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 vice-captain Suzann Pettersen is gunning for a Solheim Cup pick and will tee up in this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open looking to impress captain Catriona Matthew.

Pettersen and Matthew played together in the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational three weeks ago, which was Pettersen’s first start in 20 months, following the birth of her first child, Herman.

Although the pair didn’t make the cut, Pettersen is out to prove herself worthy of one of Matthew’s four picks at The Renaissance Club when the action gets under way on Thursday.

“Obviously I would love to play. It’s the biggest and best stage in golf,” said Pettersen, when asked if she would like to play in her ninth Solheim Cup, taking place at Gleneagles, in Scotland, next month.

“I would love to play, if my game is up to it. It’s hard to really tell and that’s why I would love to play this week just to see – and we are picking the team in a week’s time,” Suzann added.

“I’m not the one who will pick the final four. I’ve told Beany (Matthew) I would love to, but I also need to show some signs of good form.

“Had you talked to me in April, I would have said, ‘No chance,’ but things have changed a bit.

“First of all, I’m a vice-captain, but if she wants me to play, I’ll be honoured and I’ll take that as a credit. Not even I know that.”

When Matthew was asked, at a press conference, about Pettersen’s chances – and whether a Scottish Open win might put her into the frame for selection – the captain replied: “I suppose you need to ask Suzann that…

“But it’s great to see her playing. I played with her and she was impressive and looked like she had not been away.

“She was perhaps a little unsure of how she might play with being out of the game for probably the year-and-a-half she was.

“I think just from talking to her, she’s kind of got that bug back in her system and is keen to start playing again.

“Obviously she’s got the experience there. I would say she’s looking good, actually. I think she’s looking confident.

“She putted well at the Dow. So it will be interesting to see how she does this week.”

The Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open is the final qualification event for the European Solheim Cup team.

It will provide a gripping subplot as the players try to catch Matthew’s eye or earn their place on the team.

Ladies European Tour members will be awarded points for top 10 finishes, with 70 points available for a win down to seven points for 10^th position in the ‘host event’.

The top three places on the team, currently occupied by Carlota Ciganda, Caroline Hedwall and Anne Van Dam, qualify from the European Solheim Cup points list, while the next five spots – currently held by Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, Azahara Muñoz, Caroline Masson and Anna Nordqvist – come via the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

The other players in the field, who are in the frame, include Yorkshire’s LPGA winner Bronte Law, Frenchwoman Celine Boutier, German rookie Esther Henseleit, Norwegian Marianne Skarpnord, English pair Mel Reid and Meghan MacLaren and Denmark’s Nicole Broch Larsen.

Matthew added: “If you look mathematically, there’s a lot of people who could still potentially play their way in.

“There’s still a big pool. I’m looking at a slightly smaller one, but you have to be ready for that unexpected result.

“Obviously I’ve got my eye on a few people and I think, as a player, you kind of know…

“Some of them haven’t had the results the last couple of weeks they would have liked and know they have to put in a big week this week. I think everyone kind of hopefully knows what they need to do.”

Matthew has been drawn with Reid and Hedwall, starting at 1.04pm on Thursday, while Pettersen has been drawn with Van Dam and Boutier, starting from the 10^th at 7.33am.

Fellow European Solheim Cup vice-captain Laura Davies has been drawn with Law and Broch Larsen, teeing off at 12.53pm.

The European team will be announced at a press conference at Gleneagles at 2pm on Monday, following the final round of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open.

The North Berwick tournament is the penultimate qualification event for the United States’ Solheim Cup side, led by captain Juli Inkster.

The USA team will be revealed following the CP Women’s Open in Canada, on August 25.

The fulll draw for the first round of the Ladies Scottish Open can be seen here

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