MATCH 5 RECAP - FOUR-BALL

Anna Nordqvist/Caroline Hedwall win 4&3 over Paula Creamer/Morgan Pressel
Creamer and Pressel took out Europe’s strongest two players – Nordqvist and Suzann Pettersen – with a morning 3&2 victory in foursomes to open The Solheim Cup, and United States Captain Juli Inkster was looking to continue the positive vibes by sending them out again for the afternoon. That confidence was not rewarded, though, as Nordqvist and Hedwall added on to their undefeated record in The Solheim Cup – now 3-0 together – with a resounding victory that was over almost by the turn. Nordqvist was particularly excellent in the first afternoon match with six birdies through the first 11 holes to put the Americans in a 5-down hole, while the American duo only combined for two birdies between them through the first 12 holes. However, Creamer showed some fight for the American pair, with a birdie at the 13th to halve and another birdie at the 14th to win the hole and continue the match. The 15th would be as far as it would go as Hedwall closed out the match with a par for the point for the European side.

Quotable
“I felt really well today. I hit it pretty good this morning, too, just couldn’t get anything going. But playing with Caroline Hedwall, our game seemed to be on today. I had a lot of chances and made quite a few putts. I still had a couple that got by. I was very excited.” – Anna Nordqvist

MATCH 6 RECAP - FOUR-BALL

Charley Hull/Gwladys Nocera win 3&2 over Alison Lee/Angela Stanford
The American duo sat out the morning matches, but what they found when they did get out there was a complete buzzsaw in Charley Hull, who was fresh off a morning victory in foursomes. The Americans were all square through seven until Hull turned it on and as the rain started to fall, so did the birdies for Hull. The 19-year-old Brit birdied the eighth to put Europe 1 UP and then poured in five consecutive birdies from No. 10-14. Angela Stanford poured in an eagle of her own at the 13th to edge out Hull’s birdie and get the lead back to just 3 UP for Europe and then birdied the 14th to halve the hole. But both teams made par at the 15th and Hull holed an off-the-green putt at the 16th for par to halve the hole and close out the match.

Quotable:
“It feels great. Charley is playing unbelievable. It was up to me to play safe. And if I could make a few putts then that will help her. It was teamwork.” – Gwladys Nocera

MATCH 7 - FOUR-BALL

Cristie Kerr/Lexi Thompson vs. Melissa Reid/Carlota Ciganda - HALVED
Lexi Thompson showed early in the afternoon match that her victory with Kerr in morning foursomes wasn’t a fluke by rolling in a bomb for birdie at the first and another bomb at the second for eagle. Just like that the Americans were 2 UP through two, a lead they’d hold through the first 10 holes. But Melissa Reid nailed birdies at the 11th and 12th to get the match all square, and it looked like the leaderboard might be heading to an all-blue outcome for the afternoon wave. However, the Americans birdied the next two holes to regain control of the match. Or so they thought. With darkness looming and a suspension of play on the horizon, Melissa Reid holed out a bomb for birdie on the 16th hole and watched as the Americans missed their shorter birdie putts to keep the match going with the Americans only 1 UP heading to the 17th. Carlota Ciganda holed out for eagle on 17 to get the match all square with one hole to play. When play resumed on Saturday morning both teams birdied the 18th hole to halve the match.

QUOTABLE
“I mean, the light was quite bad. We obviously would have carried on. I’ve played in darker conditions. But, you know, I can understand why they didn’t want to play. If I was in that situation and I made a long birdie putt on 16 and then the other team makes an eagle, I probably wouldn’t want to play, either. The momentum was with us. But it is what it is. We’ll just be ready for tomorrow.” - Mel Reid

MATCH 8 - FOUR-BALL

Gerina Piller/Brittany Lang vs Caroline Masson/Sandra Gal - HALVED
Match No. 8 proved to be the tightest of the afternoon and with both teams winning two holes each on the front-nine and were all square heading to the back nine. Sandra Gal poured in a birdie on the par 5 11th hole to put the German duo 1 UP, a lead they held until play resumed on Saturday morning. The American duo came back strong with birdies on 2 of the final 3 holes to halve the match.

Breaking Down the Friday Four-Ball Matches

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