ANDALUCIA, Spain — Early on, it looked like Americans Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang were going to dominate the Swedish rookie duo of Maja Stark and Linn Grant in the first foursomes session of the 2023 Solheim Cup. But the Euros battled back, making Match 1 incredibly interesting until they ultimately fell to the United States, 2 and 1.
Thompson had the honor of hitting the first tee shot on Friday morning, and when Khang splashed the pair’s second shot out of the bunker to close range and Thompson converted the birdie to go 1 up early, it felt like there was potential for a proper trouncing of the Euros. The U.S. won the next two holes with a birdie and a par to extend their advantage to 3 up and held that lead until Stark and Grant won the sixth hole with a par to get within two holes.
The Swedes struck again with a par on No. 11, tying the match with a birdie on the par-4 13th hole. After tying 14, Khang hit her approach shot close on 15 to give the Americans a shot at a birdie and Thompson converted, putting the U.S. 1 up with three to play.
Each side made par on 16, and the par-3 17th saw Thompson put her tee shot on the right fringe while Grant left hers short. When Khang rolled the birdie putt 3 feet by and Stark chipped it close, it was Thompson and Grant who each needed to make their par putts, one to win and one to extend the match. Thompson poured hers in to put the pressure on the rookie, and Grant was floored when hers didn’t fall, handing the Americans their second point of the morning session.
“It was quite last minute,” said Khang of her and Thompson’s partnership. “But I think (Captain Stacy Lewis) knew that we would have no problem playing together and we had fun out there. She smacked the ball so far down. I had some numbers that I didn't even have in the book. I was like, ‘Wow, this is different.’”
As teammates are wont to do, Thompson gave Khang a lot of credit as well. “Our personalities just worked. We both played really solid golf on both sides,” said the now six-time Solheim Cupper. “She had so many amazing iron shots and gave me looks for birdies, and I just tried to get her down there as far as I could.”
Thompson has the most experience of the 12 members of this year’s U.S. Team and nowhere was that more evident than on the first tee. Hitting the first tee shot of any event can always be nerve-wracking, but at the Solheim Cup, with hundreds of European and American fans screaming, chanting and singing, it can be exorbitantly challenging to maintain one’s composure. The 28-year-old didn’t outwardly look fazed though, and ripped at her drive hard, something that ended up being a promising sign for the first match of the day.
“It means a lot to me to be able to hit the first tee shot out there,” said Thompson. “I kind of live through this tournament. It's my favorite one of all time. I love representing my country and to be alongside my partner and my team and playing under Stacy, it's incredible.”
Thompson and Khang are both slated to tee it up in the afternoon fourball session alongside Lilia Vu and Rose Zhang, respectively and will work to contribute another two points to their team’s total. And the confidence derived from this early victory will propel them forward in that endeavor as the Americans work to chase down their 11th Solheim Cup and first since 2017.
“(Megan and I) work(ed) really well together and it was definitely a great win,” Thompson said of the win. “We played some good golf, and we knew that we had to come out swinging and play hard.”
Khang agreed. “Lexi said, play hard, play to win, and we kept on,” she said. “It was awesome out there.”
A conceded par puts @SolheimCupUSA 1Up to start the day! 💪#SolheimCup2023 | #VamosGirls pic.twitter.com/bKCMO5G41y
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 22, 2023
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