Europe’s attempt to maintain hold of the Solheim Cup suffered from a rocky beginning, as they fell to defeat in the initial foursomes 3-1 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia. The solitary pair scoring victory for Europe was Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark, who overcame Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho. Despite an early lead, the US team managed to drag the match out to the 18th hole.
Nelly Korda, who is renowned as the world’s number one, had been leading the competition, teaming up with Allisen Corpuz to achieve a 3&2 triumph against Charley Hull from England and Esther Henseleit, a newcomer from Germany. Korda and Corpuz have a history of success in the foursomes, having won both rounds in Spain previously. By winning the 14th, 15th, and 16th, they set a new record as the first American duo to secure three consecutive victories.
Following suit, Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin emerged victoriously in a 3&2 over rookie Albane Valenzuela from Switzerland and Celine Boutier from France. Lilia Vu, the world’s second highest ranking player, and beginner Sarah Schmelzel overcame Linn Grant and Carlota Ciganda by the same margin to give the host team a 3-0 lead.
Despite these victories for the home team, a clean sweep in the opening session was averted as Pedersen and Stark claimed control of match three early on. This will have been a huge relief to European captain, Suzann Pettersen.
Pedersen commented on their performance, stating that they played well overall, making only a few errors. She was positive that if they continued in this vein, victory was in sight. Catriona Matthew, a two-time winning captain, reflected on the performance, noting that while there had been a similar 4-0 defeat in Spain, it’s more challenging on foreign turf. However, she urged that they remain calm, as it was only the first session, and only four points had been played for.
In the afternoon’s fourball session, the Irish player Leona Maguire will team up with Georgia Hall from England for Match 5, where they will face off against Korda and her teammate Megan Khang. Prior to this, the tournament’s organizers found themselves issuing an apology for the severe problems with letting spectators onto the course, leading to a noticeable lack of crowd at the commencement of play at the first tee. Supporters shared videos of extensive queue for the shuttle buses on the internet, with instances of individuals abandoning the event and leaving. The LPGA delivered a statement expressing their remorse and acknowledging the difficulties faced by fans due to the parking and shuttle system to the golf course. It was also mentioned that constructive modifications have been applied to the transport system to prevent subsequent complications and that they are exploring appropriate methods to show their contrition to those who were inconvenienced.