Solheim Cup golf 2024: USA lead Europe 8-4 into day two fourballs – live | Solheim Cup

Joe Pearson is pulling no punches! He emails about Laura Davies’ claim that this is the biggest event in women’s sport with the header: “Laura Davies is nuts!” and adds: “Someone tell Laura Davies to take her medicine. If the most important women’s sport event is not the Women’s World Cup, then I don’t know anything.” I think we can grant her some leeway this week, Joe! It’s a giddy scene and easy to get carried away.

It feels a little as if Europe has soaked up a lot of big hits and everything has started to settle down. There’s no more than one hole in any of the four matches. It’s not good, but it’s not as bad as it felt 30 minutes ago.

Lee (Al)/Khang 1UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (6)
Lee (An)/Zhang 1UP v Grant/Boutier (5)
Ewing/Thompson 1UP v Ciganda/Pedersen (4)
Corpuz/Vu A/S Hull/Hall (3)

Lilia Vu can putt. She broke Charley Hull’s heart when defeating her in last year’s AIG Women’s Open and now she drains a 35 foot birdie putt at the third to bring their match level. It was a wonderful effort. Beautiful pace. Perfect line. Over the front of the cup and in.

Better news for Europe: Rose Zhang has missed a tiddler for birdie at five and she and Andrea Lee now lead Celine Boutier (who made her birdie) and Linn Grant by one hole.

Catriona Matthew relates on TV that Laura Davies says the Solheim Cup is the biggest event in women’s sport. Any thoughts?! It seems a slightly giddy call to me.

I’m a big fan of the personable on-course commentator Jim Gallagher. Yesterday he said, “They played well this morning but this afternoon is a different day.” Earlier today he said: “Lexi Thompson is literally a different person to yesterday.” It’s like Jim lives in a different dimension. Wonderful stuff.

Carlota Ciganda polishes off a birdie from eight feet at three and now she and Emily Pedersen are only one down. There is very little response from the galleries, however. The European fans must be elsewhere. “Car-lot-a Ci-gan-da!” is usually a popular chant in such circumstances.

The Americans have played the second pretty, pretty well this afternoon. Alison Lee made an eagle-2 in the top match. Andrea Lee made a birdie-3 next up. Ally Ewing made another birdie-3 in the third game. And then the tide turns! Georgia Hall converts a birdie in the last match and finally Europe has not only won that hole – it is the first hole they have won all afternoon. She and Charley Hull are one up.

A birdie from 15 feet for Anna Nordqvist in the top match at 5. But it’s only good for a half. She and Madelene Sagstrom remain one down.

Another great birdie putt for Ally Ewing at the second, from about 18 feet. Emily Pedersen misses to halve the hole from a third of that distance. Ewing will be desperate for a point. She’s is 0-2-0 this week which means she is a total of 3-10-1 in her Solheim Cup career. She’s a much better golfer than that record suggests. She and Lexi Thompson are two up now. A great start.

The last group halve the first with pars. But it’s not been the best of starts for Europe.

Lee (Al)/Khang 1UP v Nordqvist/Sagstrom (4)
Lee (An)/Zhang 2UP v Grant/Boutier (2)
Ewing/Thompson 1UP v Ciganda/Pedersen (1)
Corpuz/Vu A/S Hull/Hall (1)

“An unmentionable,” says Karen Stupples on TV. Carlota Ciganda has hit a shank at the second and disappeared into the trees. Partner Emily Pedersen plays a wonderful approach to eight feet to make up for it.

And here is that sensational blow from Alison Lee. Tremendous.

The Team USA task for this afternoon. But the photo works better if you imagine it as the response to the caddies pulling their shirts off.

Stacy Lewis on the state of the match: “We’re having fun and there’s a lot of energy out there. These are two very long days so let’s keep the energy up. We’re going to use this home crowd.”

Charley Hull on the first tee – and I’ll repeat what I wrote yesterday. There are few greater sights in modern golf than her recoil. Like a medieval trebuchet. Just terrific. Off target from the first, however. She and Georgia Hall find sand. Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu settle in the fairway. We’re away. All four games on the course! And Andrea Lee has drained another birdie putt – just the 12 feet this time.

So there’s a story about the shirt removal. The caddies of Meghan Khang and Alison Lee said they’d pay the players $500 for a fairway hole out. Khang came back with the idea of the bagmen removing their tops instead. Fingers crossed there is no ramping up of this idea if anyone lands an albatross.

“You CAN make a DIFFERENCE! Let’s Gooooooo!!” implores the first tee announcer. It’s the final fourball of the day: Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu, both major winners last year, against Charley Hull and Georgia Hall, who are best friends but who have always been reluctant to play together in the Solheim Cup in the past.

More Lee drama. This time it is Andrea Lee on the first green. Her putt slinks first one way and then another before dropping for a winning birdie. Her caddie keeps his kit on. A bold start for the Americans.

Saturday fourball match three hits the first tee. It’s Ally Ewing (who drained a couple of monster putts this morning) and Lexi Thompson up against a dancing Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen. The latter is playing for a fifth time this week (current record 1-2-0).

No sooner had I posted news of Alison Lee’s incredible shot than her caddie ripped his shirt off (and Meghan Khang’s does too). Cue astonishment for Team USA watching on the first tee and the TV commentators were a little bewildered, too. “I can’t un-see that,” says Karen Stupples.

HUGE cheers ring around the first tee as Linn Grant settles over her approach in the fairway. It’s because Alison Lee, on 2, has holed out for an eagle-2!

Pettersen on her decision to bench Leona Maguire in both of today’s sessions: “It’s always hard to sit great players. But where we are we have to pick players playing well this week. She’s allowed to be disappointed but she’s a good team player.” Remember, Maguire was 7-2-1 entering this week after her first two Solheim Cup appearances. She played once yesterday and lost.

Suzann Pettersen talks to TV. “I was super proud,” she says of the morning effort. “We were hoping for 3-1. But they did so much right. We have a big job. But we can get right back in it. We need a strong start. These girls are up for it.”

Fun and games with the first tee announcer who likes to hang on his words like Harold Lloyd held onto clock faces. “Rose! Zhannnngggg!”

More first tee celebrity appearances. Yesterday it was Barack Obama. Today Jessica Alba. Who will it be tomorrow? There seems to be a theme, with celebs whose surnames end with an A.

It’s time for the Stanford University grads Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang to hit the first tee. Europe also has a Stanford grad on its team in Albane Valenzuela but she’s not been trusted to play today. Instead the blue and yellow will be represented by Linn Grant and Celine Boutier. Meanwhile, up ahead, four so-so approach shots in the opening match.

The first match out this (late) afternoon is Alison Lee and Meghan Khang versus Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom. The bucket-hatted Swedes won together yesterday and Nordqvist also won this morning. Khang was a winner with Nelly Korda yesterday who sits this session. So a new combo for Team USA. The Swedes hit good opening blows, Lee goes short and right, Khang thrashes her ball down the middle. A smiling Sagstrom, married last week, exits the tee box with metaphorical confetti flying and tin cans tied to her heels.

Can Europe close the gap before the singles? It’s a huge task but it is perhaps important to remember that not only does this European team have experience of fighting back from a four point deficit (last year), the American team has experience of seeing such a significant lead dwindle. If – and it is a big IF – Europe can close the gap and apply pressure those memories could start to play games with the minds of the Americans. Let’s repeat though: it’s a big if.

No Nelly Korda this afternoon. On the course, at least. She’s currently dancing on the first tee with a big grin on her face. We should be set for a raucous hour as the quartet of fourballs leave that first tee arena.

Thanks Scott and good afternoon everyone. That was quite a first session, wasn’t it? I’ve just been scratching away at the numbers. Europe was in an element of control at halfway, leading in three of the four matches. But it was largely down to poor golf from the hosts. Europe played the front nine in a combined 3-under and the back nine in 5-under. The US, in contrast, was 8-over for the front nine and 17-under on the way home. That’s some improvement.

… and with that, my work here today is complete. The crucial afternoon action will be described by the lovely Matt Cooper. Have a good time, and I’ll see you tomorrow for the singles.

5.05pm BST: Alison Lee / Megan Khang v Anna Nordqvist / Madelene Sagstrom
5.20pm BST: Andrea Lee / Rose Zhang v Linn Grant / Celine Boutier
5.35pm BST: Ally Ewing / Lexi Thompson v Carlota Ciganda / Emily Pedersen
5.50pm BST: Allisen Corpuz / Lilia Vu v Charley Hull / Georgia Hall

That promised much more for Europe, when they were 2UP , 3UP and 4UP in three of the matches. Then, for a while towards the end of the session, it threatened to turn very sour. So hats off to Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit for pulling something out of the hat on 18 there. The lead match will be the cause of regret, a two-hole lead let slip, albeit to the finest player in the world. But what a difference it would have made had Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda managed to hold on. Still, a share of the spoils isn’t a complete disaster for the visitors as they battle to keep their four-in-a-row hopes alive. They’ll need to make inroads in the afternoon, though.

1UP Allisen Corpuz / Nelly Korda v Emily Pedersen / Carlota Ciganda
Ally Ewing / Jennifer Kupcho v Esther Henseleit / Charley Hull 1UP
4&3 Lexi Thompson / Lauren Coughlin v Maja Stark / Georgia Hall
Lilia Vu / Sarah Schmelzel v Anna Nordqvist / Celine Boutier 4&3

Nope, Jennifer Kupcho can’t get anywhere near. Ally Ewing’s two monster putts all for nothing in the end, cancelled out in one swish of Esther Henseleit’s wedge. What a clutch chip! “We [word redacted by Golf Is For All Ages editor] love you Charley!” screams the sweary contingent of the European fanbase. Forgive them, folks, for that was a nail-biter and Europe really needed that.

Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (F)

Jennifer Kupcho’s drive ends up on a hillock to the right of the fairway. Ally Ewing can only whip America’s second into greenside sand. That leaves the door ajar for Europe, with Charley Hull having boomed one down the track. Esther Henseleit, well aware of the importance of a win, paces out each and every one of the 86 yards that remain … before hitting a simply outrageous wedge in. The ball takes a couple of gentle bounces before gripping and halting 12 inches – if that – from the hole! The birdie putt is conceded, and Kupcho will have to hole out if the USA are to take anything from this match.

Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (17)

Emily Pedersen gives her long birdie putt a good go. An effort that oscillates this way and that, and over a ridge to boot. But it’s not dropping. Nelly Korda cradles her putt up to kick-in distance, and a session that earlier threatened to turn into a European clean sweep will most likely be won by the hosts … unless Esther Hernseleit and Charley Hull can somehow snatch something back up 18. What a turnaround! What collective moxie by the Americans.

1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (F)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (17)

Allisen Corpuz and Carlota Ciganda both find the 18th green in regulation. The former much closer than the latter. You’d think Emily Pedersen needs to make like Ally Ewing and drain a monster if Europe are to salvage a half-point. Meanwhile the inevitable occurs on 17 in the wake of Charley Hull’s astonishing misjudgement, and the last remaining splash of blue is removed from the scoreboard. Those two huge rakes by Ewing have visibly shocked the European pair, who aren’t quite in thousand-yard-stare territory yet, but are sure close to getting there.

1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (17)
Ewing/Kupcho A/S Henseleit/Hull (17)

Some respite for Europe, as 15 is halved in the anchor match. That’s good enough to chalk up a third point for the visitors. It was all over after five holes, in retrospect, but Lilia Vu’s street-fighting smarts kept the European duo of Celine Boutier and Anna Nordqvist honest. Sarah Schmelzel’s putting woes so costly for the hosts. Nordqvist is two from two.

1UP Corpuz/Korda v Ciganda/Pedersen (17)
Ewing/Kupcho v Henseleit/Hull 1UP (16)
Schmelzel/Vu v Boutier/Nordqvist 4&3 (F)

A huge, and potentially very costly, rush of blood for Charley Hull on 17. She flies the green with her approach and her ball disappears into the penalty area behind. An astonishing mistake, and Jennifer Kupcho twists the knife by knocking her second to 12 feet. It looks like match two will be level going up the last, and Europe are in serious danger of letting this all go south.