Europeans Take Commanding Lead During Saturday’s Solheim Matches

Neal Reid

No European Solheim Cup Team has ever won on U.S. soil but this year’s squad could be on their way to becoming the first to accomplish the feat. Thanks to a spectacular afternoon four-ball session on Saturday afternoon in which they took all four points, the European Team leads the U.S. Team 10 ½ – 5 ½  heading into Sunday’s singles matches at Colorado Golf Club.

The five-point lead for the Europeans ties their largest lead ever heading into the final day of the Solheim Cup. They also led by five points heading into the Sunday singles matches in 2000 and went on to win the Cup that year, 14 ½-11 ½.

“It's a wonderful feeling,” said European Solheim Cup captain Liselotte Neumann. “These girls played their hearts out.  It's awesome, it was a fantastic afternoon.  I'm so proud of them.”

The sweep by the Europeans on Saturday afternoon marked only the third time in Solheim Cup history that a team has swept an entire session. Europe went 4-0 in the Friday morning foursomes session back in 2000 and they won the Saturday afternoon four-ball session 4-0 in 2002.

The Europeans now need to earn only 3 ½ points out of the 12 singles matches on Sunday to retain the Cup. With such a large deficit to overcome, the Americans certainly have their work cut out for them if they are to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time ever in the event. Three times in Solheim Cup history a team has come back from a Saturday deficit to win the Solheim Cup. All three of those comebacks have been by the American squad, although the largest deficit they had in those comebacks was two points.

“Obviously a very disappointing afternoon,” said U.S. Solheim Cup captain Meg Mallon. “It's literally shocking to see us lose all four matches in the afternoon.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us tomorrow. It can be done.  It's daunting right now, but it can be done.”

Trailing the Europeans 5-3 following Friday’s first day of play, the Americans got momentum to swing back their way on Saturday morning. They led every foursomes match at one point in the session and walked away with 2 ½ points to pull themselves within a point of the European Team (6 ½ – 5 ½).

The foursomes pairing of Stacy Lewis and Paula Creamer captured a 1-up victory over Azahara Munoz and Karine Icher to get the U.S. on the board in the morning session while Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang pulled off a 2&1 victory on the 17th hole for the American’s second point of the day. The U.S. Team looked like it might tie things up after the foursomes matches as Brittany Lincicome and Lizette Salas had a 2-up lead with two holes to play. The pair instead lost the final two holes to halve their match with Catriona Matthew and Caroline Masson.

But while the Americans made a move early on the second day of play, Saturday afternoon belonged to Europe.

It was clear early on in the session that Europe may be on its way to a rout. When all four matches reached the turn, the Americans didn’t hold a lead in a single one and trailed in three of them. They didn’t hold a lead in any match on the back nine en route to getting swept in the four-ball session

The first match of the afternoon proved to be a teenage shootout, as 18-year-old Lexi Thompson dueled with 17-year-old Charley Hull. The two exchanged birdies for much of the early part of the round but it was Hull who came up with the big putts late in the round. With the match all-square heading into the 17th, Thompson stuck her tee shot to 5-feet while Hull followed with an approach to 4-feet. Thompson missed her birdie putt while Hull drained hers to give Europe a 1-up lead heading into 18. The Europeans went on to win the 18th and capture a 2-up victory to put the first point on the board in the afternoon.

“We had some chances on the back nine to make some birdies, but they played really well,” said Thompson’s partner for the match, Paula Creamer. “And the birdie on 17 was a big one that Charley made.  Jodi hit a great shot into it, and we had to make birdie and we knew that.  But overall it's ‑‑ that's what it is.  It's match play.  It's unfortunate, we had some good chances and made some good shots, but we just didn't make enough.”

Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall continued to be a stalwart for Europe, leading herself and partner Caroline Masson to a 2&1 victory over Jessica Korda and Michelle Wie. Hedwall has gone 4-0 so far this week and will have the chance on Sunday to become the first player in Solheim Cup history to earn five points in a single Solheim Cup.

After a disappointing performance in Friday’s four-ball session, European Solheim Cup rookie Carlota Ciganda then came up with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole to capture a 1-up victory with fellow Spaniard Azahara Munoz over Angela Stanford and Gerina Piller.

“I wasn't feeling very comfortable, but I just tried to fight until the end,” Ciganda said. “To give it all.  I love Europe, I love winning, and I love beating the Americans.  And we're going to win tomorrow.”

The real dagger from the Europeans came in the final match between Beatriz Recari/Karine Icher and Morgan Pressel/Cristie Kerr. The Americans were two down with three holes to play but battled back to head into the 18th with a chance to halve the match by winning the final hole. It appeared to be a good possibility after the Americans were both on the green in two and the Europeans lone birdie chance was a putt that Icher had from off the green. The France native caused a massive celebration with her European teammates when she drained the putt to ensure Europe of the afternoon sweep.

“Obviously now we're just going to celebrate a little bit here, but then obviously starting up for tomorrow we'll have to go back and just really focus in on the matches,” Neumann said. “Like you said, stranger things have happened.  So we just really got to focus back and just try to do the same thing tomorrow.  Go out and win every match.”

One positive for the Americans is that they have typically dominated in singles play. They have outscored Europe 80 ½ points to 55 ½ in singles matches since 1990. They also hold the record for most points won in a singles session, which is 10 in 1996.

Still the Europeans are focused on accomplishing something they have never done before – winning the Cup on U.S. soil.

“It would just be amazing feeling,” Neumann said. “I know when I took on this job, I think I said it before, and it was our goal, it's obviously my dream, to be able to win this cup over here for the first time.  So to make some history it will be amazing.”