The 2024 Solheim Cup got off to an exciting start for Stacy Lewis’s U.S. squad as they took a commanding 6-2 lead after the first eight matches. The team started strong on Thursday, winning three out of four morning foursome matches and then claiming three of the four afternoon fourball matches. Nelly Korda emerged as the star of the day, making history by being the first player to be part of two victories of three holes or more during Day 1. Now the focus shifts to Day 2 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
Heading into Saturday morning foursomes, the pairings and tee times were set with exciting matchups like Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz facing off against Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda from Europe. Other matches include Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho against Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull, Lexi Thompson and Lauren Coughlin against Maja Stark and Georgia Hall, and Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel taking on Anna Nordqvist and Celine Boutier. Some players will be sitting out the morning session for both teams, allowing for fresh faces to take the stage.
The Solheim Cup schedule for Saturday includes foursomes in the morning from 7:05 to 7:41 a.m. in 12-minute intervals for four matches. This will be followed by fourballs in the afternoon from 12:05 to 12:50 p.m. in 15-minute intervals for another four matchups. The TV coverage for Saturday’s action runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Golf Channel and then switches to NBC from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for comprehensive coverage of all the exciting matchplay action.
Recapping the Friday afternoon fourballs, highlights included Nelly Korda and Megan Khang defeating their opponents from Europe, Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire, with a decisive score of 6 and 4. Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom secured a win for Europe against Lexi Thompson and Alison Lee with a score of 6 and 5. Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang also contributed to the U.S. team’s success by defeating Linn Grant and Charley Hull with a score of 5 and 4. Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel sealed the deal for the U.S. with a victory over Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark with a score of 3 and 2.
In the Friday morning foursomes, the U.S. team continued their winning streak with Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz defeating Esther Henseleit and Charley Hull with a score of 3 and 2. Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin also secured a victory for the U.S. team against Celine Boutier and Albane Valenzuela with a score of 3 and 2. Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel added to the U.S. team’s points by defeating Linn Grant and Carlota Ciganda with a score of 3 and 2. However, Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark managed to secure a win for Europe against Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho with a score of 2 up.
The current standings heading into Day 2 of the 2024 Solheim Cup show the U.S. team leading with a score of 6-2 after two sessions. With a strong start and impressive performances from players like Nelly Korda, the American squad is in a favorable position as they look to continue their dominance in the remaining matches. The competition is fierce, and fans can expect more exciting moments and intense matchups as the Solheim Cup unfolds at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Stay tuned for more updates and coverage of this prestigious event as the battle for the cup heats up.
