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The first part of the second round of the Solheim Cup has been saved with two victories for each team. On the European side, Carlota Ciganda has won again, this time alongside Emily Kristine Pedersen, as well as the Swedish couple formed by Linn Grant and Maja Stark.
Europe and the United States have equally shared the four points at stake in the morning Foursomes , a result that increases the value of the afternoon Fourballs .
Only one of the duels, the one between Nelly Korda and Allisen Korpuz , was clearly unbalanced on the North American side. Europe countered thanks to the effectiveness of the Ciganda-Pedersen couple in the first game and the combined strength of Grant-Stark in the last, a vital point when it was already known that Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang had raised the second point of the morning to the scoreboard.
FOUR FOUR SATURDAY MORNINGS: Europe, 2 – United States, 2
Carlota Ciganda – Emily Pedersen (Europe) beat Lilia Vu – Jennifer Kupcho (USA) by 2/1
Based on the reaction from the previous day, Captain Suzzan Pettersen placed Carlota Ciganda at the forefront along with the Danish Emily Pedersen. The tee stands on hole 1 roared and the machinery was started to deepen the turnaround on the scoreboard. The Spanish-Irish couple took the lead strongly with two points on holes 5 and 6, however immediately countered by the North Americans on holes 7 and 8. Two blows by the Europeans on holes 10 and 13 gave way to a spectacular American birdie on the 15th that raised the tension to a maximum. It was Carlota Ciganda, with a decisively executed putt on the 17th hole, who raised the first European point on the scoreboard of the day.
Lexi Thompson – Danielle Kang (USA) beat Anna Nordqvist – Leona Maguire (Europe) by 1up
Swede and Irish repeated their experience in the Foursome, this time taking the initiative with some clarity throughout the first round, dominated by the Europeans until three consecutive bogeys, between holes 9 and 11, led the North Americans to take the lead. . . . A great birdie executed by Nordqvist on the 14th put the game back to square one. On the par-3 17th, a ball thrown into the exit bunker by Nordqvist herself allowed the subsequent American point, a definitive advantage in the end.
Nelly Korda – Allisen Corpuz (United States) wins Georgia Hall – Celine Boutier (Europe) for 5/3
The couple formed by Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier was destined to be one of the most powerful on the European team, but the truth is that she has not performed in the Foursomes as expected. They didn’t finish doing it on Friday and they didn’t do it on Saturday against Nelly Korda and Allisen. Corpuz , who already proved to be winners in their first Foursome .
The duel had no history: two American birdies to start and, from there, rowing against the tide. Korda and Corpuz expanded the advantage little by little (3up to 7, 4up to 11, 5up to 13) against a European couple that could only make three birdies all morning. The only joy was Georgia Hall’s beautiful long birdie putt at 14 with which she delayed the sentence.
Maja Stark – Linn Grant (Europe) beats Danielle Kang – Andrea Lee (USA) by 1up
The last game of the morning seemed crucial for Europe not to lose on the scoreboard, and the European pair did not fail. Neither did the American, who with the help of a spectacular Andrea Lee with the putt, remained in the match at all times. So much so that he forced Linn Grant to make a remarkable birdie on the 18th hole to win.
The matchup was a rollercoaster, especially from the 8th hole onwards, absolutely vibrant. The visitors never took the advantage. Europe did everything to increase an income that at no time went beyond 1up, but Lee and Kang not only did not allow it, but they also tied up to four times. The highlight of the match was Maja Stark’s sensational putt on the 17th hole to retake the lead. Linn Grant, already in 18th, achieved a victory that tastes like more than just a point.
More information on the website www.solheimcup2023.eu, on the Twitter account @SolheimCup2023, on the Instagram account @solheimcup2023esp and on the Facebook page Solheim Cup 2023.
