There we go, then. Mel Reid, huh? Another day, another wonderfully dramatic couple of sessions, studded from start to finish with some quite brilliant golf. Europe take a two-point lead going into the final day’s singles, but as anyone who followed the final day at Gleneagles two years ago will know, a plethora of outcomes are possible. Anything could happen, and it certainly will. Hope you’ll join us for that tomorrow afternoon. See you then, and thanks for reading this blog. Nighty night!
Noh/Harigae beat Boutier/Popov 3&1
J Korda/Khang lost to Ciganda/Koerstz Madsen 1UP
Kupcho/Salas tied with Reid/Maguire
Kang/Ernst lost to Hull/Pedersen 4&2
Updated
USA 7-9 Europe
... in goes the putt, and just as Kupcho sickened Europe on 17, Reid returns the favour by pulling something out of the bag at the last! A to-and-fro match ends all square, and it’s the difference between a two-point lead for Europe and just the one. That will hurt the US team.
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (F)
USA 7-9 Europe
Updated
Kupcho dribbles her putt down the green as slowly as she can. But it’s such a speedy one, it rolls four feet past the hole. Maguire has a chance to seal the deal early doors, but her downhill birdie effort from a similar position to Kupcho sails wide right. And then finally Reid, who steps up, stands over her two footer, and ...
Salas up first. She’s got a 30-footer across the green. She lags it up at perfect pace, but it’s always stopping high on the right. Par, and it’s all down to Kupcho, whose approach went over the flag and faces a downhill left-to-right swinger.
Salas and Kupcho both find 18 in two. Both will have looks at birdie from 30 feet; at least one of them will make a two-putt par at the very least, you’d think. So Europe need to find the birdie that’d grab half a point. And they’ve got one heck of a chance of getting it, because from 135 yards, Reid sends a high iron straight at the flag, taking on the bunker. As she twirls her club, clearly happy, she narrows her eyes to peer up the hole. The ball lands just past the bunker, the rough taking all excess pace and spin off the ball, which trundles on a serene left-to-right curve to a couple of feet! Sensational!
What a competitor Jennifer Kupcho is! Yet again she pulls something extraordinary out of the bag! With Reid putting from the fringe at the back, she throws down the gauntlet by steering in a chip from the greenside rough. Reid, spooked, having looked favourite to win the hole, sends a timid putt wide right, and what a classic matchplay steal by the amazing Kupcho! The US go down the last assured of at least a half.
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (17)
USA 6½-8½ Europe
USA 6½-8½ Europe
Neither Khang nor Korda look like making their long birdie putts, and Madsen is afforded two putts to win the match. She cosies the first putt up to the edge, and that’s another point for Europe! Ciganda did most of the work since the turn, but it was Madsen who sealed the deal when the Spaniard found herself out of position. J Korda/Khang lost to Ciganda/Madsen 1UP.
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (F)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (16)
USA 6½-8½ Europe
USA 6½-7½ Europe
Pedersen sends her drive through the short par-four 16th, then chips back to a couple of feet. It’s conceded, the hole is halved, and Europe have finally put something on the board after a long wait! Kang/Ernst lost to Hull/Pedersen 3&2.
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (17)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (16)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3&2 (F)
USA 6½-7½ Europe
Korda finds the green with her second, but she’s plenty right of the flag. Madsen responds by knocking her approach pin high to 20 feet. Khang also finds the dancefloor in two, but like Korda, she’s roughly twice as far away as the Dane. Meanwhile on 17, Reid is the only player to find the green in regulation ... and she swipes a pearler to 15 feet! Advantage Europe on both greens, but plenty of drama to unfold yet, I’ll be bound.
The USA are in the box seat coming down 18, with both Korda and Khang in the fairway, but only Madsen on the short stuff for Europe. Ciganda, in a fairway bunker to the right of the hole, is forced to take her medicine and chip out.
A chance for Danielle Kang to snatch a hole back off Europe in the anchor match ... but her relatively straight 25-footer misses on the left, and it’s dormie three.
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (17)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (16)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (15)
USA 6½-6½ Europe
Leona Maguire is a sensational golfer! She rolls a very missable birdie putt straight into the cup, and punches the air in celebration. That’s kept her team level, with a couple of holes to play. Ice cool. Meanwhile up on 17, Carlota Ciganda scrambles par to keep Europe one ahead in her match with one hole to play. Dormie, and she’s been outstanding since the turn.
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (17)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (16)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (14)
USA 6½-6½ Europe
Kupcho is this close to chipping in from the fringe at the short par-four 16th for eagle. That’s a tap-in birdie, and the pressure is suddenly on Maguire, who has raced her own chip 12 feet past. Reid tries to relieve the burden by draining her long birdie chance, but it doesn’t drop. Big putt from Maguire coming up.
Europe respond through Leona Maguire, who wins 15 in par! That’s tied the third match, and what Europe would give to cash in their chips now.
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (16)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (15)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (13)
USA 6½-6½ Europe
USA 6½-6½ Europe
Neither Boutier nor Popov give their long birdie rakes enough juice, and it’s hole and match to the rookie pairing of Noh and Harigae! That’s a fine victory, not least because Boutier and Popov came roaring back at them, eating up their three-hole lead. The US pair kept their supercool, and simply pulled away from their European opponents once again. And the hosts are level for the first time since the scores were 0-0 yesterday morning! Noh/Harigae beat Boutier/Popov 3&1.
3&1 Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (F)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (16)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (14)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (13)
USA 6½-6½ Europe
Updated
Ciganda and Korda both chip close at the short par-four 16th. They pop in their putts to halve the hole with birdie. That was a particularly great up and down by the Spaniard, who was in thick rough to the left of the green, a bunker in the road.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (16)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (16)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (14)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (13)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Noh and Harigae are surely going to close out the opening match. All four players are on 17 in regulation, but the American pair are far closer to the pin. Both will have a look at birdie from 15 feet. Given they only need a half, this looks a done deal ... though of course at the Solheim, you never know, and it’d only take either one of Boutier or Popov to rake in their 30-foot chance to rattle some nerves.
A chance for Pedersen to put Europe four up in the anchor match. But her 20-foot putt is always staying high on the right.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (16)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (15)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (14)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (13)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
Boutier pulls a 15-foot birdie putt wide at 16. Noh rolls in a ten-footer for her birdie. Popov needs to match her from six feet, but prods a poor effort to the right. The USA are dormie two, and it looks like Boutier and Popov’s brave comeback is going to be all in vain. The best they can do is snatch half a point. Better news for Europe on 15, though, where Ciganda rolls in her 30-foot right-to-left slider at absolutely dead weight. If one joule of energy was spared, that would have been teetering on the lip. Overhanging? Let’s not go there.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (16)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (15)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (14)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (12)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Khang and Korda find 15 in regulation, but they’re both back right when the pin’s front left. Madsen can’t reach the green with her approach, while Ciganda takes on the bunker guarding the left, and straight over the flag, but a good 30 feet past. Really not sure who’s in better nick there.
The opening pair tie 15 in par. Meanwhile back on 14, Ciganda comes awfully close to draining a 30-footer for birdie and the hole, but her effort shaves the right-hand lip. And on 13, Maguire and Salas trade 15-footers for birdie. That’s some putt by Salas, who keeps the Europeans at bay. For now. This session is right on the knife-edge.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (15)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (14)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (13)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (12)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Pedersen rolls in her birdie putt! In fact, it was more like a 25-footer, and she gives the air a quiet punch. Kang, in the fringe at the back, can still match her by chipping in, and that’s very much a possibility from 15 feet or so. But she clips nervously, the ball always breaking right, never getting far enough. Europe have suddenly gained the upper hand in the final match.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (14)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (13)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (12)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 3UP (12)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Pedersen’s tee shot at 12 lands pin high. She’ll have a look at birdie from 15 feet. Kang responds by arrowing her iron straight at the pin. If it hits, it’s either shattering the stick or dropping in. It sails by and into the rough at the back, where Ernst and Hull also roam. You’d take Europe’s position here.
Kupcho looks like she might win three holes in a row for her team, sending her tee shot at 12 over the flag to 12 feet. But Reid lands her tee shot 15 feet below the flag, then arrows in the putt. Kupcho shoves her effort wide left, and America’s lead is halved. Meanwhile Hull doubles Europe’s lead in the last match, wedging her second to kick-in distance, forcing Ernst to attempt a chip-in from the fringe that she can’t make. This isn’t ebbing and flowing any more; it’s pulsating.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (14)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (13)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (12)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 2UP (11)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
Harigae makes her birdie putt at 14 and reclaims the lead for the hosts in the first match ... though only just. From a couple of feet, she nearly yips it, the ball performing the best part of a full 360 before finally dropping. She blows out her cheeks in very real relief, but that sensational approach has been correctly rewarded. Meanwhile on 13, Ciganda sets up a decent eagle chance, her ball in the fringe at the back, 15 feet from the hole. With neither US player close, it looks like she’ll have two putts for the win. But Khang then races in a long birdie putt, Ciganda pulls her eagle effort, and everyone walks off as they were. Ciganda is a study in frustration, livid at the chance spirited away from her.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (14)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (13)
2UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (11)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (10)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Ernst and Hull trade birdie putts on 10. The former’s putt gets the crowd going; the latter’s response dampens them back down. Plenty of noise on 14, though, where Harigae nearly holes out from the fairway. She’ll have a great look at birdie, and that’s a fine reaction to shipping a three-hole lead.
Noh/Harigae A/S Boutier/Popov (13)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (12)
2UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (11)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (10)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Kupcho does it again! She sends her second at 11 to four feet, and makes no mistake whatsoever with the birdie putt. Before she secured the hole for the States, Maguire had a tricky uphill 20-footer to navigate, but her effort to drain one and put pressure on Kupcho was by some distance the worst putt of the day. Woefully underhit, and breaking off to the right, the ball barely made it halfway to the hole. That’s a really strange putt, which Europe will desperately hope is just an outlier, and nothing to do with low energy levels. You’d have to forgive her if so; she’s played every session so far.
Noh/Harigae A/S Boutier/Popov (13)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (12)
2UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (11)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (9)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Boutier birdies 13. That requires Harigae to make a 40-footer to tie the hole ... and she so nearly makes the putt! But that’s the hole to Europe, who have hauled themselves back into contention in the opening match. Three down not so long ago, they’re now all square.
Noh/Harigae A/S Boutier/Popov (13)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (12)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (10)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (9)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
The dance continues. Now it’s Europe’s turn to alter the palette of the scoreboard. Madsen knocks her tee shot at 12 to six feet and walks in the birdie putt. The second match is all square again.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (12)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (12)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (10)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (9)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Official confirmation that these matches have been advancing at glacial pace, as per previous moaning, even if the drama has been worth the wait: the second and third pairings have been put on the clock, while the final game has been given an advisory rocket, but no sanction yet.
Updated
Ciganda has a chance to draw level with Korda and Khang at 11, but hits a shaky effort from 15 feet that is always turning right. The US team are still one up. Meanwhile back on 10, a wonder putt by Kupcho! She lasers in a 30-foot birdie effort to turn up the heat on Reid, who suddenly needs to make one from 15 feet to tie the hole. She can’t sink it, and Kupcho’s landed a big blow there. The winner of the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 walks off like the Master she is, rousing the crowd with a few claps as she bounces away to the next tee. This session is ebbing and flowing like daddy-o.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (12)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (11)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (10)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (9)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Reid, in between taking insouciant sips on what looks like a chocolate milkshake but in truth is probably some sort of less pleasant but more beneficial athletic concoction, sends her second into the heart of 10. Kupcho follows her there, with Salas and Maguire both in greenside bother. Everything’s suddenly in the balance again, and the crowds have fallen quiet as a result. Maybe it is a chocolate milkshake, though.
Updated
Noh very nearly caresses her chip into the cup. So close to a stunning birdie that would have sucker-punched Popov. Harigae doesn’t threaten the hole at all with her putt, and Europe are right back in the opening match. This scoreboard looks very different all of a sudden. It’s been a good few minutes for Europe.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (12)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (10)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (9)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (8)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
All of a sudden, it’s all happening! Ciganda rolls in a 15-footer for birdie on 10. She had to make that, because Khang was so close. The hole’s tied in birdie when Khang tidies up. Pedersen eagles 8 to put a splash of blue back on the board. And on 12, Noh’s tee shot only finds the rough near bunkers on the left, though Harigae sends her tee shot into the heart of the green, and will have a realistic chance at denying Popov from 15 feet. This fourballs session started fairly slowly, but it’s really hotting up now with some outstanding golf.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (11)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (10)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (9)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (8)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
Maguire is so close to holing out from 150 yards at 9! Her ball, not for the first time this afternoon, pitches right by the hole. Unlike earlier, it screeches to an immediate halt, and she’ll have a kick-in birdie. See also: Popov at 12, who sees her partner Boutier take too much club and bound through the green. She switches down, and swishes a glorious iron straight at the flag. It rolls to 18 inches, and the pressure is now on Noh and Harigae to respond.
Popov and Boutier take turns to go very close with birdie putts from the fringe at 11. But neither drops, leaving Harigae with a chance to nip their attempted comeback in the bud. Fortunately for Europe, her putt is always breaking left; had they gone three down, they’d be sailing very quickly towards serious bother. But back on 10, Khang continues her sudden hot streak by wedging to four feet at 10. If Ciganda and Madsen suddenly find themselves two down, after the events of the last green, they can be permitted to start kicking themselves.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (11)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (9)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (8)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
As dramatic chip-ins on this hole go, that’s not quite up there with Bob Tway’s bunker shot to snatch the 1986 PGA from under Greg Norman’s nose. (They’ve switched 9 and 18 this week to ensure this famous hole sees plenty of action.) But it’s dramatic enough, and Khang celebrated it with similar gusto!
Megan Khang chips in sensationally from the back of 9! She bumps out of greenside cabbage, her ball hitting the flagstick, spinning backwards onto terra firma, gripping on the turf and screwing back into the hole! She scampers across the green to celebrate, hugging her partner Korda as the gallery goes wild! Ciganda and Madsen both have chances from ten feet to tie the hole with par, but neither make convincing strokes, and Europe’s very brief comeback is halted in its tracks.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (10)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (9)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (8)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Europe desperately need something to happen. And there are happenings in two matches. Popov curls in a perfectly judged downhill left-to-right curler on 10 to eat into Noh and Harigae’s lead, while Pedersen’s par on 7 ties things up in the last match out.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (10)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (8)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (7)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Reid quickly puts her newly massaged shoulder to the test, powering her approach at 8 into the heart of the green from thick, lush rough. There’s no apparent grimace as she takes her shot, which is hopefully a very good sign.
Mel Reid is currently getting some attention from the physio. Looks like a problem with her right shoulder. As if Europe don’t have enough to worry about presently.
Mina Harigae rattles another long birdie putt into the cup, this time at 9, and the rookie is more than justifying her captain Pat Hurst’s pick. Celine Boutier can’t respond by chipping in from close range from the back, and Europe are in a spot of bother in this opening match as they hit the turn. Meanwhile the one splash of blue on the leaderboard is wiped out by Jessica Korda, who splashes from greenside sand at 8 to a couple of inches, enough to snatch the hole from Europe. This is looking very promising for the USA, and, given the way the two teams have fared on the back nine so far this week, extremely worrying for Europe.
3UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (9)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (8)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (7)
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen (6)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Kupcho lags her 35-foot birdie effort to kick-in distance. That allows Salas to have a run at birdie from similar distance, but she doesn’t make one for once. Reid races her 25-footer three foot past, then horseshoes the one coming back. That’s not the first time she’s missed a tiddler today. Maguire’s now-compromised birdie effort dies apologetically to the left, and the US will be the happier of the two teams with the half.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (8)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (7)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (7)
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen (6)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Salas, Kupcho, Maguire and Reid all find the 7th in regulation. All will have an uphill look at birdie, but only Maguire is within 20 feet. Salas, as plenty of evidence already proves, is however dangerous from anywhere.
Europe need a little something, and Nanna Koerstz Madsen delivers. She races in a straight uphill 30-footer on 7 to put a splash of blue on that scoreboard. And for a second it looks as though Boutier’s long birdie effort will slash America’s lead in the first match, but Harigae responds with one of her own, punching the air as she maintains her team’s two-hole advantage.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (8)
J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen 1UP (7)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (6)
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen (5)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Apropos of very little, the Sky Sports commentary team Richard Kaufman and Dame Laura Davies take some time out to riff on Arsenal’s pain. Is there anybody left out there in medialand who hasn’t enjoyed some light-hearted patter at the expense of the Premier League basement boys? Poor Mikel. Meanwhile Lizette Salas rakes in another mid-range birdie putt to put some more red on the scoreboard. Things are looking rather good for the hosts at the minute, especially when you factor in the USA’s significantly better performances on the back nine this week.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (7)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (6)
1UP Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire (6)
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen (5)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Hull’s in the sand, and so with Ernst so close, has a shy at holing out. The ball sails 15 feet past, but she knocks in the one coming back, allowing Pedersen to get a read before her similarly long birdie attempt. Can she sicken Ernst? Nope. It’s always drifting off to the right, and Ernst tidies up for the birdie and the win! She and Kang celebrate with a sweeping low five, down below.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (7)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (6)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (5)
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen (5)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
Ernst shakes off that missed opportunity on 4 by sticking her tee shot at 5 to three feet. Nothing’s certain from there, as Kupcho just demonstrated, but the hosts could - should - be hitting the front in the final match very soon. Can Hull or Pedersen conjure up yet another European escape?
Harigae whips a lovely approach into 7, leaving herself a fairly straight 12-foot birdie putt. Before she can take it, Boutier finally makes a putt, rolling a forensic 15-footer into the centre of the hole for par. That puts a little bit of pressure on Harigae, who sends her birdie effort wide right. Another escape for Europe. Will the USA rue these missed opportunities while the momentum is still with the home side?
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (7)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (6)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (5)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (4)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
The pace of play is fairly glacial this afternoon. Pressure of the Solheim, I guess, with all matches tight. Khang misses an eight-footer for the win at 6; ditto Ernst at 4.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (6)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (6)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (5)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (4)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Maguire is the width of a dimple away from curling one in from the fringe at the back of 5. She’s bothered this hole all right, but has been scantly rewarded. However, Europe are gifted a let-off, Kupcho yipping her birdie putt from a couple of feet. That’ll give Maguire and Reid a boost, just when it looked like they’d lose a second hole in a row.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (6)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (5)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (5)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (3)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Kupcho hits one of the shots of the day at the short par-three 5th, landing her ball four feet from the pin. Huge chance for birdie ... although Maguire responds by nearly slamming her tee shot straight into the cup! The ball pitches a couple of inches away, before bounding through to the fringe at the back. There’s only been one hole-in-one at the Solheim before - Anna Nordqvist at Colorado in 2013 - but we’ve come close on three or four occasions already this week, there having been a few near misses at the 12th yesterday.
Updated
Some very average action around the 5th green. Madsen leaves her first putt way left of the hole and misses the resulting four-footer. Khang makes a hideous misread, her putt breaking 15 feet to the right. Korda flubs a chip, but nails the six-footer she leaves herself, which is just as well because Ciganda had made a careful two-putt par from 20 feet. Plenty of nerves on show there, but back on 4, Salas ties up her match by rolling in a gently oscillating 15-footer. This couldn’t be much tighter.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (6)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (5)
Kupcho/Salas A/S Reid/Maguire (4)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (3)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Classic matchplay to-and-fro antics on 3! Lizette Salas rakes a 30-footer straight in for par, but the irrepressible Leona Maguire responds with a blow from 25 feet. She pumps the air as Europe retain their one-hole lead.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (5)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (4)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire 1UP (3)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (2)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Megan Khang and Jessica Korda take turns to miss eight-footers on 4, and that’s a disappointing way to give the hole to Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen. The second match is all square again.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (4)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (4)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
It’s been a fairly subdued start to the afternoon fourballs, tell the truth. Plenty of time left to crank up the drama and bother the old ticker. The marquee match sees Kupcho, Salas, Reid and Maguire all find the elongated par-three 3rd from the tee ... but none of them are particularly close to the flag. Putting competition coming up.
Four birdie putts on 2. Maguire is the furthest out, and for a second she starts walking her putt in, but it breaks off to the left just as it looked like dropping. Salas and Kupcho take turns to misread, leaving Reid a glorious opportunity from six feet. You’d expect her to make it more often than not, but pushes a nervous effort wide right. That’s a big chance to double Europe’s lead spurned.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (4)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (3)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Hull, Pedersen, Ernst and Kang hit four poor putts in a row on the 1st green, and that’s an uninspiring half to start with. Plenty of time to get into their groove. Up on 3, Korda learns nothing from Ciganda’s birdie effort and leaves it out by some distance on the left. Hole halved, and the US remain one up.
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (3)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (3)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire 1UP (1)
Kang/Ernst A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Jessica Korda seems to have the energy levels her sister sorely lacked this morning. Having celebrated her eagle at 2 with a jaunty skip and strut, she now eases her tee shot at the par-three 3rd pin high. She’ll have a good look at birdie from ten feet ... and will get a read from Carlota Ciganda, who is a few feet outside her, coming in on the same line.
The punters in the Patriots Pavilion (yes sir) behind the first tee send the last match off with wild cheers ringing in their lugs. Up on the green, Kupcho sends a weak 15-foot birdie effort wide right, opening the door for Maguire, who has hit a lovely second to four feet. She’s making no mistake, and Europe takes an early lead in the third match. But they fall further behind in the first, Yealimi Noh sending her tee shot at the par-three 3rd to ten feet and stroking in the putt, while Jessica Korda rakes in an eagle putt from the fringe at the par-five 2nd to turn that match red as well. The early advantage to the hosts!
2UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (3)
1UP J Korda/Khang v Ciganda/Madsen (2)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire 1UP (1)
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Right then. The pick of the afternoon matches is surely the Immovable Object / Irresistible Force showdown between Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas, and Mel Reid and Leona Maguire. They’ve just all sent drives down 1 to a soundtrack of massive bedlam, the US crowd now cooking with gas after their team’s comeback this morning. This, it is safe to say, is ON! Though before that match catches alight, news of events up ahead, where Nanna Koerstz Madsen rattles in a long saver across 1 to salvage a half, while Yealimi Noh birdies to draw first blood in the opening match.
1UP Noh/Harigae v Boutier/Popov (2)
J Korda/Khang A/S Ciganda/Madsen (1)
Kupcho/Salas v Reid/Maguire
Kang/Ernst v Hull/Pedersen
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Day two foursomes result
A full rundown of a fantastic morning’s work by the Americans ...
Kang/Ernst beat Hall/Sagstrom 1UP
Thompson/Altomare beat Hull/Pedersen 2&1
N Korda/Ewing lost to Reid/Maguire 5&4
Salas/Kupcho beat Nordqvist/Castren 3&1
USA 5½-6½ Europe
... and a reminder of the upcoming pairings for this afternoon’s fourballs ...
Yealimi Noh and Mina Harigae v Celine Boutier and Sophia Popov
Jessica Korda and Megan Khang v Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas v Mel Reid and Leona Maguire
Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst v Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen
This blog will resume in an hour, when all of the matches are back out on the course, and your faithful hole-by-hole correspondent has been watered and fed his Hamburger Helper, the only food-flavored food item ever to be marketed by a talking golf glove. See you soon.
USA 5½-6½ Europe
They only need one! Kupcho sends a confident gentle left-to-right slider into the cup from 15 feet, and that’s a stunning 3&1 comeback victory by this seemingly indestructible pairing!
3&1 Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren (F)
USA 5½-6½ Europe
Updated
Nordqvist gives her birdie putt a good go, but can’t quite find the Lexi Line. That leaves the US with two putts to close this out.
Castren sends a lovely second into the heart of 17. She’s left her partner Nordqvist with Lexi Thompson’s putt. Nordqvist might have to make it, because Salas is also on in regulation, and she’s a good ten feet closer. The US are very close to making it three from four this morning!
... and while all that’s been going on, Salas and Kupcho double their lead by winning the 16th. That match goes dormie. Europe have let slip a strong position in this match ... and across the board, if we’re being honest with ourselves. The USA have put all of their street-fighting moxie on display in the last couple of hours, mind. A genuinely fascinating afternoon coming right up!
2UP Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren (16)
USA 4½-6½ Europe
The pairings for the afternoon fourballs are out ... and here they are (all times BST).
1705: Yealimi Noh and Mina Harigae v Celine Boutier and Sophia Popov
1720: Jessica Korda and Megan Khang v Carlota Ciganda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen
1735: Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas v Mel Reid and Leona Maguire
1750: Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst v Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen
Well, what a double whammy that was for Europe! It’s fair to say that the Americans have had much more joy on the back nine so far this week, while the Europeans have been making hay going out. The US pulled off an admirable salvage job during yesterday afternoon’s fourballs, the scoreboard at one point having been all blue. Well, the scoreboard was all blue at one point this morning, too, and now they’re threatening something even better.
USA 4½-6½ Europe
... and almost immediately, the US put another point on the board! Europe can’t make their long birdie putt, so Thompson has a long right-to-left breaker for the win. She drops it in at perfect pace, one of those that looked to be tracking from the moment it left the flat stick. Thompson has been jittery over the short ones this week, but that’s a stunner, one of the great redemptive moments, and the USA are right back in this Solheim Cup after looking in real trouble at one point earlier this morning! Thompson/Altomare beat Hull/Pedersen 2&1.
2&1 Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (F)
1UP Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren (15)
USA 4½-6½ Europe
Updated
USA 3½-6½ Europe
In fact it’s the USA up first on 18. Kang drags her birdie effort to the right, leaving Hall with the chance to tie the match, having gone to school on her opponent’s putt. But she’s learned nothing. That one breaks well right, too, and the USA get on the board today! Kang/Ernst beat Hall/Sagstrom 1UP.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (F)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (16)
1UP Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren (15)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
Ernst and Sagstrom set up a putting competition on 18. Both of their approaches finish 15 feet below the hole. Europe might have the advantage of putting first; the USA have the advantage of only needing to halve the hole. Back on 17, Lexi has left Altimore enough of an angle to make the green ... but she’s in thick rough. No matter! She whips the ball to 20 feet. Europe are also on in regulation.
Kupcho and Salas complete a two-hole turnaround in the final match, Kupcho curling in a right-to-left breaker from the fringe at 15. All of a sudden, things are looking much brighter for the hosts, who will be right back on Europe’s tail if they can close these three matches out. However Thompson, having decided to drive over the trees at 17 towards the 16th fairway, in order to leave her partner a better angle into the green, may not have made it far enough. We’ll see.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (17)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (16)
1UP Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren (15)
USA 2½-6½ Europe
Kang and Hall trade par putts on 17 to halve the hole. Dormie. Meanwhile back on 16, Hull has a chance to redeem herself, as Thompson tugs her short par putt to the left. This would be an outrageous win ... but it’s one she can’t complete, her putt breaking apologetically to the left. That could prove a very costly dip in quality from the usually dependable Charley Hull.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (17)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (16)
Salas/Kupcho A/S Nordqvist/Castren (14)
USA 2½-6½ Europe
Updated
A huge error by Charley Hull on 16. Both teams are in the bunker guarding the front left of the green. The US in two, Europe in one. Brittany Altomare splashes out to six feet. Gauntlet down at Hull’s feet ... and she catches the ball clean, sending it over the green and down the grassy bank beyond. Pedersen does very well to lob to six feet, using the backstop to bring her ball back to makeable distance.
Updated
The final match has been put on the clock. There’s no notable increase in pace as Salas and Castren take their sweet time over a chip and a putt on 14 respectively. But given this entry is ten minutes after the previous one, we’re in no position to judge. Europe having found themselves out of position, the US take the hole.
Updated
Charley Hull pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration as a long birdie attempt shaves the left-hand side of the cup. So close. Thompson has a similar look to win the hole, but her putt, a little more conservative given the USA’s one-hole lead, stops a turn short. Hole halved. And there’s another half up on 16, where Hall hits the flag with a chip, the ball stubbornly refusing to drop, and Kang bundles a cute bump-and-run to a couple of inches, a subsequent performative swish through the air not quite enough to encourage the ball to start moving again. What a stunning pair of wedge shots under extreme pressure. The hosts remain one up in both matches, with holes running out.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (16)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (15)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (13)
USA 2½-6½ Europe
Salas lets a good opportunity for birdie and hole slip by at 13. The Americans have had some chances in this last match. The upcoming hour is so crucial. It wouldn’t take too much for the hosts to claw their way right back into this ... but their hopes could also unravel very quickly. This is golf! Matchplay golf!
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (15)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (14)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (13)
USA 2½-6½ Europe
USA 2½-6½ Europe
Maguire calmly rolls the putt into the cup. Never in doubt, and Europe put the morning’s first point up on the board. “Come on! Let’s go!” Maguire and Reid scream at each other before embracing in wild celebration. That was a rout. Reid/Maguire beat N Korda/Ewing 5&4.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (15)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (14)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5&4 (F)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (12)
USA 2½-6½ Europe
Updated
So much is precariously balanced. This could go any number of ways. Even the dormie match doesn’t look over quite yet! Europe having visited the trees on 14, the door swings ajar for Ewing. Her uphill 15-foot birdie effort stays high on the right. That’ll leave Maguire with a six-footer to close out the match ...
Some textbook matchplay nonsense on 15. Ernst nearly sends a tramliner into the cup from distance, only for the ball to twang off the flag and end up four feet past. Hall then curls in a 15-footer for par, to secure at least a half. Suddenly the one Kang has coming back looks doubly long. But Kang is made of strong stuff, and she calmly rolls the rock into the cup, delivering the air a little uppercut by way of celebration.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (15)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (14)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (13)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (12)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
In the match ahead, Pedersen had sent her tee shot into the trees on the right of 14, just like Reid. Hull then manufactured a low punch under the branches and, utilising the camber on the left of the green, trundled her ball to 15 feet. Outrageous from there, and enough to salvage a half.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (14)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (14)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (13)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (12)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Salas has left Kupcho with a downhill four-footer. Kupcho stabs at the birdie putt gingerly, leaving it out on the left. Europe escape with a half. Meanwhile arguably the biggest cheer of the week so far erupts at 13, where Nelly Korda makes eagle again! This time the ball doesn’t hang about on the lip, maybe overhanging, maybe not, and nobody rushes in to pick up. Korda, from the fringe at the back, sinks a huge right-to-left breaker from 30 feet! That’s the hole, and they’re still alive. It’s too little, too late, surely ... though Reid then sends a huge slice into the trees at 14, battering her driver into the tee box in frustration, so you never know. Nerves can do strange things.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (14)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (13)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (13)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (12)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Sagstrom stands stock still, stunned, as a four-foot par effort on 14 lips out. She’s no idea why it happened, and indeed it did always look like dropping, but here we are. Hole to the USA. A crucial moment in a tight match ... and there could be another coming up in game four, because Salas has just fired a dart straight at the 12th flag. Gauntlet down!
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (14)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (13)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 6UP (12)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (11)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Another big matchplay moment on 13, where Thompson rolls in a nervy six-footer for par to force Pedersen into holing a shaky three-footer for birdie. Pedersen takes her time, but makes no mistake and reduces Europe’s deficit by half.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (13)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (13)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 6UP (12)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (11)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Nordqvist is so close to teasing in a big left-to-right curler for birdie at 11. She falls back on her haunches in disappointment. Still, that’s par, and Salas still has to make a six-footer for the half. But if there’s anyone you’d pick to make that putt, it’s the ever-determined Salas, and she rolls a confident saver into the heart of the cup.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (13)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (12)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 6UP (12)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (11)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Having salvaged par on 12, Danielle Kang whistles in a monster on 13, and the top match is all square again! The crowd take the opportunity to trot out a version of their USA! chant, at some volume and with great feeling. Kang is a proper entertainer, and eggs them on with a wave of her arms. This is the Solheim Cup! Meanwhile on 12, Korda’s mistake leads to another lost hole for the hosts. That match is dormie six and you sense Korda just wants to get back to the clubhouse. In all probability, she’ll be rested this afternoon and afforded the chance to recharge her worryingly low batteries ahead of tomorrow’s singles.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (13)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (12)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 6UP (12)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (10)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
A big putt from Castren on 10. She cradles a long left-to-right swinger to kick-in distance, as well judged as anyone could reasonably expect. She’s putted magnificently this week, and it salvages a half from an unpromising position. Meanwhile on 12, Ewing sends her tee shot long and left, and Nelly will be faced with another long chip and run from the fringe. She chunked the last time she tried one of these, on 9 ... so opts to take putter instead, and nearly sends it off the other side of the green! She’s all over the place today, this is extremely odd. A reminder for all weekend golfers that even the greatest can suffer nightmare rounds, so there’s probably no point coptering that club.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (12)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (12)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (11)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (10)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
It’s just not happening for Nelly Korda. A 12-foot birdie putt on 11 lips out, and the sands of time are running out quickly for the USA in this match. We should be saying the same about Europe in match two, but up on 12, after Hull and Pedersen take two putts from distance for par, Thompson pokes with great uncertainty at her short birdie putt, and it barely catches the right lip before breaking away and staying up. The USA remain two up, but that may give the Europeans succour.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (12)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (12)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (11)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (9)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
An escape for the Americans on 12. Sagstrom’s 15-foot birdie putt for the win looks like dropping but lips out. That allows Kang to salvage a half by ramming in a five-footer and punching the air. Small acorns, all that. Huge cheers from the crowd ... and they’re even louder when, coming behind, Altomare sends her tee shot to four feet. Pedersen’s effort is pin high, but that’s the only good thing about it, because she’s pulled it 40 feet to the left. Big advantage to America here, and a chance for Thompson to put her team three up.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (12)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (11)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (10)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (9)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
From the fringe at 9 where Nelly Korda fluffed that chip, Jennifer Kupcho elects to putt ... with exactly the same result. She doesn’t give it enough, the ball rolling back, leaving Salas with a 35-foot par putt. Salas hits it along a true line, but this one too is short of juice. It stops a couple of feet short. Bogey. All of which leaves Castren with a 30-footer of her own for par and the win. Like Salas before her, if she’d hit it, the ball would have dropped. But the hole’s halved in bogey. Inverness is playing tough today. Wise old Donald Ross.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (11)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (10)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (10)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (9)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Ewing very nearly drains her putt from the fringe of 10. A brave uphill 20-footer breaks right of the cup on its last turn. Reid has six feet coming back the other way for a birdie. It looks as though she’s left it high on the right, but this time the very last turn is the player’s friend: Reid’s ball kinks left into the cup, and Europe have a mammoth five-hole lead in match three. “You can do it USA!” screams someone in the crowd, who receives full marks for optimism.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (11)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (10)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 5UP (10)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (8)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
A bit of daylight for the States in the second match! Brittany Altomare rakes one in from the fringe at 10, and suddenly a two-shot lead opens up. Meanwhile, coming behind, Maguire gets a lucky bounce with her second off a bank to the right of the green; she leaves her partner with an eight-foot putt. Korda hits almost exactly the same shot, but spin sends the ball back into the greenside rough. The small margins. It’s not been the world number one’s day at all.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (11)
2UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (10)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (9)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (8)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
A couple of big errors cost each team a hole. On 8, Nordqvist, her ball plugged in sand, leaves it in the trap. She’s still got a chance to salvage a half with a bogey putt, Castren splashing out close, but her five-foot putt horseshoes out. For the second time today, pace was an issue for the British Open champ. Meanwhile up on 9, Korda, totally out of sorts, chunks another chip, the ball only reaching half the necessary 40 feet, then toppling back down a ridge across the green. Maguire lags up from distance, and Ewing can’t make the long par putt to save America’s skin.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (10)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (9)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (9)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (8)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Sagstrom responds to Ernst’s magnificent second at 10 by landing her approach 15 feet past the flag. Hall, throwing classic matchplay shapes, steers in the left-to-right slider for birdie! The pressure is suddenly on Kang, and her putt stays high on the left. What a smash-and-grab by Europe, who go one up.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (10)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (9)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (8)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (7)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Thompson runs an excitable birdie putt three feet past on 9. Altomare hasn’t been required to putt for a while, but comes up with the goods despite lack of recent practice. Hole tied. Meanwhile up on 10, from a tricky position in the rough to the left of the fairway, Ernst throws a dart over the flag, one of the shots of the day, setting her partner Kang up with an six-foot birdie chance.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (9)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (9)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (8)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (7)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Castren absolutely creams Europe’s second into 7. Nordqvist makes no mistake with the six-foot birdie chance that remains, and their lead is restored to two holes.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (9)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (8)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (8)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (7)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Hull’s mistake on 8 leads to an inevitable loss for Europe ... although with the USA making a meal of holing their putts, Pedersen had a chance to snatch an unlikely half, but missed a six-foot par effort. Meanwhile Hall and Kang trade par putts on 9, and the opening match hits the turn level. Is everything going down the last today as well? Maybe, as back on 8, Korda nails a 15-footer for birdie and a win that reduces America’s deficit to three holes.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (9)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (8)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (8)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (6)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Back on 6, Kupcho sends a sensational second pin high to six feet, using the camber of the green to gather the ball right to left and towards the hole. Europe in all sorts of bother to the left of the green. Salas makes the birdie putt anyway, and reduces the arrears.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (8)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (7)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (6)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
“Aw fuck!” Full marks to Charley Hull for some before-the-watershed effing and jeffing. From the centre of the fairway, she sends a topper into a greenside bunker. An unforced error, although perhaps her mind was addled after calling for a ruling, worried that her ball had moved on address. The referee, perhaps mindful that another rules brouhaha is the last thing anyone wants, briskly shook his head and told her there was no problem.
Updated
Another big mistake from Nelly Korda, who chunks an approach up the hill at 7. The ball rolls back down to her feet. Ewing tries again, and gets up there, but she’s still well short of the flag. Advantage Europe, and the gift is returned. Up on 8, Kang dumps her approach into sand, and eventually Sagstrom is left with two putts to win the hole. She doesn’t half hit her 18-footer, and had the hole not got in the way, her partner Hall might have been left with quite a test to secure the win. But the putt drops, and Sagstrom flashes a cheeky smile. Once again, there was no need to wait ten seconds to find out the fate of that one.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (8)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (7)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (5)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Charley Hull nearly holes a tramliner on 7. It’s a tap-in for par, and a great attempt to scramble a half, because Lexi Thompson has a cheeky right-to-left six-foot slider for birdie. It’s the sort of tickler she so often misses, but this time she guides it into the centre of the cup, and the second match is all-square again.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (7)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (7)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (6)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (5)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Scrub that! Nordqvist rolls in a 20-foot par saver, and that more than makes up for leaving her partner in the trap. Suddenly Kupcho’s four-footer looks a little longer, the hole a little smaller. But she makes it. Hole halved, but the Americans will feel robbed there.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (7)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (6)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (6)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (5)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
The USA finally have some momentum. Sagstrom needs to hole a 12-foot par putt for a half on 7. She can’t make it, and that’s a two-hole turnaround for Kang and Ernst. Meanwhile it’s a double bogey for Reid and Maguire on 7, and the US win that hole without having to do anything special. And on the par-three 5, Nordqvist pulls her tee shot into sand on the left; Castren can’t get close with the splash out, and the Europeans will most likely ship one here too.
1UP Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom (7)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (6)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (6)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (4)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
A couple of mistakes by Mel Reid on 7. First she sends the tee shot into a fairway bunker; then, Maguire having chipped out, Reid only just reaches the green, the ball eventually succumbing to the false front and ending up in thick rough back down the slope. Europe will almost certainly present this hole on a platter for the States. Best to do it when four up, I guess.
Europe are out of position on 4, but Castren screeches a pitch to a halt three feet from the cup. That saves par. Salas has a look at birdie but races it past. Kupcho makes the one coming back, but that’s an opportunity passed up by the US team.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (6)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (6)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (5)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (4)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
... but the nightmare continues for Korda and Ewing. Nelly’s tee shot at the par-three 5th is pin high, but a good way left, on the fringe. Maguire meanwhile dead-eyes one straight at the flag. Ewing can’t make her 15-foot birdie putt; Reid makes no mistake with her six-footer. Europe are four up after five holes, and it would be five after five had Korda not made an extremely missable putt on 2.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (6)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (5)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 4UP (5)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (3)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Here’s something to get the home crowd going! Danielle Kang makes a ten-footer for birdie at 6 to level up the opening match. As she departs the green, she encourages the gallery to take it up a notch. They dutifully comply. Nothing’s over yet! It’s only the morning of the second day, after all.
Kang/Ernst A/S Hall/Sagstrom (6)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (5)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (4)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (3)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Korda’s error costs the USA yet another hole. And another goes in the final match, as Salas sends a 15-foot birdie effort wide right, and Castren pours one in from similar distance. The debutant Finn’s putter was red hot yesterday; the early signs suggest there’s been no overnight cooling. This is all looking very comfortable for Europe right now, but remember how the hosts brought it back yesterday afternoon in the fourballs. Plenty of time to shift the momentum, even if the crowd are worryingly quiet from the American point of view.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (5)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (5)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 3UP (4)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 2UP (3)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
Nelly Korda, recently a winner of her maiden major and Olympic gold, is showing signs of a player who needs a bit of rest after a high-pressure year. Is the Solheim one grind too far for the world number one? She thins an approach at 4 into a creek down the side, and drops her gaze to the floor in reaction to an untypical but egregious error.
Europe are this close to doubling their lead in the last match of the morning, but Nordqvist hits her ten-foot birdie effort a smidgen too hard. The ball, dead on line, crashes into the back lip, considers dropping, but horseshoes instead and pops out to the left. The new British Open champion looks shocked; that’d drop more often than not, but here we are.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (5)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (4)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 2UP (3)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (2)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Nelly’s tee shot at the par-three 3rd is tugged well left, leaving her partner Ewing with a long birdie putt. That one flies four feet past, and this time Korda can’t salvage the situation. Another hole to Europe ... and another match turns blue, as Altomare and Thompson can’t get up and down from distance at 4, after that false-front faux pas. Europe win in par and now they’re leading in all four matches. A long way to go, of course.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (5)
Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (4)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 2UP (3)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Trouble for the USA on 4, as Thompson’s approach topples back off the false front, and scoots 60 yards back down the fairway. No need to wait between seven and ten seconds to find out the fate of that one. Europe meanwhile are pretty much pin high. Speaking of yesterday’s rules farce, here’s Simon McMahon: “After yesterday’s drama, it surely can’t be long before Sky and assorted other media give this years Solheim Cup contest a tabloid style name. Holy Toledo, or Me-Oh-My-Oh in Ohio, or something. The Hole-by-Hole is above any such nonsense, of course, and, like Ron Burgundy, will stay classy. Maybe a Scotch to partner the Hamburger Helper later?” It pairs well, I hear.
The US hit back in the opening match. Or rather, Europe struggle their way up the hole, always out of position. Sagstrom nearly salvages the situation but her downhill 10-foot par attempt drifts wide left.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (4)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (3)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Europe bounce back immediately in match two, and in classic match-play fashion. Thompson’s tee shot at the par-three 3rd is pin high; Hull’s only just reaches the fringe. But Pedersen pours in the long birdie putt, spooking Altomare, whose 12-foot effort is always missing on the right. Meanwhile Nelly Korda rolls in a ten-footer on 2 for a half, but Salas can’t repeat the trick on 1 and Europe take an early lead in yet another match.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (3)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2)
Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Nelly Korda sends her opening drive into sand, forcing her partner Ally Ewing to take her medicine and lay up. Korda’s approach is shy, and it’s an opening bogey for the US. Europe take advantage, Mel Reid walking in a five-foot par putt. Better news on 2 for the hosts, as Thompson shakes off her putting woes - for now, at least - by curling in a perfectly weighted right-t0-left 15-footer for birdie and the hole. Plenty of early action, then, with Europe up in two, the US up in one.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3)
1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (2)
N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
As the strains of Jump drift across the course - sadly the party people at the 1st tee aren’t playing the miserablist Scottish indie version - Hall watches in horror on the par-three 3rd as her 25-foot birdie effort takes a weird turn right, then speeds up four feet past the hole. That leaves Sagstrom with a very missable par putt to salvage the half, but she’s not in the mood to let anything go right now. In it goes, and Europe remain two up in the opening match.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
The 2nd is set up much longer than yesterday, its yardage now a true par five. Europe still reach the green in two big blows, though. The US are just short. Kang chips up to four feet, but Ernst pulls the short putt, and it’s a fast start for Europe, who take their two putts for birdie and the hole. Sagstrom has begun the day by making her first two putts, showing steely determination after yesterday’s upsetting events. (For masochists who want to relive yesterday’s brouhaha in real time, it all begins here.)
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (2)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
In the second match of the morning, Charley Hull briefly thinks about walking a 30-foot birdie effort in, but stops in her tracks as it drifts a little right. Lexi Thompson has a six footer to take the hole, but shoves a nervous effort to the right. Never confident with the shorter putts, she’s really struggled with the flat stick so far this weekend. That won’t help her settle after two losses yesterday.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (1)
Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Good morning Toledo!
Welcome to our live coverage of the second day of the 2021 Solheim Cup. Here are the pairings for this morning’s foursomes:
Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst v Georgia Hall and Madelene Sagstrom
Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare v Charley Hull and Emily Pedersen
Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing v Mel Reid and Leona Maguire
Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho v Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren
Madelene Sagstrom, emerging from the centre of yesterday’s rules fiasco, hit the first shot of the morning. She only received a light smattering of applause, but hey, this is the USA v Europe, partisan crowds are priced in. Anyway, the Swede landed the first blow of the day, rolling in a lovely 15-footer for an opening-hole birdie after a fine approach by her partner Georgia Hall. What a start! Buckle up, it’s bound to be a ride.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (1)
USA 2½-5½ Europe
Updated
