Americans grab 3-1 Solheim Cup lead after strong opening session

One year ago, the Americans dominated morning foursomes on the opening day of the Solheim Cup. This year? They did it again.

The U.S. won three of four matches in the opening session of the 19th Solheim Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Va., on Friday, taking a 3-1 lead into the afternoon four-ball session.

Last year, the U.S. won all four foursomes matches to begin the Solheim Cup, although Europe stormed back to win the afternoon session 3-1 in what later became the event’s first-ever tie.

On Friday morning (which was marred by transportation issues slowing fans from getting to the course), the Americans controlled most of the session. Europe’s Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark got up early on Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho in the third match of the day (eventually winning 2 up), but the U.S. pulled away in the other three matches.

Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz beat Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull 3 and 2 to get the first U.S. point on the board, and Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin added the next, beating Celine Boutier and Albane Valenzuela 3 and 2. The third point came about an hour later from Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel, who took down Linn Grant and Carlota Ciganda, also by a 3-and-2 margin.

In the first match, the Americans were 2 up at the turn but European birdies at 10 and 11 tied it up. It was still tied through 13 holes, but the U.S. won the last three. The final dagger came on the par-3 16th, when Korda stuck it to about 8 feet and Corpuz rolled in the putt, making Korda and Corpuz the first U.S. duo to win three straight foursomes matches (they were 2-0 together last year).

“I think we played solid the whole day,” Corpuz said. “Just made a few mistakes early, but saw a few putts go in. Nelly hit some really good approach shots to set me up, and we were able to flip it in the last few holes.”

Zhang and Coughlin finished soon after. They were either 1 up or tied the entire match until they birdied the 13th and parred the 14th to go 3 up. Coughlin, who lives about an hour away and has a massive gallery supporting her this week, drained crucial putts all morning. But it was Zhang who made the last one, rolling in an 8-footer for par on the 16th to win the hole and end the match.

Vu and Schmelzel never trailed in their match, and on 16 Schmelzel stuck her tee shot to 4 feet, leaving Vu an easy birdie putt to win the hole and secure the point.

A few minutes later, the final match on the course was finishing on the 18th. Pedersen and Stark were 4 up through eight and 3 up through 13, but the Americans won 14 and 15 to trim the deficit to just 1 down — the closest they’d been since the second hole. Ewing just missed a birdie putt from about 7 feet on 17 which would have tied the match, but Pedersen put it away on the 18th, sticking it to inside 5 feet from 124 yards out. The putt was eventually conceded to get Europe on the board.

The afternoon four-ball session begins at 12:05 p.m. ET on Friday. You can follow all the action on Golf Channel.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing, editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.