AMERICANS SWEEP AFTERNOON FOUR-BALLS TO LEAD SOLHEIM CUP
Great start for Team USA!!
Team USA made history of their own in the Friday afternoon four-balls, as they made a clean sweep to take a 5 ½ – 2 ½ lead over Europe.
Not once during the entire afternoon was there blue on the board, with Juli Inkster’s side holding on to any lead they gained thanks to some fine putting performances from many of her players.
Since the event changed to a five session format, every time the U.S. has led after two sessions they have won the Solheim Cup – a stat that Inkster is sure to take note of.
Danielle Kang & Michelle Wie def. Jodi Ewart Shadoff & Madelene Sagstrom 3&1
Danielle Kang and Michelle Wie won their first two holes and never looked back thanks to another impressive performance on the greens from Kang, who made several clutch putts en-route to a 3&1 victory over Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Madelene Sagstrom.
Missed putts by the European pair, doubled with clutch putts from Kang on 14, 15 and 16 meant the Americans would pick up a full point for their team. It is apparent Kang’s U.S. Women’s Amateur experience has helped her ten-fold in her rookie showing at the Solheim Cup.
Lizette Salas & Angel Yin def. Carlota Ciganda & Emily Pedersen 6&5
Lizette Salas produced a stunning front nine as she made six birdies, including three in the first three holes, to help lead her rookie partner Angel Yin and herself to a 6&5 victory over Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen.
The 6&5 win ties the second largest margin of victory in a Solheim Cup four-ball match, just shy of the 7&5 record set by Pat Hurst and Rosie Jones in 1998. The pair of Salas and Yin were eight-under par through the 13 holes they played, leaving their European counterparts six shots behind on two-under par.
Brittany Lang & Brittany Lincicome def. Caroline Masson & Florentyna Parker 3&2
Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicome remain unbeaten as a pair, as they defeated the European pairing of Caroline Masson and Florentyna Parker. Tee to green the Americans were strong, and when Lang’s putter got hot there was no way back for the Europeans.
The Lang and Lincicome pairing now has a record of 3-0-0 when playing together and was Lincicome’s first win since the opening day of the 2013 Solheim Cup.
Stacy Lewis & Gerina Piller def. Georgia Hall & Charley Hull 2&1
Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller rounded out the four U.S. victories, as they defeated the English duo of Georgia Hall and Charley Hull 2&1. The American pair were never able to get any more than 2 Up and when Charley Hull chipped in for eagle on the 15th, it looked like the match may be heading all the way.
However, Lewis rose to the occasion on the 17th hole and hit her tee shot close on 17. She then proceeded to hole putt, to secure a clean sweep for Team USA.
Saturday Morning Foursomes Pairings
Jodie Ewart Shadoff & Caroline Masson vs Cristie Kerr & Lexi Thompson – 7.10 a.m.
Mel Reid & Emily Pedersen vs Paula Creamer & Austin Ernst – 7.22 a.m.
Anna Nordqvist & Georgia Hall vs Stacy Lewis & Gerina Piller – 7.34 a.m.
Catriona Matthew & Karine Icher vs Michelle Wie & Danielle Kang – 7.46 a.m.
Source: LPGA.com
