Europe are this close to doubling their lead in the last match of the morning, but Nordqvist hits her ten-foot birdie effort a smidgen too hard. The ball, dead on line, crashes into the back lip, considers dropping, but horseshoes instead and pops out to the left. The new British Open champion looks shocked; that’d drop more often than not, but here we are.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (5) Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (4) N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 2UP (3) Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (2) USA 2½-5½ Europe
13:17
Nelly’s tee shot at the par-three 3rd is tugged well left, leaving her partner Ewing with a long birdie putt. That one flies four feet past, and this time Korda can’t salvage the situation. Another hole to Europe … and another match turns blue, as Altomare and Thompson can’t get up and down from distance at 4, after that false-front faux pas. Europe win in par and now they’re leading in all four matches. A long way to go, of course.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (5) Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen 1UP (4) N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 2UP (3) Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
13:12
Trouble for the USA on 4, as Thompson’s approach topples back off the false front, and scoots 60 yards back down the fairway. No need to wait between seven and ten seconds to find out the fate of that one. Europe meanwhile are pretty much pin high. Speaking of yesterday’s rules farce, here’s Simon McMahon: “After yesterday’s drama, it surely can’t be long before Sky and assorted other media give this years Solheim Cup contest a tabloid style name. Holy Toledo, or Me-Oh-My-Oh in Ohio, or something. The Hole-by-Hole is above any such nonsense, of course, and, like Ron Burgundy, will stay classy. Maybe a Scotch to partner the Hamburger Helper later?” It pairs well, I hear.
13:06
The US hit back in the opening match. Or rather, Europe struggle their way up the hole, always out of position. Sagstrom nearly salvages the situation but her downhill 10-foot par attempt drifts wide left.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (4) Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (3) N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2) Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
13:05
Europe bounce back immediately in match two, and in classic match-play fashion. Thompson’s tee shot at the par-three 3rd is pin high; Hull’s only just reaches the fringe. But Pedersen pours in the long birdie putt, spooking Altomare, whose 12-foot effort is always missing on the right. Meanwhile Nelly Korda rolls in a ten-footer on 2 for a half, but Salas can’t repeat the trick on 1 and Europe take an early lead in yet another match.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3) Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (3) N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (2) Salas/Kupcho v Nordqvist/Castren 1UP (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
12:57
Nelly Korda sends her opening drive into sand, forcing her partner Ally Ewing to take her medicine and lay up. Korda’s approach is shy, and it’s an opening bogey for the US. Europe take advantage, Mel Reid walking in a five-foot par putt. Better news on 2 for the hosts, as Thompson shakes off her putting woes – for now, at least – by curling in a perfectly weighted right-t0-left 15-footer for birdie and the hole. Plenty of early action, then, with Europe up in two, the US up in one.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3) 1UP Thompson/Altomare v Hull/Pedersen (2) N Korda/Ewing v Reid/Maguire 1UP (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
12:52
As the strains of Jump drift across the course – sadly the party people at the 1st tee aren’t playing the miserablist Scottish indie version – Hall watches in horror on the par-three 3rd as her 25-foot birdie effort takes a weird turn right, then speeds up four feet past the hole. That leaves Sagstrom with a very missable par putt to salvage the half, but she’s not in the mood to let anything go right now. In it goes, and Europe remain two up in the opening match.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (3) Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
12:45
The 2nd is set up much longer than yesterday, its yardage now a true par five. Europe still reach the green in two big blows, though. The US are just short. Kang chips up to four feet, but Ernst pulls the short putt, and it’s a fast start for Europe, who take their two putts for birdie and the hole. Sagstrom has begun the day by making her first two putts, showing steely determination after yesterday’s upsetting events. (For masochists who want to relive yesterday’s brouhaha in real time, it all begins here.)
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 2UP (2) Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
12:40
In the second match of the morning, Charley Hull briefly thinks about walking a 30-foot birdie effort in, but stops in her tracks as it drifts a little right. Lexi Thompson has a six footer to take the hole, but shoves a nervous effort to the right. Never confident with the shorter putts, she’s really struggled with the flat stick so far this weekend. That won’t help her settle after two losses yesterday.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (1) Thompson/Altomare A/S Hull/Pedersen (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
12:30
Good morning Toledo!
Welcome to our live coverage of the second day of the 2021 Solheim Cup. Here are the pairings for this morning’s foursomes:
Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst v Georgia Hall and Madelene Sagstrom Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare v Charley Hull and Emily Pedersen Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing v Mel Reid and Leona Maguire Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho v Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren
Madelene Sagstrom, emerging from the centre of yesterday’s rules fiasco, hit the first shot of the morning. She only received a light smattering of applause, but hey, this is the USA v Europe, partisan crowds are priced in. Anyway, the Swede landed the first blow of the day, rolling in a lovely 15-footer for an opening-hole birdie after a fine approach by her partner Georgia Hall. What a start! Buckle up, it’s bound to be a ride.
Kang/Ernst v Hall/Sagstrom 1UP (1) USA 2½-5½ Europe
