SOLHEIM CUP EUROPE 4.5 USA 3.5:TEAR UP the script, this ain't going to be a runaway win, or anything like it, for the Americans in this 12th edition of the Solheim Cup.
There was no butt kicking – as one of the USA players had so indelicately put it on her ‘wild card’ selection – from the visitors to their hosts, rather a declaration of defiance from Team Europe that the famed crystal trophy would be hard won by whoever manages to come out on the other side. There’s all to play for.
On a day which mercifully stayed dry but featured a stiff breeze that accentuated the challenge and made shot-making and distance control hugely important, Europe stole the edge – 4½ points to 3½ – after the first day’s play.
Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson led the way, each winning both of their matches, while ‘rookie’ Caroline Hedwall made an impressive debut to highlight an increasing strength in depth in the team.
It was, for sure, a long old day. The first drive in anger was taken by Cristie Kerr at 7.40am to get the foursomes under way and the final handshakes were conducted on the 18th green at 7.07pm, when Pettersen and Anna Nordqvist won the last fourballs over Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie. It was a protracted fourballs match, but one that eventually gave Europe the point required to take the narrowest of leads with them into the weekend.
With the course in pristine condition and galleries that grew slowly to finally give an official figure of 17,000 spectators providing a wonderful atmosphere, Europe recovered from a nervy start to finish up strongest.
It could have been better, though. But it wasn’t a day to be too greedy, with Alison Nicholas’s charges using the underdogs tag as a strong motivational tool. They’re ahead, and that’s better than being behind.
Pettersen – the world number two – revelled in her role as on-course leader. Two matches, two wins. The same with Gustafson, who partnered the Norwegian to a one-hole win in the foursomes and then accompanied debutante Hedwall to the biggest win of the day, by 5 and 4, over Vicky Hurst and Brittany Lincicome in the fourballs.
Indeed, Pettersen’s birdie putt on the 18th in the foursomes win over Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster was so important, not only levelling the match but giving Europe momentum heading into the fourballs.
“A class putt,” observed Nicholas later of Pettersen’s left-to-right slider that found the bottom of the hole, quipping: “I got scared of heights I jumped up so high (after Pettersen holed the birdie).”
Some of the play in the foursomes was ordinary, to say the least, with a number of sockets, duffed chips and thinned bunkers shots. The fourballs – in the afternoon – was quite a contrast, with a plethora of great approach shots and some wonderful putts.
In all, there were 44 birdies spread across the four fourballs with Catriona Matthew’s run of five successive birdies most impressive of all.
The only pity was the pace of play was so slow, with players taking considerable time over lining up and playing shots.
Apart from the speed of play, this was a good day for the Solheim Cup.
If anything, Europe could have been further ahead with Mel Reid arguably most hard done by. In the foursomes, Reid and Karen Stupples were two up with four holes to play but lost out to Paula Creamer and Brittany Lincicome on the 18th for a one-hole loss. Reid then suffered a similar fate in the fourballs when taking a one-hole lead with Laura Davies to the 17th tee only to lose both the 17th and 18th holes to Creamer – again – and Pressel. Ouch! “She gave 100 (per cent), that’s all she can do. I’m sure she’ll come out of it fighting,” said Nicholas.
The most authoritative win of all came from Hedwall and Gustafson, who required some medical attention to her knee in mid-round after the strapping applied before the round caused further problems.
It didn’t detract Gustafson – winner of the 2010 Irish Open over this course – from the cause, as she provided an experienced guiding hand to her young compatriot. Indeed, the joy on her face as Gustafson rolled in a birdie putt on the sixth green was a sight to behold. There, Lincicome, as was her right, continued to play out in recording a par three so that Hurst couldn’t give Hedwall, putting on the same line, a read.
It didn’t matter. Hedwall rolled in the 20-footer downhill putt to move them two clear and it was one-way traffic thereafter.
“I just tried to play my game, and we had a lot of fun out there, and we played well, both of us. It was a good win,” said Hedwall in a matter-of-fact way.
If there was any message to the Europeans from yesterday’s play, it was that the Americans keep going to the death. It should make for a long, but intriguing, weekend’s play.
