U.S. Sweeps Europe 4-0 in Opening Session of 2023 Solheim Cup
ANDALUCIA, Spain — In dominant fashion, the USA swept the Friday morning foursomes 4-0 in the 18th Solheim Cup at the Finca Cortesin in Spain.
In a format the U.S. has never found much success in, the red, white, and blue won the morning session for the sixth time in Solheim Cup history and the first time since 2009.
In the five other occasions the U.S. won the Friday morning session, 2009 (2.5 points), 2007 (2.5 points), 1998 (3.0 points), 1996 (3.5 points) and 1990 (3.0 points), it has gone on to win the Solheim Cup.
“Alternate shot is really tough,” Ally Ewing said after a 5 & 4 victory. “I know the Europeans didn't play quite like they want, but we just kept trying to stick to our plan, apply pressure when we could, and just keep executing our shot that we had at hand and never tried to get ahead of ourselves. Yeah, it paid off well for us.”
It was a red board for most of the Friday morning session. The onslaught started when Lexi Thompson hit her tee shot into the greenside bunker on the par-4 first hole, but won the hole with a par.
Winning the first hole of the first match set the tone and the U.S. never looked back while holding the lead in 48 of the 67 holes while the Europeans led in only 4.
“It means a lot to me, first off, to just be able to hit the first tee shot out there,” said Thompson, a six-time Solheim Cupper who has now earned 10.5 career points. “I kind of live through this tournament. It's my favorite one of all time. I love representing my country and to be alongside my partner and my team and playing under Stacy, it's incredible.”
At the Inverness Club in Toledo two years ago, the Europeans set the tone for the matches in Friday foursomes winning 3.5 of the 4 points and eventually took the Cup, 15-13.
“We know we're going to be in for a dog fight, Team Europe's really stacked,” Cheyenne Knight said after her victory. “Honestly, I think it kind of set the tone, kind of Lexi going out first. A lot of people have doubted her, and I hope that she pulls out the point today, and I saw they got off to a really great start. But I think we are the underdogs and we've got everything to gain and nothing to lose and we are here to kind of shock some people.”
2023 Solheim Cup Friday Morning Foursomes Results
Match 1 - USA 2 & 1 - Lexi Thompson & Megan Kang d. Linn Grant & Maja Stark
Match 2 - USA 1 UP – Danielle Kang & Andrea Lee d. Celine Boutier & Georgia Hall
Match 3 - USA 1 UP - Nelly Korda & Allisen Corpuz d. Leona Maguire & Anna Nordqvist
Match 4 - USA 5 & 4 - Ally Ewing & Cheyenne Knight d. Charley Hull & Emily K. Pedersen
2023 Solheim Cup Friday Afternoon Fourball Pairings (start at 7:40 EST)
Match 5 – USA R Zhang & M Khang v. Europe G Dryburgh & M Sagstrom
Match 6 – USA L Thompson & L Vu v. Europe L Maguire & G Hall
Match 7 – USA J Kupcho & A Corpuz v. Europe E Pedersen & M Stark
Match 8 – USA A Yin & A Ewing v. C Ciganda & L Grant