Team Europe have a one point lead in the 2021 Solheim Cup after Team USA gained momentum in Sunday morning’s foursomes. Europe lead 6.5 points to USA’s 5.5 points.
Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst (USA) def. Georgia Hall and Madelene Sagstrom (EUR), 1 up
American duo Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst faced Team Europe’s Georgia Hall and Madelene Sagstrom in the first match of Sunday morning’s foursomes. It was the European pair who started the brightest and found form with the putter rolling in early birdies to go 2 up after the opening two holes.
However, Team USA soon began to turn the day around winning holes four, six and seven to put themselves 1 up.
But Europe hadn’t given up the fight and won two holes of their own, with Hall’s long birdie putt on 10 putting them back into the lead.
With the crowd behind them, Team USA regained the momentum with Kang’s long putt on 13 to tie the match they won the next hole to move 1 up with four to play. And it was Team USA who held onto their advantage all the way down to 18 to claim their first point of the day.
“It was huge to get that point. We tried to get the crowd jacked up on pretty much every green, so that way everybody else could kind of hear those cheers,” said Ernst. “Then we started hearing more cheers from everybody else.”
“It was exciting. I’m really happy to put a point up there for both of us. We worked really hard for that point,” added Kang. “She had some great shots into the green and I’m really happy for how we played. It was a tough match and we took them to 18, but we know that we can play better.”
Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare (USA) def. Charley Hull and Emily K. Pedersen (EUR), 2 and 1
With a phenomenal finish, USA’s Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare defeated European duo Charley Hull and Emily K. Pedersen on the 17th hole to earn a crucial point for Team USA.
The Americans birdied the second hole to gain an early 1-up lead, but the Europeans quickly turned the score to their advantage with two birdies and consecutive wins No. 3 and No 4.
Halfway through the match, the American team regained the lead with three out of four holes won on 7 through 10. Although Team Europe won 13 with a birdie, they missed their chance to level the score on the 16th and it was Thompson who sunk a long putt for birdie on No. 17 which gained her team one point.
“I missed the fairway [on No. 17] and Brittany got me into a perfect spot,” said Thompson. “All I wanted was her on the green for me to get a putt at it and happened to roll it.”
“Lexi and my attitude was just go beat them, get ahead, stay ahead, and just play our games and be aggressive,” added Altomare. “I think we did that.”
Thompson also commented on the Happy Birthday pins both teams are wearing in honor of Grace Godfrey, who turns 1 today. Baby Grace, the daughter of Tour veteran Grace Park and long-time Tour caddie Pete Godfrey, suffered severe health problems earlier this year and is still undergoing treatments.
“We came into the day just playing for Grace. It’s her first birthday today; she’s going through some health problems, and we just wanted to keep a smile on our faces for her and keep her in our prayers,” said Thompson. “Came out today with that attitude that we’re just blessed to be our here.”
Mel Reid and Leona Maguire (EUR) def. Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing (USA), 5 and 4
Mel Reid and Leona Maguire continued to be a formidable duo for Team Europe on Sunday morning, taking a 1-up lead on the first hole over Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing and cruising home from there. Reid and Maguire won seven holes, including three in a row from 3-5, to earn a dominating 5-and-4 win over their American counterparts.
Maguire, a Solheim Cup rookie and the first Irish player to represent Europe, punctuated the win with a massive fist pump and a bear hug from her English playing partner. Reid and Maguire are now undefeated as a pairing at the 2021 Solheim Cup and will partner again in the afternoon’s four-ball match.
“I think it was a pairing neither of us saw coming but the captains obviously saw something in us that we didn’t see in ourselves. I think we’re both fearless on the golf course, which is something you need to be in those matches, especially given the pairings we were up against,” said Maguire. “I mean, Nelly and Jessica yesterday, Nelly and Ally today, world-class players, and we really had to be on our ‘A’ game to come out with a point.”
“My role was to kind of make her feel comfortable as someone who’s been on a few Solheim Cups, and just very, very impressed with her, honestly,” added Reid. “That grit and determination is second to none. It’s been an honor, honestly, playing with her the last few days.”
Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho (USA) def. Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren (EUR), 3 and 1
The European duo of Matilda Castren and Anna Nordqvist were the talk of day one at the 2021 Solheim Cup, winning both matches together. But in Sunday foursomes, it was Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho who rewrote the headlines with a 3-and-1 victory to cap a strong morning session by the Americans.
“Well, this one [Jennifer] here is ice cold. I don’t have to tell her anything,” said Salas, a five-time member of Team USA. “She was reading putts for me, just all around an amazing team player these last two matches. I did what I could, and we got the job done together.”
A par on the opening hole gave Team Europe an early lead, which was extended with a birdie on No. 3. Then on the par-4 6th, the Europeans found trouble off the tee and Team USA capitalized. Salas buried an 18-foot birdie to cut the deficit in half. But the very next hole, rookie Castren continued to show why she is anything but a rookie. From 197 yards out into a false front and severely uphill, the LPGA winner at the 2021 Mediheal Championship knocked her 5-wood to five feet. Nordqvist took care of the rest.
Both squads made a mess of the par-5 8th, with a bogey taking it for Team USA. At the turn it was a 1-up lead for the Europeans. The back nine belonged to the Stars and Stripes, however. Salas and Kupcho sealed the win by taking four straight holes from Nos. 14-17, a stretch that included a pair of monster putts for birdie from Kupcho.
“I definitely thrive under this [pressure]. It’s so fun to hear the crowd road [like after my putts on Nos. 15 and 17]. As a rookie [on this team], it’s super exciting for me,” Kupcho said. “I love the sound of it. I’ll keep doing it, hopefully.
“After yesterday, we were also 2 down [against Ciganda and Popov] and came back to win, so I just kept telling myself that we can turn it around.”
