Golf

Britain and Ireland take commanding Curtis Cup lead

Home side will take 8-4 lead into final singles matches on Sunday

Maria Dunne celebrates on the 13th green with Meghan MacLaren in their afternoon fourball match against Bailey Tardy and Mariel Galdiano of the United States at the Curtis Cup. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images
Maria Dunne celebrates on the 13th green with Meghan MacLaren in their afternoon fourball match against Bailey Tardy and Mariel Galdiano of the United States at the Curtis Cup. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images
Sat Jun 11 2016 - 20:54

Nothing is a sure thing in sport, and what happened in the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012 – that so called miracle – will probably be emphasised time and time again before a ball is struck in anger in Sunday’s singles of the 39th Curtis Cup at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club.

Yet, on a rain-interrupted second day, Britain and Ireland – playing some inspired golf – took matters and destiny into their own hands with as empathic a performance as this old competition has ever witnessed: a 2-1 win in the morning foursomes was followed by a 3-0 whitewash in the fourballs, all of which conspired to give the home team an 8-4 lead over the United States going into Sunday’s final series of eight singles.

A day which saw American Bailey Tardy penalised for slow play – an unprecedented occurrence in the competition – also saw some remarkable play, not least the fact that Leona Maguire and Charlotte Thomas required just 29 strokes to cover the front nine in what transpired to be a 5 and 4 fourballs win over world number one Hannah O'Sullivan and Mika Liu.

A measure of the B&I's fortitude had come in the morning foursomes, where Olivia Mehaffey and Bronte Law came from three down after three holes to defeat American duo Tardy and Monica Vaughn.

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It proved to be a sensational Saturday for Britain and Ireland, with captain Elaine Farquharson-Black's brave move to omit two players – Englishwomen Rochelle Morris and Alice Hewson – entirely justified by taking five of the six points on offer to set up the possibility for regaining the trophy.

Going into Sunday's singles, B&I need to claim two and a half points from the eight matches; the USA would need to win six of the eight matches. Olivia Mehaffey will lead the B&I team, pitted against US amateur champion O'Sullivan in the top match. Leona Maguire will play Sierra Brooks and Maria Dunne will anchor the team, against Marcel Galdiano.

SUNDAY'S SINGLES PAIRINGS
(British & Irish player named first)
10.0: Olivia Mehaffey v Hannah O'Sullivan
10.10: Charlotte Thomas v Bailey Tardy
10:20: Leona Maguire v Sierra Brooks
10:30: Rochelle Morris v Monica Vaughn
10:40: Alice Hewson v Andrea Lee
10:50: Bronte Law v Mika Liu
11:00: Meghan MacLaren v Bethany Wu
11:10: Maria Dunne v Mariel Galdiano