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Despite being underdogs, the United States started off the 2023 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin with a bang, capturing a 4-0 sweep during morning foursomes.
Team Europe bounced back in afternoon fourballs, winning two matches and halving the other two, which leaves the U.S. ahead 5-3 after the first day of play.
There are two days remaining, with Suzann Petterson attempting to give Europe a third-consecutive title while Stacy Lewis can lead the Americans to an upset on the opponents’ home soil.
Solheim Cup scoreboard after day one
Contents
Day one morning foursomes
Results | ||
---|---|---|
Stark/Grant | 2 & 1 | Thompson/Khang |
Boutier/Hall | 1 up | Kang/Lee |
Maguire/Nordqvist | 1 up | Korda/Corpuz |
Hull/Pedersen | 5 & 4 | Ewing/Knight |
0 | Session | 4 |
0 | Overall | 4 |
Day one afternoon fourballs
Results | ||
---|---|---|
Dryburgh/Sagström | halved | Zhang/Khang |
Maguire/Hall | 1 up | Thompson/Vu |
Pedersen/Stark | halved | Kupcho/Corpuz |
Ciganda/Grant | 4 & 2 | Yin/Ewing |
3 | Session | 1 |
3 | Overall | 5 |
Highlights from Friday
We’ll take you through the day’s action and share some of the best moments from Malaga, Spain.
USA dominates the early slate
For the first time in history, the Americans won all four matches in foursomes, giving them a nice cushion heading into the afternoon.
Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson gave Team USA its first point by defeating Maja Stark and Linn Grant 2&1. The American duo won the first three holes, and Europe eventually tied up the match with a Grant birdie on No. 13. Thompson birdied the 15th to give the USA a permanent lead, and a par on 17 sealed the deal.
Danielle Kang and Allison Lee defeated Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall 1-up in an exhilarating back-and-forth match. The two sides traded blows and leads before Lee’s birdie on No. 17 locked in the win for the U.S.
Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz won their match 1-up after 18 holes over Leona Maguire and Anna Nordqvist, extending the USA’s lead to 3-0.
Yes Nellyyyyyy!
What a tee shot on 17 🤯 #SolheimCup2023 pic.twitter.com/2EYcqyyE7i
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 22, 2023
Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight routed Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen 5 & 4, securing the 4-0 morning sweep.
Let’s go @SolheimCupUSA! 🇺🇸
Clean sweep finished off by this putt from @allisen_sc 😤 pic.twitter.com/84Vgjd1m72
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 22, 2023
Europe bounces back in the afternoon
Hall and Maguire gave Europe its first full point of the 2023 Solheim Cup in the sixth match of the day. After both players lost their morning foursomes, the two teamed up and defeated (1-up) Lilia Vu and Lexi Thompson.
After Vu birdied the 17th to tie things up heading into 18, Maguire sank a heroic chip to capture the victory.
Leona Maguire to win the match! 🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/EWEaDbpp0K
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) September 22, 2023
Match seven also went the distance (18 holes). Corpuz (paired with Jennifer Kupcho) buried a birdie on the 18th to put the pressure on Europe. Stark answered with a clutch must make birdie to halve the match.
Maja Stark drains the birdie putt on 18 to halve the match vs. @SolheimCupUSA‘s Kupcho/Corpuz. 🤝
📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | #SolheimCup2023 pic.twitter.com/2oO6t8ZNaJ
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 22, 2023
Spaniard Carlota Ciganda won her afternoon bout in front of her home country’s fans. Ciganda and Linn Grant convincingly defeated Angel Yin and Ally Ewing (4&2) to cut into the USA’s lead 5-3.
Pedersen makes a magical hole-in-one
Pedersen (paired with Stark) made the second-ever ace in Solheim Cup history at the par 3 12th, which evened things up at the time. The two teams remained deadlocked and ended with a draw.
Emily Pedersen HOLE-IN-ONE on 12 at @TheSolheimCup! 🔥🇪🇺
📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | #SolheimCup2023 pic.twitter.com/qkwgvVWilF
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 22, 2023
Updated odds to win Solheim Cup ahead of day 2
- USA to win: -160
- Europe to win: +180
- Tie: +800
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