2024 Solheim Cup: Americans race out to 3-1 lead over Europe after opening session
GAINESVILLE, Va. – It wasn’t a clean sleep, but the Americans are off to yet another hot start at the Solheim Cup.
A year after sweeping the foursomes session for the first time in tournament history, the U.S. jumped out to a 3-1 lead over Europe at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
Now, the Americans are hoping for a better finish.
Last year in Spain, Europe split the afternoon fourballs session and continued to battle back all the way until a 14-all tie, continuing a run of dominance that has kept the cup away from the U.S. since 2017.
Befuddled for decades by the alternate-shot format, the Americans are now 3-0-1 in their last four foursomes sessions.
“It was an awesome morning,” Lewis said. “I love the position we’re in. I love the pairings we sent out this afternoon.”
Nelly Korda/Allisen Corpuz (U.S.) def. Charley Hull/Esther Henseleit (Europe), 3 and 2
Breaking out of what had been a tight match throughout, the American duo won three straight holes on Nos. 14-16 to put the first point on the board for the home team.
Corpuz looked like she’d made a critical error on the par-5 14th when she followed the Europeans into the water with her approach, but she rebounded by holing a 15-footer for par to retake the lead.
Korda and Corpuz moved their career foursomes record together to 3-0, after winning both of their matches last year in Spain. They became the first American duo to accomplish that feat.
Hull, the Europeans’ most experienced player, dropped to 5-3-1 career in the alternate-shot format, with her latest loss coming with the German rookie.
Rose Zhang/Lauren Coughlin (U.S.) def. Celine Boutier/Albane Valenzuela (Europe), 3 and 2
After failing to win a match last year in her Solheim debut, the 21-year-old star got on the board early, never trailing in her match with hometown hero Coughlin. The Americans won three straight holes, Nos. 12-14, to turn what had been a tied match into a decisive victory.
Coughlin has enjoyed the best season of her career this year, and she continued to be a revelation in her first Solheim appearance about an hour away from where she grew up in Charlottesville.
Boutier, playing with rookie Valenzuela, hasn’t won a foursomes match since 2019.
Maja Stark/Emily Pedersen (Europe) def. Jennifer Kupcho/Ally Ewing (U.S.), 2 up
In command for much of the morning, grabbing a 4-up lead through eight holes, the Europeans saw their lead dwindle over the closing stretch.
The Americans cut the deficit to just one hole standing on the tee of the short 16th but could never draw even.
After delivering the lone point for Europe in the morning, Stark and Pedersen were sent back out together for the afternoon.
Lilia Vu/Sarah Schmelzel (U.S.) def. Linn Grant/Carlota Ciganda (Europe), 3 and 2
Vu, the world No. 2, proved to be an ideal partner for the 30-year-old rookie Schmelzel.
After getting ahead early and benefitting from Ciganda going on the clock for slow play, the Americans won Nos. 12 and 13 to seize control of the match.
It was a nice bounce back for Vu, who went 1-3 last year in Spain and was one of the U.S. team’s biggest disappointments.
Ciganda was 4-0 in her home country but is off to a difficult start, losing the opener and then being sat for the afternoon.