Key events
A flex of the knees in frustration from Korda has her eagle putt at 10 hangs on the lip. Ciganda has hit a fine approach too and she is stood over a putt for a three from the edge of the green at the par five. That also flirts with the hole but doesn’t drop so it’s halved in birdie four.
Drama in the top match. Hull just misses a lengthy par putt while Woad, from much closer in, can’t make hers disappear either. It means Noh’s par is good for the win and Woad/Hull’s 3up lead has gone to just 1up in the space of two holes.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (13)
Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee 2UP (12)
1UP Rhodes/Nadaud v Corpuz/Kim (11)
2UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (10)
Khang has got her putting boots on now. In goes another, this time from 25 feet, to halve the 12th and keep the US 2up on Boutier and Madsen. This would be Khang’s eighth win in her last nine Solheim Cup matches, Matt Cooper informs me.
Europe have work to do to stay 2up in the top match but Woad’s bunker shot is nicely played although she’ll still have around six feet for par.
The rain is coming down a little harder now. Players quick to disappear back under umbrellas after hitting shots. It’s getting darker too. I’m sure you know but they’re an hour ahead in the Netherlands so it’s 4.45pm local time.
Europe now up in three of the four matches. Mimi Rhodes almost holes her eagle chip at 10 and then taps in from four feet for the win as Corpuz and Kim can’t respond.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (12)
Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee 2UP (11)
1UP Rhodes/Nadaud v Corpuz/Kim (10)
2UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (9)
Our colleague, Matt Cooper, is at Bernardus and he’ll be on live blog duty tomorrow afternoon. Here he is now with a few notes.
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Maguire, Henseleit and Duncan had spells on the range this afternoon.
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Lottie Woad’s dad and sister are out following her.
No real fireworks from Nelly Korda this afternoon. That’s summed up by her approach to 9 from 125 yards which comes up at least 25 feet shy. Every chance she and Coughlin will turn 2down.
At 12, Noh’s 18-foot putt breaks into the hole for birdie, putting the pressure back on Hull and Woad. It’s a ‘no’ from Hull and Woad can’t convert either. What looked like 4up suddenly becomes 2up. Life in that match yet although Yin’s lack of competitive golf since June due to illness means Noh is having to do an awful lot of the heavy lifting.
At 11, Khang finally holes a putt… just. It topples in from 15 feet and she and Lee go 2up on Madsen and Boutier.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (12)
Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee 2UP (11)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (9)
2UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (9)
Lottie Woad breaks out into a huge smile. Her second from just shy of the heather down the right of 12 bounces onto the green and then catches a piece of the hole before pulling up about five feet away. Fantastic shot. Noh and Hull will also have decent birdie chances.
Boutier has an eagle try coming up at 10 after her second pulled up just short of the green. It drifts right and that’s a tap-in birdie. But Alison Lee hit an even better approach and her six-foot conversion puts some red on the board for the first time in a while.
3UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (11)
Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee 1UP (10)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (9)
2UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (8)
Hull and Woad taking it turns now to get the crowds going. At the 10th, Hull drains her 15-footer for birdie and that’s another win as Noh’s nine-foot attempt for the tie is always staying left. England’s dynamic duo are 3up again.
At 8, Europe go 2up on Korda and Coughlin thanks to Lopez Ramirez’s two-putt birdie.
3UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (11)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (9)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (8)
2UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (8)
The big-hitting Lopez Ramirez drives the par-4 8th. That looked effortless. She’s about 40 feet away.
To complete an excellent 30 seconds of action for the hosts, Woad rolls in her eagle putt at 10 to extend Europe’s lead to 2up in the top match.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (10)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (9)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (8)
1UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (7)
… also at 10, Charley Hull with have 12-feet for eagle.
Back at 7, a clenched first from Ciganda as her second winning birdie in a row flips red to blue via neutral white. Europe are now 1up in that one.
And at the short par-4 8th, Nadaud and Corpuz trade birdies to keep Match 3 level.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (9)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (8)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (8)
1UP Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin (7)
How about that! Lottie Woad launches her second shot at the par-5 10th and it bounces onto the front edge of the green, running up to about five feet from the flag. She’ll have that for eagle.
A random stat. in the top two matches, 13 of the 17 holes played have been won and just four halved. That’s unusual in fourballs with both teams having two chances to score on each hole.
Noh has a putt to win the 9th from 20 feet but it lacks pace so Hull and Woad turn for home at 1up. In the bottom match, Ciganda removes the only red from the board with a winning birdie-2 against Korda and Coughlin. Leads continue to be pegged back or wiped out in this see-saw afternoon session.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (9)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (8)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (7)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (6)
And now we have total parity. Two matches at 1up and two all square. The change comes in Match 3 as Mimi Rhodes holes from eight feet at the 7th and then watches Auston Kim fail to match her birdie from closer in.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (8)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (8)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (7)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin 1UP (5)
A quick mention that over in the Irish Open, local favourite Shane Lowry has jumped into a four-shot lead. The Irishman is 8-under for the day and -11 overall with two holes of his second round to play.
A surge of red. Forget Corpuz at 6 as playing partner Kim putts first and holes one from downtown for birdie. Rhodes just goes left with her 15-footer and the USA go 1up in Match 3.
And it’s a similar story at 5 as Coughlin puts the US ahead in that one too.
To complete a bona fide momentum swing in favour of the visitors, Woad and Hull can’t hole their birdie attempts at 8, allowing Yin to get up and down for the win.
The leaderboard looks very different all of a sudden. Two splashes of red and just one of blue although all three leads are by the minumum margin.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (8)
Madsen/Boutier AS Khang/Lee (7)
Rhodes/Nadaud v Corpuz/Kim 1UP (6)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez v Korda/Coughlin 1UP (5)
There’s always plenty of drama at the par-3 6th over water. And it’s cheers rather than groans for Europe this time as Mimi Rhodes hits a super tee-shot to around 15 feet. But Alison Corpuz sees that and raises with a wonderful strike to around seven feet.
Madsen makes another blunder at 7, finding the wet stuff yet again but Boutier has a 20-footer for birdie which just pulls up short and right. It opens the door for the Americans. Lee misses but Khang calmly rolls in her six-footer and that’s back-to-back holes for the US and the match is all square.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (7)
Madsen/Boutier A/S Khang/Lee (7)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (5)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (4)
The short par-4 8th is a great match play hole and Hull, Woad, Yin and Noh have it surrounded with their tee-shots. The smart money suggests it’ll be halved in birdie-3s but we shall see.
Still a good looking leaderboard for Europe. Blue in the top two matches with the bottom two all square.
Angel Yin comes to the party with a winning birdie at 7 to cut Hull and Woad’s lead. It’s the result of an excellent tee shot and although the putt rather wobbles in, she’ll take that. Hull’s attempt at a birdie ended as a bit of misread but 2up after 7 is still a decent lead for the Europeans in that top match.
Meanwhile, Nadaud and Kim trade birdie putts at 5 to keep Match 3 all tied up.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (7)
1UP Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee (6)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (5)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (4)
Finally an American putt drops as Korda rolls in a lengthy one at 4. But it’s not enough for the win as Lopez Ramirez matches her. The young Spaniard, guided by playing partner and veteran Solheim Cup compatriot, Carlota Ciganda, has made an impressive start.
After making a complete mess of 6, Madsen and Boutier walk to the 7th tee with their lead reduced to just 1up.
3UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (6)
1UP Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee (6)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (4)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (4)
I watched a fair bit of Lottie Woad at the AIG Women’s Open at Lytham. Her default setting seems to be cheery and calm. Add in a fierce underlying determination plus a whole heap of talent and she looks a great fit to do wonderful things in this event. To underline all that, she breaks into a smile after an excellent tee-shot at 7.
Back at 6, Madsen dumps another one in the water. That’s the third time she’s found the drink on that hole this morning. A bit of a mental block it seems.
“Trust the process”, said European skipper Anna Nordqvist earlier when explaining why she’d sent the Hull/Woad and Boutier/Madsen combos out again despite their morning defeats. It’s playing out perfectly so far.
That said, there’s a terrible double error at the par-3 6th as both Boutier and Madsen find water. Khang is safely on the dancefloor so the Americans have a golden chance to cut the deficit.
A big Solheim Cup roar as Hull is rewarded for her aggressive tee-shot at 6 by nailing a 15-footer for birdie. After losing the 1st and halving the 2nd, Hull and Woad have sprinted into a 3up lead by winning four holes on the spin.
At the 4th, Khang and Lee need to respond to Boutier’s birdie but both dribble their efforts from around 10 feet wide. Boutier and Madsen double their advantage.
In the bottom match, Lopez Ramirez holds firm with her par putt at 3 to keep Europe all square
3UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (6)
2UP Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee (5)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (4)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (3)
Worth noting that Europe’s two losing pairs from this morning are both winning. Different format and perhaps a different mindset and extra urge to right the wrong. Back to 4 and another American putt, this one from Corpuz, slides by. A theme is developing: the US putting is cold.
The 6th hole at Bernardus is a par 3 over water. A lot of water. Hull shows no fear, putting her tee shot pin high and about 15 feet left. It’s a brave shot with the flag in the front portion of the green. Noh plays to the safer heart of the green.
In the bottom match, the 2nd is halved in par 5. Korda and Coughlin both have chances for a winning birdie but spurn it. The putts aren’t dropping for the Americans just now and that’s highlighted again as Yin misses from 10 feet at 5, meaning Woad’s birdie is good enough to put Europe 2up.
2UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (5)
1UP Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee (4)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (3)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (2)
A wonderful approach by Alison Lee at the 4th sets up a tap-in birdie. Madsen’s response catches the lip but doesn’t drop so the Americans have halved the deficit in that second match, cutting Europe’s lead to the minimum margin.
In other news, the weather is taking a turn for the better with the sun starting to sneak between the clouds. And just as I write that, Woad stiffs her approach at 5 for a certain birdie.
Madsen’s turn to get the crowds going as she birdies the 3rd from 15 feet. Khang has a chance to respond but can’t and Europe go 2up in Match 2.
After confusing myself muchly, I’ve now put Europe’s scores on the left, defying Scott’s earlier leaderboard protocol. Controversial I know and risking a blossoming friendship but we’ll probably laugh about it in years to come.
1UP Hull/Woad v Noh/Yin (4)
2UP Madsen/Boutier v Khang/Lee (3)
Rhodes/Nadaud A/S Corpuz/Kim (2)
Ciganda/Lopez Ramirez A/S Korda/Coughlin (1)
Lottie Woad! Her putter is hot and she drains a 20-footer for birdie at 4. That’s a win as Noh and Yin can’t respond so the top game turns blue after the Americans had won the opening hole.
In Match 3, Allisen Corpuz sinks a 10-footer to give the Americans the opening hole. That’s a second block of red on the leaderboard.
The only bit of European blue will surely be wiped out at 2 but, no, Khang and Lee both miss excellent birdie chances. A bullet, two bullets in fact, dodged.
It’s all happening now as, in the top match, Europe go all square again via a Woad birdie.
Once again, it’s a full house of fairways. That was the first shot in a Solheim Cup for Julia Lopez Ramirez, who many predict will be a shining light this week despite her lack of experience.
And so to the final fourball of the afternoon. Can Ciganda and Ramirez find something against World No.1 Korda and Coughlin. The latter had three wins over the first two days of the 2024 Solheim Cup so it’s a formidable US pairing.
12.50pm: Carlota Ciganda and Julia Lopez Ramirez v Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin
The USA stay ahead in the top match. Woad knocks in a 15-footer at the par-5 2nd hole but Yin matches her birdie with a six-foot putt of her own.
It’s a full set of fairway finders for Allisen Corpuz, Auston Kim, Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud at 1. The latter really booms one, her ball flirting with the bunker but kicking left.
At 1, Madsen’s 25 footer looks set to topple in but just wanders across the hole at the death. So close! But it doesn’t matter as Boutier holes her birdie try after a couple of US misses. Some blue on the board.
Noh/Yin 1UP (1) v Hull/Woad
Khang/Al. Lee v Boutier/Madsen 1UP (1)
Madsen smashes a huge drive at 1, leaving her a short flick for her second. It’s underhit though and she’s actually furthest from the pin. Boutier is closest, around eight feet away, but the two Americans have decent birdie chances too.
Back on the tee, two European rookies are entering the fray.
12.35pm: Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud v Allisen Corpuz and Auston Kim.
A first-hole win for the Americans. Woad can’t hole her birdie putt but Noh calmly rolls in her five-foot effort and the USA are 1up in the top match.
Recalling Bubba Watson at Ryder Cups, Megan Khang wants the crowd to make a right old din as she hits her tee-shot. She whips them up and finds the fairway. Silence for Alison Lee who also finds the short stuff.
Before Europe hit, the starter makes a horlicks of the announcement, confusing which pairing she’s calling. Everyone laughs. Something for the DVD Extras maybe. Both Europeans, Celine Boutier and Nanna Madsen, also hit good drives.
Now for match two…
12.20pm: Celine Boutier and Nanna Madsen v Megan Khang and Alison Lee. The European pair will be keen to make amends for this morning’s disappointing defeat.
Up at the 1st green, Hull and Yin show short-game prowess to guarantee pars. But can either Noh or Woad secure a winning birdie?
Anna Nordqvist is asked about resting the two winning teams for this afternoon’s matches. “We had a plan. We’re trusting the process,” says the European skipper, confirming what we thought.
Yin’s approach skids through to grass on the verge of a bunker but Noh puts her approach to around five feet. Sort of mirroring the US pair, Hull’s second goes long and actually drops into sand but Woad is around the same distance away as Noh.
Hugs between the players as the opening fourball gets ready to launch. Charley Hull and Lottie Woad for Europe v Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin for the US. Can the English duo find a spark after their defeat in the top match this morning?
Umbrellas are up but as the 12.05 match begins. It’s not the most intimidating tee-shot and all four are just fine. Yin and Hull hit slight pulls but nothing to worry about.
One notable conversation point after seeing the fourballs is that all 24 players will have had a hit on the opening day. That has to be good for team morale surely. Then again, will Leona Maguire be smiling through gritted teeth? Her record in this event is phenomenal, now reading 9-3-1 after this morning’s win. There was surely a strong argument to send her out again although the line-ups were likely decided some time in advance.
European skipper Anna Nordqvist waves enthusiastically to the crowds surrounding the first tee box. She even does a jig to some folk dressed as bananas. Well, why wouldn’t you? Support from fruit is always welcome.
Thanks Scott! Well, what a fascinating morning that was. The first opening session to be tied since 2015 at St. Leon Rot in Germany. That one finished 14.5-13.5 to the USA and it’s hard to see this year’s edition being anything but tight. Indeed, a number of shrewd judges have even gone for the tie – the outcome that unfolded at Finca Cortesin in Spain in 2023.
The afternoon fourballs have been announced. And they are …
12.05pm (BST): Charley Hull and Lottie Woad v Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin
12.20pm: Celine Boutier and Nanna Madsen v Megan Khang and Alison Lee
12.35pm: Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud v Allisen Corpuz and Auston Kim
12.50pm: Carlota Ciganda and Julia Lopez Ramirez v Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin
Something of a surprise that Boutier and Madsen have been given another run-out, because neither player was anywhere near their best this morning. A good chance to right some wrongs, though. Penny for the thoughts of Leona Maguire, who it’s safe to say usually doesn’t care too much for being stood down.
Your friend and mine, David Tindall will take you through the afternoon action. Enjoy, enjoy, and I’ll see you all again tomorrow morning.
That was a fantastic morning of matchplay golf. Allisen Corpuz and Nelly Korda made Solheim Cup history by becoming the first pairing to post a five-and-zero record in foursomes. They were magnificent, but then so was Lottie Woad, who made several crucial putts to keep the score semi-respectable. Leona Maguire, Maja Stark and Linn Grant did their usual thing for Europe, too. This is lining up to be one hell of a weekend. Incidentally, the USA had the honour this morning, hence the ordering of the scores, but allow me to cock a snook to consistency and switch everything around as we go into the rest of the tournament. So sue me!*
Hull/Woad v Corpuz/Korda 4&3
Madsen/Boutier v Al. Lee/Coughlin 3&2
2UP Henseleit/Maguire v An. Lee/Duncan
3&2 Stark/Grant v Zhang/Kupcho
Europe 2-2 USA
*please do not sue me
Europe 2-2 USA
Lee sets her putt rolling serenely towards the hole. It’s surely going in … but somehow it drifts to the right on its final turn and misses by the width of a dimple. Team USA pick up Leona Maguire’s coin – she’s got two putts from as many feet – and Europe win the match 2UP.
Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire beat Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan 2UP
Henseleit sends a crisp wedge flying towards the flagstick. Too fierce? Not a bit of it! The ball grips and spins, before rolling out to three feet. That’s a wonderful shot under pressure, and now Andrea Lee has to make the par putt if the USA are to realistically snatch half a point. But if there’s anyone the USA would pick to take this putt, it’s surely Lee …
Lindy Duncan steps up to the plate. A wedge over the flag that lands 20 feet past before spinning back to ten. A chance for par. Over to Esther Henseleit, just off the front of the green …
Leona Maguire up first. She creams a hybrid and gives it a twirl, though the ball doesn’t reach the green, rolling to a halt a few yards short. Andrea Lee meanwhile hits a slightly heavy shot out of the bunker, the ball toying with the creek running across the middle of the fairway. But it gets over. The US pair are about 80 yards out, so an up and down for par is far from a pipe dream, and would put all sorts of pressure on the European duo.
… she sends her tee shot to the right again, just as she did on 16. But not so far that it goes into the bunker that (reportedly – the cameras haven’t shown it) snaffled Duncan’s ball. So it’s advantage Europe. Many hard yards to travel yet, though.
Lindy Duncan sends her tee shot into a bunker down the right of the 18th fairway. A world of possibilities opens up for Europe … but Esther Henseleit sent her last tee shot into the drink, so the nerves will be jangling. And …
Esther Henseleit rolls in the par saver! She fist-pumps the air and Europe are dormie. Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan will have to win 18 if the USA are to go into the afternoon fourballs with an advantage.
An. Lee/Duncan v Henseleit/Maguire 1UP (17)
Zhang/Kupcho v Stark/Grant 3&2 (F)
Europe’s ball on 17 is behind a hillock to the right of the green. Leona Maguire doesn’t have much room to work with, but she lands a graceful chip onto the far side of the bank, her ball rolling out to four feet. Andrea Lee’s long birdie putt stops just short of the hole, so Esther Henseleit will have the opportunity to make amends for her recent errors. But it’s no gimme …
Europe 1-2 USA
… Rose Zhang holes her 15-foot right-to-left swinger! Europe have two putts for the win … and Maja Stark leaves a tentative dribbler a couple of feet short and wide left! Work to do … but Linn Grant completes the job. Europe on the board!
Maja Stark and Linn Grant beat Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho 3&2
