feet, and the Americans failed to make an up-and down from the front greenside bunker. The European Team earned their fourth point of the 2024 Solheim Cup with Henseleit and Hull’s win.

“Just keeping it in there. I felt like we hit some pretty good shots into the greens and just staying in there,” said Hull on their battle back. “Even though when we did hit it in trouble we kind of got ourselves out of it. I felt like we played pretty solid. I was just super pumped towards the end after hitting that shot close on 16. And then 17 I’ve just airmailed it straight through the green and I kind of then realized how pumped up I was, and you can see by my drive on the last. I hit it miles down there. I’m glad I didn’t have that second shot in that Esther hit, because I probably would’ve hit it over the green again. That was a great shot she hit in there.”

MATCH 11 – Lexi Thompson/Lauren Coughlin (USA) def. Maja Stark/Georgia Hall (EUR), 4&3

Lauren Coughlin became just the third American Solheim Cup rookie to win each of her first three matches as she teamed up with Lexi Thompson to defeat the European duo of Georgia Hall and Maja Stark by a 4-and-3 margin. The Americans went 1 up on the second hole with a birdie and never relinquished their lead at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Birdies on holes 11 and 13 put the US duo 3 up before they rounded out their match on 15 with another birdie to secure a full point for the home side.

“It’s been incredible,” said Coughlin. “In the beginning of the week, it was so busy, and I couldn’t wait to get to Friday and then it was Thursday night and I was like, man, I wish I would have enjoyed a week a little bit more, it just went by so far. It’s been awesome, and I’ve been enjoying every minute.”

MATCH 12 – Anna Nordqvist/Céline Boutier (EUR) def. Lilia Vu/Sarah Schmelzel (USA), 4&3

Anna Nordqvist and Céline Boutier dominated their morning foursomes against Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel, taking a 4-and-3 win on Day Two. Nordqvist picked up where she left off yesterday and the duo were 3 up through three holes before a birdie on the fifth saw them extend their advantage to 4 up. The Europeans continued in fine fashion and were 6 up at the turn. However, the Americans fought back with an eagle on the 10th and a birdie on the 11th to change the scoreline back to 4 up. It was a stalemate in the final four holes, with the Europeans ultimately securing a 4-and-3 victory on the 15th green.

“I never played with Céline before and I absolutely loved it,” said Nordqvist. “I felt like I really needed a point, and it’s nice to see some blue on the board. We’ve just got to keep doing our best. But I had a really fun morning with Céline.”

Saturday Four-ball

MATCH 13 –Alison Lee/Megan Khang (USA) def. Anna Nordqvist/Madelene Sagstrom (EUR), 4&3

American duo Alison Lee and Megan Khang started their four-ball match hot and never let up on Europeans Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagström. Starting on No. 2, Alison Lee holed out from the fairway to move to 1 up, a moment punctuated by wild celebrations from their caddies. After a momentous hole, the US held their 1-up lead through six holes until Khang made a birdie on hole 7 and Alison Lee made a birdie on hole 8 to jump to 3 up. They lost No. 10 to the Swedish duo and sat 2 up until hole 14, where Khang made a right-to-left eagle putt to make it 3 up with four holes to play. The Americans sealed the deal on the 15th, finishing with a 4-and-3 victory.

“Honestly, if you couldn’t tell by my voice, I’ve had a little too much fun,” said Khang, whose voice went hoarse from her exuberant yelling. “I guess you can never have too much fun on this team. But like Alison said, it’s always great when you get to play with one of your best friends. And what an electric start to the day. It was crazy that that happened. Obviously the caddies are going a little more viral right now, but honestly, we’re just here having a good time and embracing the fans out here.”

MATCH 14 – Andrea Lee/Rose Zhang (USA) def. Linn Grant/Celine Boutier (EUR), 6&4

Rose Zhang and Andrea Lee continued their excellent partnership as they secured a 6-and-4 victory over Linn Grant and Céline Boutier in the afternoon four-balls. The Americans went 1 up on the first hole and never relinquished their lead, sitting 2 up as they made the turn. On the back nine, the Americans turned on the style with birdies on 10, 11 and 12 before Andrea Lee holed her bunker shot on No. 13 to put the Stanford pair 5 up with five to play. On the 14th, Zhang left herself an eagle putt which she duly rolled in to rapturous applause as she sealed a dominant victory.

“I think we both played incredible golf today, super solid,” said Andrea Lee, who now sits undefeated as a four-ball pairing with Zhang after their wins in Friday and Saturday’s four-ball matches.” Whenever I was out of the hole, Rose was there for me, and whenever Rose was out of the hole, I was there for her. We both made a lot of putts and we just had so much fun out there. Just so grateful to have a partner like Rose.”

MATCH 15 – Carlota Ciganda/Emily Pedersen (EUR) def. Ally Ewing/Lexi Thompson (USA), 2&1

The European duo of Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen overcame an early round deficit to win the first point of the four-ball round for the Europeans. The two squared off against Solheim Cup veterans Ally Ewing and Lexi Thompson. The US got out to an early lead with the European Team recording a bogey on the first hole. The Americans quickly set the tone with Ewing adding a birdie on No. 2 to give the American a two-point advantage. The Europeans tried to slow their roll with Ciganda recording a birdie on No. 3 and stayed at a 1-up lead for the Americans for the next three holes.

The Europeans tied it up with another Ciganda birdie and the match stayed tied until No. 13 when the Europeans took the advantage away from the Americans going 1-up. They added another point to their match heading into No. 16 looking to put the match away when Thompson stuck her tee shot less than 5 feet from the pin and converted the birdie to win the hole. But the Europeans brought out their heroics on No. 17, with Pedersen landing her approach shot a few feet from the pin for a conceded birdie. Neither American converted the tying putt, giving the Europeans a 2-and-1 victory and their fifth point of the competition.

“I think we played amazing golf, morning and afternoon,” Ciganda said about the match. “Obviously it’s really tough to beat the Americans. They were playing some great golf, and with the home crowds, it’s not easy. But I told Emily, let’s wear them out. Let’s hit as many greens as we can. The putts are going to drop. I knew. We are just quality. I knew we are really good and I knew we could do it. We just have to believe. I’m just so happy for her because she’s an amazing player, and we did so well. So just stay in the moment after losing two down after two holes, and then I was like, come on, we can do this, and we are going to do it for Suzann, for Europe and for the team.”

MATCH 16 – Charley Hull/Georgia Hall (EUR) def. Allisen Corpuz/Lilia Vu (USA), 2 up

In what was a tough battle throughout the entirety of the match, Charley Hull and Georgia Hall came out on top with a 2-up victory over Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu. It was just the second time the two had been paired together at the Solheim Cup, but the best friends looked extremely comfortable out on the course, reading each other’s putts, laughing up the fairway, and cheering one another onto their first win as a pair. The duo went 1-up on hole 2, then went 1 up again on holes 5-7, before taking a 1 up lead that they would hold until the end on No 10. It was Hull who sank the hole-winning birdie on 10, then another long one on 12 to put the Europeans 2 up. On 13, Vu went in for birdie first with a solid putt, but Hull answered with a long putt of her own to keep things tied.

The Americans struggled with their putts from 6-15 feet, with Corpuz missing a 6-footer for birdie on 14 and both missing their birdie putts within 15 feet on No. 16. After neither could convert for birdie on the par-3, they match went dormie moving on 17. This time, Corpuz sank the 12-foot putt to put the pressure on Hull, who just missed her putt within 10 feet. On the final hole, a must win for the Americans to earn at least half a point, Corpuz hit her tee shot far right into the gallery while Vu found the fairway with Hull. Corpuz’s second shot hit her target but caught the ridge and rolled onto the backside of the green. Meanwhile Vu hit her second shot well short into the bunker while Hull and Hall both stuck it within 20 feet. Though Lilia’s shot out of the bunker was good, she and Corpuz conceded the match when the latter missed her long putt for birdie.

“I was getting Georgia to read my putts. Felt like I was struggling yesterday with a few of my reads. I just know that Georgia is a very, very good green reader, so I trust her with my life for putting, so there you go,” said Hull. Hall added, “Yeah, shame I can’t stop mine online, but I’m obviously glad she trusts me. Obviously done a bit of extra work helping her. I must say that whatever line I said she hit it right there. She putted amazingly and she really like played so good today. So, yeah.”

US SOLHEIM CUP TEAM

Captain: Stacy Lewis
Vice Captains: Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford
Players: Allisen Corpuz, Lauren Coughlin, Ally Ewing, Megan Khang, Nelly Korda, Jennifer Kupcho, Alison Lee, Andrea Lee, Sarah Schmelzel, Lexi Thompson, Lilia Vu, Rose Zhang

EUROPEAN SOLHEIM CUP TEAM
Captain: Suzann Pettersen
Vice Captains: Laura Davies, Caroline Martens, Anna Nordqvist, Mel Reid
Players: Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Linn Grant, Georgia Hall, Esther Henseleit, Charley Hull, Leona Maguire, Anna Nordqvist, Emily Pedersen, Madelene Sagström, Maja Stark, Albane Valenzuela

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