EUROPE AND UNITED STATES TIE SATURDAY FOURSOMES 2-2

Europe still have work to do on Saturday at the Solheim Cup as they managed to secure two points from the morning foursomes session. Early on, Europe dominated the scoreboard but the U.S. Team clawed results back to also secure two points of their own. The total score stood at U.S. 8-4 Europe after three sessions, read about the morning session here…

Saturday Foursomes Results

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 U.S. 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 U.S., 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 and 3

Lauren Coughlin became just the third American Solheim Cup rookie to win each of her first three matches as she teamed up 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 U.S. 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/Celine Boutier (EUR) def. Lilia Vu/Sarah Schmelzel (USA), 4 and 3

Anna Nordqvist and Celine 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 Celine 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 Celine.”

Session scores: USA 2 Europe 2

Overall scores: USA 8 Europe 4