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WORLD number one Nelly Korda led from the front as the United States dominated a disappointing Europe on the opening day of the Solheim Cup in Virginia.
Korda was in irresistible form, winning both her matches as the home side took both sessions 3-1 to lead 6-2 – a record margin for day one of the contest.
She teamed up with Allisen Corpuz to claim the first point in the alternate shot foursomes and was then victorious with Megan Khang in the afternoon fourballs.
For Europe it was a largely bruising day.
It had begun with captain Suzann Pettersen enthusiastically dancing to YMCA on the first tee as dawn broke over Lake Manassas and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
It ended with her sounding flat as she delivered a “we have done it before and we can do it again” assessment of Europe’s tough task ahead.
In contrast, US skipper Stacy Lewis revelled in an “awesome day” after “some unbelievable golf” from her players.
However she warned them: “We’ve got to go out there [on Saturday] like it’s 0-0 and put as many points as we can on the board because you never know, they could be firing on all cylinders.”
‘I don’t feel like we were playing poorly’
Europe came into the contest looking to become the first side to lift the Solheim Cup for a fourth successive time.
But their underdog status was underlined on a day in which the US side, stronger on paper in terms of world ranking positions, asserted their superiority as they chase a first win since 2017.
The whole US mantra this week has been “unfinished business” after Europe fought back from 4-0 down to draw 14-14 in Spain last year and retain the trophy.
And Lewis sent Korda and Corpuz out first in the morning as a statement of intent, given they won both their foursomes matches in Spain. Once again they delivered a red point, finishing strongly to beat England’s Charley Hull and Germany’s Esther Henseleit 3&2 in a see-saw match.
Korda then returned with Khang, dancing on to the first tee for the afternoon fourballs in front of former US president Barack Obama, who is a member at the exclusive course about an hour west of Washington DC.
They waltzed to a 6&4 victory over England’s Georgia Hall and Ireland’s Leona Maguire, winning five of the first seven holes to set the platform for a comfortable point. Big-hitting Korda was particularly dominant on the par-five holes, winning all eight across her two rounds.
Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang were also big winners, 5&4 over Hull and Linn Grant. The match had been finely poised when Lee birdied the ninth to put the Americans one clear and they won four of the next five to clinch another point.
Rookie pairing Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel then rounded off a sensational day for the US with a 3&2 victory over Maja Stark and Emily Pedersen.
Stark and Pedersen had picked up Europe’s solitary point in the morning with a nervy victory that went down to the 18th hole, despite them being four up after five holes.
And the afternoon point came from veteran Anna Nordqvist, playing in her ninth Solheim Cup, alongside her good friend and fellow Swede Madelene Sagstrom.
They won six successive holes from the eighth as they demolished the retiring Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee 6&5.
“I don’t feel like we’re playing poorly,” insisted captain Pettersen.
“The Americans played great and I feel like they had all the putts rolling their way and I don’t feel like we’ve had any momentum.
“Everything’s possible though. Last year was a good example of it. There are so many points left to play for and we come back ready to fight again.”
Culled from BCC
14th September, 2024.
C.E.
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