Sunday’s afternoon fourballs saw Europe regain some of their advantage adding 2.5 points to their total and ending the day with 9 points compared to Team USA’s 7 points.
Yealimi Noh and Mina Harigae (USA) def. Celine Boutier and Sophia Popov (EUR), 3 and 1
American rookies Yealimi Noh and Mina Harigae took on Europe’s rookie Sophia Popov and Celine Boutier in Sunday’s afternoon fourballs and defeated the Europeans, 3 and 1.
The front nine saw the U.S. rookies make the turn with a 3-up lead courtesy of three birdies from Harigae at 2, 3 and 9. Early on, it looked like Captain Pat Hurst’s faith in her all-rookie squad was well-earned.
“Mina made lots of good putts on the front nine and really got the crowd going, too, from that. It was good,” said Noh. “It was good to have a lead on the front nine for once. I think it was our first time having a lead.”
As any golf fan knows, no lead is ever safe in match play. The European duo birdied holes 10, 12 and 13 to tie the match and set up a shootout for the last five holes.
But the Americans were determined to come out and win a match in their first Solheim Cup. Harigae converted another birdie at No. 14 to reclaim a 1-up lead, and two more birdies at 16 and 17 gave the Americans another point.
“I think we were just ready to go more than anything. We were champing at the bit watching the morning matches, especially their comebacks,” said Harigae. “I think that motivated us more. And pairing two rookies together, and we both got our first Solheim Cup points, that’s a memory that is one of my best golf experiences.”
Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen (EUR) def. Jessica Korda and Megan Khang (USA), 1 up
It was a competitive battle until the very end, as Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen eked out a point for Team Europe over Jessica Korda and Megan Khang of Team USA with a 1-up victory. There was no lead greater than that margin throughout the match for either team.
After sitting out the morning foursomes, Korda gave the Americans an early advantage by draining a 32-foot eagle putt from the first cut of rough on No. 2. Europe tied it with par on No. 4, then jumped out front at the par-4 seventh when Koerstz Madsen found the bottom of the cup from 27 feet for birdie. It did not faze Korda, as on the next hole, she blasted out of the greenside bunker to inches for a tap-in birdie on the par 5. Khang kept the momentum rolling on No. 9, chipping in from 9 feet out of the rough off the back of the green.
“If I was in trouble, Carlota played great and the other way around. If she was in trouble, I did some good stuff,” said Koerstz Madsen, a Solheim Cup rookie. “The other girls played really good, so it was a really fun match going back and forth. The crowd was crazy.”
The back nine of the match was quiet compared to the front nine, but it did have its moments. A birdie by Koerstz Madsen on No. 12 tied Europe with the Stars and Stripes. Three holes later, Ciganda buried a right-to-left 40-foot birdie to give Team Europe the lead for good.
“I think it was really important to get that point,” said Ciganda, a five-time member of Team Europe. “It was a really tight match. The Americans were happy after they had a great morning, so we knew it was going to be a tough afternoon. Going into tomorrow, winning these two days was key.”
Mel Reid and Leona Maguire (EUR) tied with Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas (USA)
If anyone had any doubt, Leona Maguire and Mel Reid put it to rest with another phenomenal performance on Sunday to cement themselves as the dominant duo for this year’s European Solheim Team. Two wins and a tie later, the two have earned 2.5 points together for the blue and yellow through the first two days of the Solheim Cup at Inverness Club, with the final half point coming from an exciting afternoon fourball session with Americans Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho.
With an hour to reset from their dominant morning triumph together in foursomes, Maguire and Reid struck first with a birdie on No. 1 courtesy of Maguire. After Salas birdied No. 4 to tie it, the Americans gained their first lead at No. 6 where both players notched birdies. But before the turn, Maguire stuffed it close on No. 9 to easily tie it up as they made the turn.
U.S. Solheim Cup rookie Kupcho answered the call immediately, making consecutive birdies on Nos. 10 and 11 to go 2 up, but the Europeans answered back with a birdie by Reid on the par-3 12th to cut into the American’s momentum and cut the lead in half. Two bogeys from Kupcho and Salas on No. 15 brought the match to a tie, until an outstanding chip in from just off the green at 17 put the Stars and Stripes out front.
It all came down to 18. With the opportunity to gain a half point for the Euros, Reid found birdie. From 136 yards out, she put it a few feet from the pin, tying the match. The half point was “huge,” said the 33-year-old.
“I didn’t have my best stuff today. I think they were obviously two great players and they played perfect four-ball. If one was out, one was making a look at birdie,” said Reid. “Leona, again, played great, putted fantastic, kept us in the match, and then I just saw kind of a wave of yellow and blue, which was all our team, and I knew I had to pull something off. Leona has been obviously holing the winning putts everywhere, so I thought I’d take a little bit of credit finally.”
And the veteran Salas only had positive things to say about her rookie partner as well. “I feel like the MVP of our team is this one right here,” she said, hugging Kupcho on 18 green. “She played, again, amazing golf today. I did my part the first like six holes, and obviously we would have wanted a full point, but Europe is a tough competitor. She played amazing, and I’ll figure my game out by tomorrow.”
Charley Hull and Emily K. Pedersen (EUR) def. Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst (USA), 3 and 2
In their second match of the day, European duo Charley Hull and Emily K. Pedersen got the better of Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst. The battle was the finale to the afternoon fourballs session, and it was a tight affair for the opening four holes.
Ernst made a birdie on the fifth to put Team USA 1 up but Race to Costa del Sol champion Pedersen made birdie on seven and a sensational eagle on 8 to put Europe 1 up.
The Europeans extended their advantage on the par-4 11th when both players made a birdie and Pedersen drained another birdie on 12 to go 3 up.
“I was pretty chilled all the way. Emily made a great eagle on the eighth hole, and then I made two good birdies on the back nine on 10 and 11, then she birdied 12,” said Hull. “It just gave us some good momentum.”
Team Europe had chances to add to their score, but USA kept themselves in the hunt until the match was won when the Danish star left her second shot centimetres from the hole on 16 to record a 3-and-2 victory.
“It was a good day. I feel like I’m a whole other person compared to 2017,” admitted Pedersen. “I feel like I’m a lot more mature, and I feel a lot more comfortable on the course. Charley is very easy-going and a great player – it is nice to have her by my side.”
