After getting blanked in the morning foursomes, Europe won two matches and tied two others to take the afternoon fourballs, 3-1, and cut its overall deficit to two points at the Solheim Cup.
The U.S. leads, 5-3, entering Day 2 in Casares, Spain.
Here’s how the best-ball session played out Friday at Finca Cortesin:
Match 5: Rose Zhang/Megan Khang (U.S.) tied Gemma Dryburgh/Madelene Sagstrom (EUR)
Zhang made her much-anticipated cup debut alongside Khang, who won her morning foursomes with Lexi Thompson. This match was back-and-forth, with Europe taking a 1-up lead through 14, before the U.S. tied it by winning the 15th.
At the par-4 16th, Dryburgh holed out from well off the green for birdie to stir up the home crowd.
But she was matched by Zhang, who drilled a 12-footer.
Even at the last, Zhang hit a brilliant shot from the trees to set up another 12-footer for birdie, this one to win the match. She missed low. The tie finally got Europe on the board as they now trailed, 4 1/2 to 1/2.
Match 6: Leona Maguire/Georgia Hall (EUR) def. Lexi Thompson/Lilia Vu (U.S.), 1 up
Birdies were few and far between in this match. Neither Thompson nor Vu made one for 16 holes, though, Lexi drained a lengthy eagle putt at the par-4 14th to tie the match.
Maguire and Hall combined for only one birdie through the first 14 holes, but notched another to win the 15th and go 1 up.
Vu’s first birdie of the day, at the par-3 17th, tied the match, which led to some final hole dramatics, provided by Maguire.
After suffering her first-ever Solheim Cup defeat in the morning, Maguire chipped in for birdie at the par-5 18th and the U.S. couldn’t match it. Europe notched its first full point to cut its deficit to 3 points.
Match 7: Jennifer Kupcho/Allisen Corpuz (U.S.) tied Emily Pedersen/Maja Stark (EUR)
Pedersen provided the shot of the day by acing the par-3 12th, just the second hole-in-one in cup history.
That tied the match, with the U.S. regaining a 1-up lead by making birdie on the following hole. Europe knotted it again with a birdie at the 16th, bringing the match all square to the 18th.
Corpuz put the pressure on her counterparts by making a 15-footer for birdie. Stark responded by making one of similar length. In the final match to conclude Friday, the tie gave the U.S. a 5-3 lead.
Match 8: Carlota Ciganda/Linn Grant (EUR) def. Ally Ewing/Angel Yin (U.S.), 4 and 2
Spain’s own Ciganda, who didn’t play the early session, made birdie to win the first hole and Europe never trailed in this match. Again, birdies were scarce, but a Grant 3 at the par-4 11th gave the home team a 2-up advantage and Ciganda made it 3 up with a birdie at 14th.
The match was over, two holes later. This was the third afternoon match to conclude, moving Europe within 2 points, 4 1/2 to 2 1/2.
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
