ANDALUCIA, Spain — The first foursomes session of the 2023 Solheim Cup is complete and the United States currently leads Europe 4-0 after winning all four foursomes matches for the first time in history. Four Americans will play again in the afternoon fourball session, including Megan Khang, Lexi Thompson, Allisen Corpuz and Ally Ewing, while Europe will see Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Maja Stark and Linn Grant tee it up again. Here’s a look at the Friday morning results and Friday afternoon matchups at Finca Cortesin.
Friday Morning Results
Match 1 – Lexi Thompson/Megan Khang def. Maja Stark/Linn Grant 2&1
Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang got off to a hot start in the opening match of the 2023 Solheim Cup, winning the first three holes to immediately set the pace for the American side. The Europeans started chipping back on the sixth hole, where Stark’s birdie cut the deficit to two holes. Stark again cut into the lead with a winning par at No. 11, punctuating the moment with a massive fist pump. Grant poured in a birdie of her own at No. 13 to tie up the match, but Thompson’s birdie putt on No. 15 put the Red, White and Blue back on top for good. They ultimately won the match with a par on the 17th hole.
Match 2 – Danielle Kang/Andrea Lee def. Celine Boutier/Georgia Hall 1 up
The U.S. Team held a 1-up lead from the jump with an opening hole birdie and would keep it until Celine Boutier dropped in a birdie putt to take the lead on No. 6. Back and forth for the next few holes, the United States would not go away quietly tying the match on No. 7 with Europe taking the lead once again on No. 8 and the U.S. Team squaring it up heading into the back. The matched stayed tied thanks to some clutch putts on both sides before Andrea Lee sunk a birdie putt on No. 17 to give the United States the 1-up lead, securing the win for the United States Team.
Match 3 – Allisen Corpuz/Nelly Korda def. Leona Maguire/Anna Nordqvist 1 up
After an errant tee shot into the water on hole 1, the United States found themselves trailing 1-down the first two holes before tying it up on No. 3. The U.S. would go on to take a 2-up lead for three holes before the European Team would once again, tie up the match thanks to a long birdie putt from the vice-captain and player, Anna Nordqvist. The United States took a 2-up lead on the back nine and kept the Europeans at bay the rest of the way, winning 1-up after 18 holes.
Match 4 – Ally Ewing/Cheyenne Knight def. Charley Hull/Emily Kristine Pedersen 5&4
Match four started their day tied after the first hole but the U.S. Team took command and held control for the rest of the match after winning with par on the second. A birdie on hole 4 kept things rolling for the Team United States. More pars on 5, 6 and 7 gave the duo of Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight a 5-up advantage before the turn. A birdie on No. 9 for the United States all but sealed the victory to earn them their first point of the 2023 Solheim Cup. After the turn, the European Team won their first hole on No. 10 before Knight sank an 8-footer to give the U.S. Team a 5-and-4 victory.
Friday Afternoon Matches
Match 5 – Rose Zhang/Megan Khang vs. Gemma Dryburgh/Madelene Sagstrom
Match 6 – Lexi Thompson/Lilia Vu vs. Leona Maguire/Georgia Hall
Match 7 – Jennifer Kupcho/Allisen Corpuz vs. Emily Kristine Pedersen/Maja Stark
Match 8 – Angel Yin/Ally Ewing vs. Carlota Ciganda/Linn Grant
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