GLENEAGLES, Scotland – What looked like a Euro thrashing took a sharp turn for Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex as the Americans clawed back from a 4-down deficit through six holes to win the lead foursomes match, 2 and 1. The gutsy comeback from the rookie and captain’s pick helped keep Team USA within a point of Europe going into the Solheim Cup’s Day 2 afternoon session.
“We just never really gave up,” said Pressel, crediting Alex’s massive putt for par on the seventh hole as the start of their tear. “Once the momentum shifts toward us, we rode it the whole way back.”
Europe leads 6 ½ to 5 ½ after three team sessions.
On a blustery Saturday morning at Gleneagles where temperatures took a nosedive and players backed off constantly in a four-club wind, the towering Anne van Dam and Anna Nordqvist couldn’t keep pace when Pressel and Alex caught fire mid-round and posted four consecutive birdies. Europe answered with five bogeys in the span of nine holes.
“The conditions make anything possible,” said Alex.
Rookie van Dam didn’t have the same magic she displayed in her Solheim debut alongside Pettersen on Friday. The veteran Nordqvist is now 0-2 in the competition.
Pressel and Alex halved their lead match on Friday in opening foursomes against Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law.
For a second straight day, the Korda sisters routed the Euros in foursomes, taking down the formidable pair of Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law, 6 and 5. Law and Ciganda posted only one birdie and six bogeys.
Two of Catriona Matthew’s foursome pairings are now 2-0: Charley Hull/Azahara Munoz and Celine Boutier/Georgia Hall.
“It worked out well for us,” said Munoz of the morning wind. “But it is super tricky. The ball moves a lot. It’s really hard to putt. It’s hard to stay on the putt. You have to be patient out there.”
