Meghan MacLaren put her foot down to get to five-under par through six holes at Moor Park. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MEGHAN MacLaren won the second Rose Ladies Series event at Hertfordshire’s Moor Park in Hertfordshire – despite a two-shot penalty for playing the wrong ball.

The two-time LET tournament winner shot a three-under par 69 to finish two strokes clear of series founder Liz Young and England amateur Samantha Fuller.

The temperatures hit 31 degrees Centigrade on the hottest day of the year in the United Kingdom as the 50-strong field tackled the High Course.

But the hottest player on the course as MacLaren, who raced to five-under after six holes on her front-nine – with a birdie at the first and eagle at the fourth.

Meghan – who helped rebrand teh Ladies European Tour by writing a script for the inspirational Raise Our Game video – birdied the short 10^th to get to six-under.

The Wellingboro Golf Club member then made double bogey on the 11th after playing the wrong ball, followed by two further bogeys on the 12th and 13th.

But a brilliant birdie on the 15th cemented her position at the top of the leaderboard.

Meghan MacLaren put her foot down to get to five-under par through six holes at Moor Park. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Meghan happy to get her edge back

MacLAREN returned to competitive golf for the first time in three months last week, following the forced break caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Meghan said: “I think everybody felt a bit more comfortable this week.

“We were thrown in at the deep end last week, because the course was really tough, and this one was tough as well.

“But you start to get your edge back, bit by bit. It’s just nice.

“We all enjoy being here and you see the same faces, so it’s a really enjoyable atmosphere.

“For someone like Justin Rose to come out and sponsor this and say the things that he did and just give us some respect, it’s meant the world to all of us.

“To turn that into action is something that we will all be grateful for, for a very long time. Just getting to play – it’s nice to be out here again.”

The winner of the 2017 LET Access Series Order of Merit was presented with a cheque for £5,000 by Justin’s wife Kate.

Meghan posed for photos with the Rose bowl alongside her sister and caddy Becky as the penalty for playing the wrong ball did not prove costly at the end.

Young moves top Order of Merit

Young was a runner-up for the second consecutive week.

She moved into the lead on the American Golf Order of Merit ahead of Charley Hull, who won last week’s opener at Brokenhurst Manor, in Hampshire.

The Solheim Cup star tied for seventh at Moor Park, despite having played in a charity pro-am at Worplesdon Golf Club earlier in the morning.

Inci Mehmet and Beaconsfield’s Rachel Drummond also played 36 holes in one day and drove the 30 miles around the M25 to get to Moor Park for their afternoon tee time.

They tied for 21st and 34th place respectively, while another Solheim Cup star, Bronte Law was unable to match MacLaren’s sparkling form and had to settle for a share of 34th.

The Rickmansworth club has hosted European Tour events, and is the spiritual home of the Carris Trophy, one of the world’s top junior events.

Moor Park also boasts European Tour winner Matt Wallace as its touring pro.

The Rose Ladies Series is made up of eight tournaments. It moves next week to The Buckinghamshire Golf Club, the home of the LET.

The series will culminate in a two-day Grand Final to be held at The Berkshire and Wentworth’s West Course on August 6-7.

Moor Park’s famous clubhouse – The High Course is one of the UK’s top parkland courses

ROSE LADIES SERIES
July 2: Buckinghamshire Golf Club
9: Royal St George’s Golf Club
16: JCB Golf and Country Club
23: Bearwood Lakes
30: The Shire, London
GRAND FINAL
August 6: The Berkshire Golf Club
7: Wentworth Golf Club (West Course)

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Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (left) and Holland’s Anne Van Dam walk off the seventh green during Friday afternoon foursomes against the USA. Picture by MATTHEW LEWIS

EUROPE will take a narrow one point lead into the second day of the 16^th Solheim Cup at the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles.

The home team are 4½-3½ in front heading into the second series of foursomes and fourballs.

But it is the American team who have momentum on their side after a dramatic finish to the day in which they came from behind to salvage halves in both of the last two fourball matches.

The home side took a slender 2½-1½ lead into the fourballs. But it disappeared when in the second match on the course Ally McDonald and Angel Yin – both left out of the morning foursomes – took just 13 holes to beat Swedish duo Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall 7&5.

The Americans good off to a fast start with birdies at the first three holes and they also birdied the fifth, ninth, 10th and 11th to increase that advantage to seven.

Nordqvist did get one hole back with a birdie at the 12^th before McDonald, a late replacement for the injured Stacy Lewis, closed out the match with a par on the next.

The 7&5 score tied the record for the biggest margin of victory in a Solheim Cup fourball, set by one of this year’s US vice-captains – Pat Hurst – and her partner Rosie Jones in their match against Lisa Hall and Sophie Gustafson, at Muirfield Village, in 1998.

“That was the year I was born,” laughed a delighted Yin. “I would say we’re ham and eggs.

“We’ve always got each other’s back, no matter what, and we work together as a team, communicate well. We’re just such a good pairing.”

Her partner McDonald added: “When Juli called me in to replace Stacy, I knew it could go either way, so to be able to go into my first match and get a point for the US means a lot.”

The USA won the first fourball series 4-0 two years ago in Iowa.

But any hopes they had of replicating that feat disappeared when the veteran Swede, Suzann Pettersen, and the rookie Dutchwoman, Anne Van Dam, beat Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas 4&2.

It was a significant win for Pettersen because it was her ninth Solheim Cup fourball victory, tying the European record, held by Laura Davies.

“I just want to say I had the best partner in the world,” said the Norwegian.

“I told you we don’t have any rookie on the team. I mean, this girl, I think she’s the best golfer I’ve ever seen on the women’s side. Today, she was an absolute rock star.”

Van Dam added: “Walking through that tunnel, especially to play with Suzann, who has been my idol growing up, for her to say, ‘Let’s enjoy this,’ that is what I was going to do.

“I was just hitting it solid from the beginning. It is not an easy golf course.

“Even from the tee you have to hit it in the fairway. If I hit it in the rough I lose my advantage a little bit from the tee, but it was great.

“I’m happy I played well and I was happy and comfortable around Suzann.”

At that stage, the Europeans were one point clear of the Americans.

And that is how it remained when Lexi Thompson holed a curling 25-foot birdie putt across the last green to secure a halve for her and partner Jessica Korda against Bronte Law and Carlota Ciganda.

Then, in the final match, and with the sun starting to set at the end of a long but riveting day, the Europeans, Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz, also lost the last to a birdie to tie their match with Nelly Korda and Brittany Altomare.

The Europeans had been four up with five to play. This time it was rookie Altomare who did the damage, also holing out from long range to keep her side within one point of their rivals.

“Those two half points at the end of the day were huge,” said US captain Juli Inkster.

European captain, Catriona Matthew at the 10th tee during Friday morning foursomes. Picture by MARK RUNNACLES

“For two rookies (Nelly Korda and Altomare) to be four down with five holes left and come back and tie, you can’t teach that.

“It’s just in your belly. I’m just so impressed with them. It was a great end to the day.”

European captain Catriona Matthew said: “Obviously, we got off to a great start in the foursomes. Our objective was to win every session.

“The finish wasn’t what we were looking for, everyone’s a little disappointed with that, but I think you have to take the positives.

“We’re leading. We’re a point up. If we’re leading at the end of each day, that would be great.”

Matthew sticks with three pairings

CATRIONA MATTHEW has named three unchanged pairs for the second series of Solheim Cup foursomes.

The Scot brings back Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier and Charlie Hull and Azahara Munoz after both pairs won on the first morning.

Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law also return after halving their first foursomes match. The newcomers are Anna Nordqvist and Anne Van Dam.

The American captain Juli Inkster has rung the changes in an effort to make up the 4½-3½ overnight deficit.

She has given a second foursomes start to sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda who won on the first morning and also Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex who supplied a half point against Ciganda and Law.

The new American pairings are Lizette Salas and Ally McDonald and Danielle Kang and Megan Khang.

The first match on the course at 8.10am will feature Nordqvist and Van Dam against Pressel and Alex.

They are followed by Hall and Boutier against Salas and McDonald at 8.22am, Hull and Munoz against Kang and Khang at 8.34am and Ciganda and Law against the Korda sisters at 8.46am.

For live scoring from day two click here.

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Packed crowds gather at Gleneagles for the opening day of the Solheim Cup 2019. Image credit: Getty Images

Europe edged a thrilling opening day of The 2019 Solheim Cup which ended 4½-3½ after a tense afternoon fourballs session at Gleneagles on Friday.

On a day which began with the biggest and loudest first tee ever seen at a Solheim Cup, Europe claimed the opening session 2½ points to 1½ and shared the spoils in the afternoon as the fourballs ended 2-2.

It could have been a larger margin were it not for Lexi Thompson holing a putt from 18 feet to win the 18^th with Jessica Korda and grab a half from Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law, and then Nelly Korda and Brittany Altomare snatched an unlikely half against Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz.

Team Europe’s Bronte Law and Carlota Ciganda take a 1/2 point in the afternoon fourball. Image credit Getty Images

The English-Spanish duo had been up since the fifth hole but their lead – they were four up after 14 holes – was eroded as they lost the last three holes.

Earlier in the afternoon, Ally McDonald and Angel Yin inflicted the heaviest ever Solheim Cup fourball defeat on Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall, a 7&5 drubbing to level the match.

Europe restored their advantage when wildcard pick Suzann Pettersen and rookie Anne Van Dam delivered a 4&2 win over Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas. In doing so, Pettersen equalled Laura Davies’ record for Team Europe of nine fourball wins.

But the momentum was undoubtedly in favour of the Americans, who at one stage looked likely to lose three of the four afternoon matches.

USA Captain Juli Inkster said: “No one really ever talks about the half point. I have to say those two half points at the end were huge. For two rookies to be four down with five holes left and to come back and tie, you can’t teach that. It’s just in your belly. I’m just so impressed with them.

Thompson and Korda high five for Team USA on day one of the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. Image credit Getty Images

“We’ve just got to keep the Europeans in our rearview mirror, so we can see them. You don’t want to get too far down. It was looking like we could be two and a half points down, but you keep gnawing a half a point here and there and it adds up. You look at all the golf today and we’re only a point down, so I’m very pleased with where we’re at right now.”

Catriona Matthew, the European Captain, said: “I’d be lying if I said it was what we were looking for. But I think you have to take the positives and we’re leading. We’re a point up. If we’re leading at the end of each day, that would be great.

“I think everyone’s a little disappointed, but Charley had a great putt on the last, it was just a little firm. Brittany holed up and made a great birdie. It’s not as if we lost it with bad play; the others birdied it. We’re pleased with going in with a one-point lead.”

In the morning session, having been sent off down the first fairway of the PGA Centenary Course by a deafening crowd, Ciganda and Law, in the first group, finished all square with Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex. Ciganda holed a brilliant putt for a two on the par three 17^th and then finished off an excellent up-and-down on 18.

Just behind them in match two, Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier won 2&1 against Thompson and Altomare, but the Korda sisters – Jessica and Nelly – put some red on the board with a thumping 6&5 win over Caroline Masson and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.Ei

In the final match of the session, Hull and Munoz closed out a 2&1 victory over Megan Khang and Annie Park after a tense back nine.

Solheim Cup 2019 Day 2 – Saturday Foursomes. Image credit Getty Images

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European fans at a practice round. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

THE Ladies European Tour’s TRISTAN JONES and PHIL INGLIS have been capturing the best shots from the official practice days at the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles… with the players and the crowds making a very colourful spectacle even before a ball has even been struck…

We will be bringing you the best action from Scotland over all three days…

KORDA SISTERS SET TO MAKE SOLHEIM CUP HISTORY

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American Jessica and Nelly Korda (right) will become the first sisters to play together in a foursomes match whenthe Solheim Cup gets underway at Gleneagles on Friday morning. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

SISTERS Jessica and Nelly Korda will create a slice of Solheim Cup history when they play together in the Friday Foursomes over the PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles.

Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam were the first sisters to be named together on a Solheim Cup team in 1998 – but they did not play alongside each other in either the foursomes or fourballs.

So the American sister will be breaking new ground at 8.34am when they set off in the third foursomes match against Germany’s Caroline Masson and Yorkshire’s LPGA winner Jodi Ewart-Shadoff.

The honour of hitting the first shot will go to America’s Morgan Pressel, who plays alongside Marina Alex in the first foursome at 8.10am, against Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and Yorkshire’s Bronte Law.

Dorset’s Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier make up the second European pairing at 8.22am against Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare, while the last match on the course at 8.46am will feature Woburn’s Charley Hull and Spaniard Azahara Munoz against Meghan Kang and Annie Park.

US captain Juli Inkster admitted the Korda sisters had requested to play together.

“You know, they actually asked me,” Inkster said. “I wasn’t too keen on it. I don’t know. But the more I thought about it, I thought it would be stupid not to play them.

“I mean, it is not often you get two sisters on one team. They should have the right to play together.

“And Jessica said, ‘why don’t you see how we play in the Dow together, if we kill each other then maybe not put us together’. So that was our kind of thinking.”

European captain Catriona Matthew decided to put rookie Bronte Law out in the first group because she has been champing at the bit to get started ever since the start of the week.

“That was my kind of reason for putting her out early and Celine Boutier in the second group. I just felt the longer they have to hang around and wait, they more nervous they were going to get.

“It’s obviously important to get off to a good start,” the Scot, who has played in nine Solheim Cups, added.

“Being the home side, I think to get off to a good start would really get the crowd into it. So, I think for us, we’re really going to go out there and try and get the crowd in and get some blue on the board early on.

“We actually didn’t ponder the parings too much,” said Matthew.

“We have a couple of ones out there for the afternoon that just kind of fitted nicely, and those were the ones we wanted, to hopefully try and play everyone the first day.

“So, they were just kind of natural pairings, to be honest.”

To follow all the action online click here.

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EUROPEAN Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew named France’s Celine Boutier, English stars Jodi Ewart-Shadoff and Bronte Law and Norway’s Suzann Pettersen as her four picks.

The quartet were named at a press conference at Gleneagles this afternoon, which was broadcast live on Sky Sports News and the Golf Channel.

The eight players who automatically qualified for next month’s 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles, at the conclusion of Sunday’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open were Carlota Ciganda, Anne Van Dam, Caroline Hedwall, Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Azahara Munoz, Caroline Masson and Anna Nordqvist.

Scotland’s Matthew, who has played in nine Solheim Cups, explained the reasoning behind her four selections, saying “Bronte and Celine’s excellent recent form speaks for itself in terms of why I selected them, and I think they are both going to have fantastic Solheim Cup debuts.

“I chose Jodi and Suzann for their vast experience, their recent good form and because I know exactly what they bring to the European team room.

“With our only other rookie being Anne Van Dam, who has also had an excellent year, I feel the experience of our team will be a great advantage to us along with the home crowd support.”

Three of the captain’s picks were in the room when Matthew announced her final line-up while Yorkshire-born Ewart-Shadoff, who plays her golf on the LPGA, was not able to attend after having a minor procedure last week.

Ewart-Shadoff said: “I am gutted not to be there for team practice today but I will be back hitting balls next week and I am really excited to be part of Catriona’s team.

“I think the team looks incredibly strong, probably the strongest team I’ve been a part of and I’m honoured to have been chose by the captain to be part of it.

“This will be my first Solheim Cup in Europe and just to experience the home crowd will be amazing and a big advantage for us.”

Law, who recorded her maiden LPGA Tour win at the Pure Silk Championshi in May, said: “I couldn’t be happier to be making my Solheim Cup debut here at the beautiful Gleneagles.

“I am so grateful to Catriona and all the vice-captains for picking me and I can’t wait for it to start.

“To be part of this great team with so many Solheim Cup legends is pretty surreal but they have all been very generous in giving me advice ahead of making my debut.”

Boutier said: “I have been dreaming of playing Solheim Cup since I was a little girl and it really is amazing to be here at this press conference and know that my dream will come true in a month’s time!

“Getting out there to practise with the team on the PGA Centenary course where I watched so much of the Ryder Cup was fantastic – and I think this course is going to suit me very well.”

Pettersen said: “Catriona knows that matchplay brings out the absolute best in my game and that I will be ready to deliver points for her come September.

“I honestly believe my best contribution to our Solheim Cup campaign will be on the course and I am very grateful to Catriona for having the confidence to choose me for this year’s team.”

With Pettersen stepping out of her non-playing role, Matthew announced that Mel Reid would now be her final vice-captain, joining Dame Laura Davies and Kathryn Imrie in the team room and on the sidelines.

The final qualifying event for the USA team will end with the CP Women’s Open in Canada, from August 22-26, with many players still fighting to join their team in defending the Solheim Cup in Scotland, from September 9-15.

Lexi Thompson, Nelly Korda, Danielle Kang, Lisette Salas and Jessica Korda are all safely qualified while past US Solheim Cup team standouts Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis, would need to win the CP Women’s Open to claim their place without needing a captain’s pick from Juli Inkster.

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TWENTY-year-old Hinako Shibuno from Japan will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the AIG Women’s British Open after a brilliant back nine at Woburn, on Saturday.

In front of 14,000-strong crowds lining the Marquess’ course, Shibuno reached the turn in one over par.

But the Japanese rookie came alive on the way in with six birdies – including consecutive gains at 17 and 18 – setting up a sizzling 67.

That took her to 14-under for the tournament. It was seriously impressive stuff from the Japanese LPGA rookie playing her first tournament outside her native Japan – and her first Major.

South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai led for most of the day but bogeyed the par-four 16th to slip back, and a level par 72 left her on 12-under overall.

Korean Sung Hyun Park (68) is another shot back in third, with American duo Morgan Pressel (66) and Lizette Salas (70) tied fourth alongside Jin Young Ko (68) – winner of last week’s Evian Championship – who is going for back-to-back Majors.

Spaniard Carlota Ciganda was left to rue a double bogey at the 18th which dropped her to nine-under, the same mark as Woburn favourite Charley Hull and Yorkshire’s Bronte Law, who both shot 70.

Shibuno has never played outside Japan before and only left her country for the first time last year when she went to practise in Thailand.

She is known in the Japanese media as the “Smiling Cinderella.”

Shibuno said: “It’s definitely exceeding my expectations. I came here wanting to make the cut, so right now I feel like I’m doing something very incredible.

“It’s more like a Japanese golf course, so maybe that’s why it’s going so well.”

Buhai was philosophical about her round and admitted she often performs better when not leading from the front.

“I hit so many good shots on that front side,” said 30-year-old Buhai. “I only turned in two-under but I had so many chances.

“A few putts were just a bit short and unfortunately on the back side, I just got a little rattled.

“I kind of felt like I just lost a bit of composure in my rhythm a little bit but I hit some good shots on the last two holes.

“A lot of my wins have been come-from-behind. I always feel better chasing. I think I had a four-shot lead at one stage, but I didn’t let that bother me or get to me.

“I think during a four-round tournament, everybody is going to have a little wobble in their round somewhere.”

Buhai leads at halfway mark at Woburn after getting to 12-under

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