Key events
Europe 0-2 USA
Linn Grant and Maja Stark did so well to haul themselves back into their match after the most sluggish of starts, three down after three holes. But the effort has done for them in the end. They run out of juice at the par-three 17th. Megan Khang hits an excitable birdie putt from the fringe in the hope of wrapping the match up in style. She leaves Lexi Thompson some work to do, but the 2014 Dinah Shore winner tidies up. Linn Grant then shoves a poor short par putt to the right, and the jig is up. Thompson/Khang beat Grant/Stark 2&1.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2&1 (F)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (15)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (15)
Europe 0-2 USA
Europe 0-1 USA
Cheyenne Knight has missed a couple of putts today. Had she made them, the final foursomes would already be over. But she makes no mistake with the four-footer Ally Ewing rather clumsily leaves her on 14, with Team USA needing a simple two-putts for par. The first point on the board is a red one! Ewing/Knight beat Hull/Pedersen 5&4.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (16)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (15)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (15)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5&4 (F)
Europe 0-1 USA
Lexi Thompson creams America’s second into the heart of 16; Linn Grant pulls hers into a bunker. Maja Stark then sends the ball through the green and into the fringe at the back. Megan Khang plays the percentages, lagging up to secure the par … only for Linn Grant to drain a 40-footer to halve the hole! The gallery erupts. Europe right on the edge there, but they’re refusing to budge those crucial final inches!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (16)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (15)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (14)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (13)
It’s dormie five for the USA in the final match. For a while, it looked as though Europe might snatch another hole back, Ally Ewing up against the lip of a fairway bunker at 13. But she plays the percentages, and takes her medicine, relying on Cheyenne Knight’s short game. Knight knocks close and Ewing tidies up for a hole-having par. Meanwhile Celine Boutier, from the top of the bank to the side of 15, lands an outrageous chip softly on the green and rolls it out to kick-in distance. That is simply magnificent. Europe scramble their par and remain tied.
Leona Maguire and Anna Nordqvist are living on the edge. Had Allisen Corpuz hit her 12-foot putt on 14 just a fraction less aggressively, it’d have dropped and the USA would be three up in that match. They’re still in good nick as it stands. Meanwhile it’s also advantage USA on 15, where Andrea Lee uses the camber of the green to gather her approach into its heart, while Georgia Hall sends hers wide right, leaving Celine Boutier with a hellishly tricky chip from atop a bank.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (15)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (14)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (14)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (12)
Maja Stark’s second into 15 is decent; Megan Khang’s is delicious, pin high to six feet. Linn Grant leaves her long birdie putt five feet wide right, the juice on her ball drained as it hits the American marker. That doesn’t make any difference to the outcome, though, because Lexi Thompson curls in the birdie putt, perfectly paced, and the Americans, having shipped a three-hole lead, hit the front again!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (15)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (14)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (13)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (12)
Allisen Corpuz doesn’t get particularly close with her iron into 13. But neither does Nelly Korda with her subsequent birdie putt. Korda leaves it a good five feet short. Anna Nordqvist, having been left pin high, 20 feet away, lags up to secure par. A big putt coming up for Corpuz, then … and in it goes. The USA wouldn’t have fancied losing that hole to a three-putt, especially after being in prime position from the tee. But they retain their two-hole lead, and holes are beginning to run out now.
Grant/Stark A/S Thompson/Khang (14)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (13)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (13)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (11)
An outrageous putt on 13! Danielle Kang drains a Texas Wedge from off the front, a 50-foot tramliner that’s always dropping! It gets the USA out of a spot of bother, having been out of position. Celine Boutier, preparing for an eight-foot putt to win, now has to make it for a half. In it goes, and that’s a fine make in the circumstances. The match remains tied.
Are we witnessing the start of a comeback for the ages? Charley Hull lands her tee shot at 10 eight feet from the flag, and in goes Emily Pedersen’s birdie putt. Just the five holes back now and … well, OK. But Pedersen punches the air, the first small victory of her Solheim Cup. Realistically the match has gone, but a less humiliating result is the goal, with a view to building up some much-needed confidence. And, well, you never know in matchplay golf.
Grant/Stark A/S Thompson/Khang (13)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (12)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (12)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (10)
Maja Stark sends her approach at 13 to ten feet. That puts the pressure on Megan Khang, who can’t get any spin out of the rough and can only find the back of the green, miles from the flag. Lexi Thompson gives the long birdie putt her best go, but it was a statistical pipe dream. Linn Grant steers in the gentle left-to-right birdie slider, and the Swedish debutants, three down after three holes, have fought back to all-square! What a performance this has been, whatever the outcome.
Grant/Stark A/S Thompson/Khang (13)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (12)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (11)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 6UP (9)
Anna Nordqvist is not on it at all. Another of her tee shots goes flying into a bush, and despite Leona Maguire’s best efforts – she creams a hybrid pin high to ten feet – that’s another hole gone for Europe in match three. But much better news for Europe in the second rubber, as Georgia Hall whips her tee shot at the par-three 12th to 12 feet, and the ice-cool Celine Boutier rolls in for birdie. All square, and the leaderboard is no longer all red.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (12)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (12)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (11)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 6UP (9)
You half suspect Charley Hull and Emily Pedersen would like to pick up and head back to the clubhouse. Pedersen fluffs a chip from the bottom of a greenside swale, and while she nearly drains the long bogey putt Hull eventually sets up for her, that’s yet another hole gone. Sky report that Hull was receiving treatment on her neck and back 30 minutes before teeing off, so perhaps this outcome isn’t quite as surprising as it seems. It’s not going to help any, put it that way.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (12)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (11)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (10)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 6UP (9)
Superb scrambling at 10. Nelly Korda splashes out to kick-in distance. Anna Nordqvist lags her Texas Wedge to similar range. Both remaining putts should be conceded, and they are, but only after a dramatic beat. Everyone smiles once the decision is made. Meanwhile up on 12, Linn Grant can’t make her birdie putt. We move on.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (12)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (11)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (10)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (8)
Maja Stark is on one, and now she creams her tee shot at the par-three 12th to 15 feet. A big chance to level the match coming up! Meanwhile good luck calling the outcome of events at the downhill par-three 10th; Allisen Corpuz dunks her tee shot into a deep bunker to the right, while Leona Maguire pulls hers way left of the green.
Charley Hull’s wild tee shot at 8 finds a bush and puts Europe in a world of trouble from the get-go. The inevitable happens and the hosts are five down through eight holes in this final match. The USA have missed a couple of putts to win, as well. But what about this from the Swedish debutants who led Europe out this morning? Linn Grant and Maja Stark went three down in short order, but they’ve now pulled back the arrears to a single hole. Both teams came up short at the par-four 11th, but the Europeans managed to get up and down while the Americans did not. Stark made the putt that won the hole, again; after a very shaky start, she’s quickly become the star European performer so far. A complete refusal to cede any further ground, and now look!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (11)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (10)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (9)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 5UP (8)
Celine Boutier misjudges the grain of the green on 10, sending her 20-foot birdie putt eight feet past the hole. Georgia Hall can’t make the one coming back. Meanwhile Nelly Korda drains a 15-foot birdie effort on 9, putting sudden pressure on Anna Nordqvist, who misses from six feet, passing up a glorious opportunity set up by Leona Maguire’s fine approach. That’s a classic matchplay blow dealt by the USA there, and all of a sudden, the visitors are up in all four matches.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (10)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (10)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (9)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 4UP (7)
The 10th is a spectacular par-three, an elevated tee 20 yards above the green. Maja Stark lands her tee shot five feet from the flag; Magan Khang drops hers halfway inside that. Both of the birdie putts go in, and on we go. Meanwhile Andrea Lee sends America’s approach pin high at 9 to 12 feet. Danielle Khang rattles in the birdie putt, and the US are level again in match two. Then coming behind fast, Nelly Korda, her putter stone cold all season, misses a short birdie opportunity to give the US the lead in the third game. Still very much advantage USA overall, but Grant and Stark are hanging on in the opening rubber, and it’s all square in two.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (10)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (9)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (8)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 4UP (7)
… and here we go! Europe are on the par-five 8th in two big hits. Georgia Hall leaves the eagle putt a good five feet short. Danielle Kang can’t drain a long birdie effort. Celine Boutier, who has perhaps been Europe’s most on-point performer this morning, showcases the ice in her veins that landed that Evian / Scottish Open back-to-back double earlier this year, tidying up for a birdie that puts some blue back on the board!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (8)
1UP Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee (8)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (7)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 4UP (6)
Better news for Europe on 7. Nelly Korda hits a hot chip eight feet past the hole, Allisen Corpuz can’t make the par putt coming back, and Leona Maguire is able to roll in from six feet to level the match. All of a sudden, things don’t look quite so bad for the hosts. It’s not great, but it’s less bad. Baby steps in the right direction, and we’re only a couple of hours in, things can and will change quickly, one way or t’other.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (8)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (7)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (7)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 4UP (6)
Anything Maja Stark can do, Lexi Thompson can match. Lexi punches delicately out of the Bermuda grass to close range, and the hole is halved. Europe would have taken that when Linn Grant was taking her penalty drop. Meanwhile Cheyenne Knight misses yet another putt … and once again pays no price whatsoever! USA had two for the win at the par-three 6th, Charley Hull having missed the green to the right, and Europe are in serious trouble in the final match.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (8)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (7)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (6)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 4UP (6)
While all that was going on, USA were winning holes at 7 in the second match and 5 in the last. Things can turn quickly all right … and then Megan Khang can only advance her chip from the thick greenside rough at 8 into more bother. Maja Stark splashes to two feet and now the pressure’s on Lexi Thompson. Stark is showcasing some fine street-fighting skills after a slow start, and Europe look like salvaging a half here … or maybe even snatching the hole!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (7)
Boutier/Hall A/S Kang/Lee (7)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (6)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 3UP (5)
Maja Stark’s drive at 8 ended up under a bush, so Linn Grant is forced to take a penalty drop. She creams her third towards the green, only for the camber of the fairway to gather the ball into a greenside bunker front and left. Serious advantage USA, though Lexi Thompson keeps Europe in it by pulling her approach from the centre of the fairway towards the same bunker. The ball snags in the rough on the bank, and while America are lying two to Europe’s three, the hosts have a much easier shot coming up.
Maja Stark had made another big putt to salvage a half, this time on 7. But the struggle continues as her tee shot at 8 disappears in the direction of bother down the left of the fairway. Better news on the par-three 6th, as Anna Nordqvist drains a 25-foot birdie putt to halve the deficit in the third match. That’s a big one for Europe, and for the three-time major-winning Swede, who has been uncharacteristically shaky during these early exchanges.
… but it’s been one step forward, another back all morning for Europe. Anna Nordqvist slices wildly into bushes down the right of 5, then after taking a penalty drop, Leona Maguire clips another branch and that pretty much is that. In any case, it’s a third birdie in a row for Team USA and they now have two-hole leads in three of the matches.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (7)
1UP Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee (6)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 2UP (5)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 2UP (4)
… Georgia Hall clips her tee shot at 6 to five feet. Celine Boutier rolls calmly into the cup, and that’s Europe’s first birdie of the 2023 Solheim Cup! It took a while, but there’s some blue on the board again!
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (6)
1UP Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee (6)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (4)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 2UP (4)
Danielle Kang flays her tee shot at 5 into deep bother down the right of the hole. Andrea Lee is forced to take a drop and punch back onto the fairway. Europe get on in regulation, and the hole is theirs. But back on 4, Emily Pedersen misses a birdie effort from six feet, and Europe trail by a couple of holes in the last match. Europe have yet to make a single birdie … so having just typed that …
Anna Nordqvist lips out from close range at 4, and suddenly the leaderboard is all red. But it’s not all bad news for Europe, as Maja Stark builds on her confidence boost at 5 by ramming in an eight-footer on 6 to reduce the arrears in the opening match. Stark and her partner Linn Grant celebrate the momentum-shifter with some passionate high-fives. That’s got the crowd going.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (6)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (4)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz 1UP (4)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 1UP (3)
Three holes, three missed hole-winning putts by Cheyenne Knight. She’s not being punished, though. This one, for par at 3, drifts away on the low side from 12 feet, but Charley Hull had earlier only just escaped a greenside bunker, and so the hole is halved in bogey four.
Maja Stark has looked jittery on her Solheim Cup debut, but this will settle her nerves. A lovely approach into the par-four 5th, pin high to ten feet. Her partner Linn Grant then races an aggressive birdie putt five feet past, but Stark nails the one coming back to save the half. Meanwhile a chance goes by for Europe in the second match, as Celine Boutier creams a hybrid into the heart of the par-five green, only for Georgia Hall to whistle the eagle putt six feet past. Boutier can’t salvage the situation and that’s a careless three-putt. Another half, though that one won’t feel so good.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 3UP (5)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (4)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (3)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 1UP (2)
Having missed a short putt to win the 1st, Cheyenne Knight repeats the trick on 2, pulling a straight one wide left from six feet. She cocks her head back with a mixture of irritation and disgust. But it doesn’t matter, because Charley Hull’s short par putt horseshoes out. A careless mistake by the British Open runner-up.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 3UP (4)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (3)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (3)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight 1UP (2)
Small mercies for Europe on the par-five 4th. Lexi Thompson lets a seven-foot birdie putt slide by to the right, and the chance for the USA to go four up through four holes is gone. But trouble for Leona Maguire on 3. Europe’s star of 2021 looks nervous this time round, and flubs a chip from the thick Bermuda grass to effectively hand the hole to the USA. Match three is tied again.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 3UP (4)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (3)
Maguire/Nordqvist A/S Korda/Corpuz (3)
Hull/Pedersen A/S Ewing/Knight (1)
Hole-winning chances from very makeable range go by for Cheyenne Knight at 1, Anna Nordqvist at 2, and Georgia Hall at 3. Pressure’s on already, folks. Pressure’s on.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 3UP (3)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (3)
1UP Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz (2)
Hull/Pedersen A/S Ewing/Knight (1)
A reminder of the format
For the benefit of folk who fancy getting up on the downswing this weekend but don’t always follow the greatest sport in the world, we usually cut and paste the following explainer. Hey, if it’s worth reading once, it’s worth reading a dozen times. Here we go …
The Solheim Cup is a matchplay event. Each match is worth a point. There are 28 points available over the three days, so the first team to get to 14.5 points will win the Cup. Should the scores be tied at 14 points apiece, Europe will retain the trophy as current holders.
Match-play explained for those dipping their toe into the murky world of golf for the first time: In common-or-garden championship golf, such as the ANA Inspiration or the British Open, tournaments are scored using the stroke-play system. Whoever takes the fewest shots over all four rounds in a championship wins. All shots count and are added up for a cumulative total. So if, say, in next year’s Dinah Shore (Chevron Championship-speak for hipsters), Lexi Thompson shoots 63-63-63-63 and Georgia Hall shoots 87-87-87-87, Lexi will have taken 252 strokes, and beaten Georgia by 96 shots. (Good luck if you bet large on this exact outcome.)
Anyway, in match play, each player or team wins a hole for every hole they better their opponents. So if Lexi takes five shots at the 1st, but Georgia needs only three, Georgia goes 1up. If Georgia wins the next hole too, she’s 2up. If the pair share the same number of shots on the 3rd, the hole is halved, and Georgia remains 2up. It doesn’t matter if Lexi took 13 shots on her way to losing the 2nd, by the way; a bit like the unwritten rule of visits to wallet-sewer-interface-venue Las Vegas, what happens on each hole stays on each hole. There is no knock-on effect.
So let’s say Hall wins the first nine holes of our make-believe match. With nine played, and nine remaining, she is 9up. Lexi can only tie at best; Hall can’t lose. This is known as dormie. (And more specifically, in this slightly ludicrous example, as dormie nine.) If Lexi wins the next nine, the game will end all square, and each team will get half a point to their overall total. But if Georgia wins the 10th, she’s 10up with eight holes to play. She has won 10&8. If the 10th hole is halved, Georgia would be 9up with eight to play. She’s won 9&8. Similarly Lexi can be said to have lost 9&8. Europe would add a point to their overall total. I’ve probably made this sound way more complicated than it needs to be, but there it is anyway.
There will be three types of match: foursomes (teams of two players use one ball, taking alternate shots); fourballs (teams of two players play a ball each and take the best score, known as the better ball); and singles (this is when it gets quite wild and everyone across two continents starts with the shallow breathing and chest clutching). And these matches are arranged in a schedule like this:
Today: four matches of morning foursomes; four matches of afternoon fourballs.
Tomorrow: four matches of morning foursomes; four matches of afternoon fourballs.
Sunday: 12 singles matches.
The final game in the morning foursomes takes to the tee. Cheyenne Knight and Emily Pedersen both stay dry, leaving their partners Ally Ewing and Charley Hull the task of wedging close. Meanwhile the Swedish pairing of Linn Grant and Maja Stark continue to struggle; Stark misses the green at the par-three 3rd while Lexi Thompson sends her tee shot to eight feet, and the US have flown out of the traps in this opening match! And there’s people questioning the selection of the out-of-form Lexi. Class is permanent, huh.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 3UP (3)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (2)
1UP Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz (1)
Hull/Pedersen v Ewing/Knight
Back on 1, Allisen Corpuz, taking her first stroke of the week from the dropzone, knocks the ball pin high to 12 feet. Leona Maguire pulls Europe’s approach miles to the left of the flag, leaving Anna Nordqvist with a monster birdie putt. The Swede lags up wonderfully from downtown, enough for par. Nelly Korda can’t atone for her tee-box error, her par putt staying up on the right, and Europe hit the front in match three.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (2)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (1)
1UP Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz (1)
Some good fortune for USA off the tee at the par-five 2nd. Megan Khang’s drive threatens to disappear into shrubbery down the right of the fairway, but it clacks into some poor member of the gallery en route. But once Lexi Thompson advances the ball down the hole, Khang makes up for it, easing a wedge to four feet. Thompson tidies up for birdie, and the States are off to a flier in match one.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 2UP (2)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (1)
Maguire/Nordqvist v Korda/Corpuz
Danielle Kang rolls the straight birdie putt towards the hole, then wanders after it with her putter in the air. It’s there! A fast start for the USA as they take the lead in the opening two matches. But there’s better news for Europe back on the opening tee, as Nelly Korda, partnering Allisen Corpuz, pulls her tee shot into the pond. Anna Nordqvist, out with Leona Maguire this morning, reacts with the conservative play down the right. Big chance for a first splash of blue on the board here.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (1)
Boutier/Hall v Kang/Lee 1UP (1)
Back on the 1st tee, the competitors of the second match arrive on the scene. It’s Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall, who take on Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee. Compared to what went before, Kang and Boutier play conservative opening shots, to the right of the water rather than over it. Boutier’s briefly threatens to draw a bit too much, but it stays dry. However from a downhill lie, Hall knifes the approach through the green and down a swale at the back, while Lee sends the American ball over the flag to 18 feet. Advantage USA in this one too.
Lexi Thompson’s birdie putt shaves the right-hand edge of the cup but stubbornly refuses to drop. She chews her gum in frustration … but no matter, because Maja Stark can’t take advantage by making her six footer, which is always missing on the high side, and that’s the opening hole to the USA. A slightly uncertain start by Europe, and specifically by Stark.
Grant/Stark v Thompson/Khang 1UP (1)
Linn Grant’s tee shot had in fact snagged on the bank by the side of the bunker. That’s a bad break; the sand would have been more inviting. Maja Stark’s club decelerates through the thick Bermuda grass and Europe’s ball topples apologetically into the bunker. Megan Khang demonstrates the advantage of having a good lie in the trap by splashing out to 15 feet, after which Grant pings Europe’s third shot to six feet. Advantage USA here.
Europe captain Suzann Pettersen has selected an all-Swedish pairing of Linn Grant and Maja Stark for the first match of the Friday foursomes. The two debutants bounce excitedly over the bridge to the first tee and receive a tumultuous welcome. Stacy Lewis’s opening team of Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang are no less pumped. What an atmosphere! And what a nerve-shredding opening tee shot, downhill at a short dogleg-left par-four over water. Thompson has the honour of taking the first shot of these Matches, and bravely sends her shot over the drink – there is an option to bale out on the right, but what you gonna do? – and into sand back-right of the green. Linn Grant calmly follows her. We’re off, then. Three days of drama about to unfold in front of our startled eyes. May the best team win.
Preamble
Good morning and welcome to our live hole-by-hole text coverage of the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup. After dramatic victories at Gleneagles in 2019 and Inverness Club, Ohio in 2021, the cream of European golf attempt to make it three consecutive victories for the first time in tournament history at Finca Cortesin in Spain. It’s already hopping at the first tee with the sun only just peeking up into view, and here are the pairings for the morning foursomes (Europe first, all times BST) … not long now. It’s on!
7.10 am: Linn Grant and Maja Stark v Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang
7.22 am: Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall v Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee
7.33 am: Leona Maguire and Anna Nordqvist v Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz
7.44 am: Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen v Ally Ewing and Cheyenne Knight