Europe ended an opening day of the 16th Solheim Cup as Team USA staged a late rally with two games halved on the final hole.
Juli Inkster and captains Catriona Matthew assured that some activity was seen by 12 of the players beneath bright skies at Gleneagles on day one, and both teams created a mixed-bag of golfing with the greater consistency demonstrating the difference of Europe.
1 point forward after the morning foursomes, Europe avoided a repeat of the opening-day fourballs whitewash at Ohio two decades ago and appeared on course to start a three-point edge when they led in two games moving the par-five 18th up.
But a last-ditch birdie from Lexi Thompson refused Bronte Law and Carlota Ciganda, who had been down two to play at a match where the lead changed hands seven days, whereas Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz frittered away a four-hole guide with six to play with and had to pay for a half when Brittany Altomare holed a 20-foot putt for birdie at the last.
Suzann Pettersen went a long way to justifying her wildcard selection if she combined well with Dutch rookie Anne van Dam, whose three birdies in four holes put them on course for a comfortable 2 & 4 win on the feisty Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas, although the issue of slow play was again raised as it required them more than five hours to play 16 holes.
However, Swedish stalwarts Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall made one birdie since they were outplayed by Ally McDonald and Angel Yin, who cruised into a 7.
Law and Ciganda followed their morning half-point with a valiant come-from-behind functionality against Thompson and Jessica Korda, the European pair making three straight birdies to turn into a two-hole deficit to a one-up lead heading up the past, but the home pair were unable to fit Thompson’s birdie four.
And, with mild fading Hull and Munoz were denied a 100 percent record when Nelly Korda and Altomare birdied the final three holes to snatch the next half to the team of Inkster.
The Korda sisters had previously established history as the first priest to play with each other in the competition, and they produced an outstanding operation to conquer Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Caroline Masson 4 & 6 in match , but proved the only win for its holders as Europe headed into the day fourballs using a 2.5-1.5 edge.
Law’s first preference of Solheim Cup action led to a battling half with Ciganda in the top game against Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex, until Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier place the very first blue on the board with a 2&1 win over Thompson and Altomare – Thompson’s first defeat in the event because 2013.
Munoz and hull piled off an afternoon for Matthew’s staff with a hard-fought 2 & 1 victory on Annie Park and Megan Kang in the suit, although the European group made only one birdie.
Matthew did spring a surprise for her day line-up when she rested Hall and assured that all 12 of her players would see some action on the first day, although Inkster also selected the four players that sat out the foursomes, although she separated the jubilant Korda sisters.
However, Inkster might have been the captain that was happier as the very first day’s action ended using their two halved matches preventing a cause for Matthew’s team going into day two.
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