2024 Solheim Cup: Saturday Foursomes and Fourballs

The day started with Team Europe facing an uphill battle to try and level the playing field before heading into the Sunday singles matches.

With Friday's transportation issues for fans sorted, the first tee was full as the first foursomes match got underway at 7:05am local time. Whilst play started LPGA Tour Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan came to speak to media to explain what had happened on Friday and how the LPGA had handled the issue - here's what she had to say.

The morning session saw the 18th hole brought into play for the first time and in two games. The afternoon continued in a similar vein, with the end result being a first in Solheim Cup history. Here's what happened...

MATCH 9 – Nelly Korda/Allisen Corpuz (USA) def. Emily Pedersen/Carlota Ciganda (EUR), 1up

After an exceptional display of golf on Friday, hopes were high for Nelly Korda as she teamed up again with Allisen Corpuz for the morning foursomes. On the line was not only a point but also the chance to become the first pairing to win four consecutive foursomes matches.

Europeans Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen stood in their way and it was the EU duo that got off to a good start getting to 2up after three holes. There they would stay as the play we had come to expect from Korda and Corpuz did not materialise.

The lead would stay at 2up until the 10th hole where finally the par deadlock was broken. A birdie on 10 would get the match to 1up and with some momentum another birdie followed on 13 to bring it back to a tie. The (weirdest or some might say luckiest) shot of the day came on 14, when Corpuz mis-hit her approach, resulting in a low burner that skimmed the grass but stayed just right of the water and rolled up the green. Korda then sunk the resulting 10-foot putt to wild cheers from the packed green to move to move 1up.

Ciganda and Pedersen tied the match again on 15, thanks to a close approach from Pedersen. Both birdie putt opportunities could not be converted on 16, so it was tied with two holes to play.

Finding the rough off the tee proved tricky for Team Europe, whilst Corpuz was able to hit her approach shot to five feet. Ciganda had a putt for birdie but couldn't convert, whilst Pedersen didn't hole the par put and conceded the hole, USA 1up and one to play.

This was the first match to get to the 18th hole this week. Europe were unable to get their second shot on the green, so an up-and-down for par wasn't enough to gain the hole back to halve the match.

With their win and second point of the morning for Team USA, Korda and Corpuz became the first pair in Solheim Cup history to win four consecutive foursomes matches.

“Honestly Nelly was playing really solid all day,” said Corpuz. “I hit a few squirrelly ones and she saved me there. I feel like every single time you play with Nelly it's kind of like, hey, it's going to turn around at some point, just be patient and keep playing and keep playing the way that we have.”

MATCH 10 – Esther Henseleit/Charley Hull (EUR) def. Ally Ewing/Jennifer Kupcho (USA), 1up

Match 10 ended up being the last match to be completed in the morning session due to it having to be decided on the 18th, like the match before it.

After a disappointing loss in the first match on Friday, Team Europe rookie Esther Henseleit and her partner Charley Hull were hoping to have a better morning. The first hole went to their American opponents Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, but they quickly rallied to win the second and keep the match tied through the next three holes. They then built some momentum by winning three holes in a row from six to eight. A loss on nine, saw them make the turn 2up. Whilst the Americans won the 13th, the Europeans jumped right back with a conceded eagle putt on 14.

A 30-foot putt holed by Ewing on 15, got the match to 1down with three to play. A pair of birdies on 16 followed. The match became tied after 17 when Team Europe sent their approach shot over the green, landing in a hazard and then failed in their attempt to get up-and-down.

On 18, a fantastic approach shot from Henseleit to within 5 feet put pressure on the Americans who were unable to get up-and-down from the front greenside bunker. A much needed point for Team Europe to close the morning session with USA leading 8 points to 4.

Afterwards, Hull explained what had happened on the last two holes:

“I was just super pumped towards the end after hitting that shot close on 16. And then 17 I've just airmailed it straight through the green and I kind of then realized how pumped up I was, and you can see by my drive on the last. I hit it miles down there. I'm glad I didn't have that second shot in that Esther hit, because I probably would've hit it over the green again. That was a great shot she hit in there.”

MATCH 11 – Lexi Thompson/Lauren Coughlin (USA) def. Maja Stark/Georgia Hall (EUR), 4&3

USA rookie Lauren Coughlin is having a Solheim Cup that any rookie would dream of, as he teamed up with Lexi Thompson to get the second point of Saturday and her third in their match against Maja Stark and Georgia Hall.

The Americans went 1up on the second hole with a birdie and never relinquished their lead at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Birdies on 11 and 13 put Team USA 3up and with another birdie on 15, it was the second point of Saturday secured by Team USA.

Coughlin spoke about her week so far:

“It's been incredible. At the beginning of the week, it was so busy, and I couldn't wait to get to Friday and then it was Thursday night and I was like, man, I wish I would have enjoyed a week a little bit more, it just went by so far. It's been awesome, and I've been enjoying every minute.”

MATCH 12 – Anna Nordqvist/Celine Boutier (EUR) def. Lilia Vu/Sarah Schmelzel (USA), 4&3

Anna Nordqvist continued her fine form from Friday afternoon into the morning foursomes with partner Celine Boutier playing against Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel. Three-up through three holes and a birdie on five saw the Europeans move to 4up. It looked like Nordqvist would be heading to another big victory as they were 6up heading into the back nine. Team Europe didn't have it all their own way and an eagle and birdie on 10 and 11 returned the match to 4up. There was nothing between the teams on the next four holes, which meant that Nordqvist added a second and Boutier got her first point for Team Europe, a much need first point of the day.

Nordqvist spoke about playing with Boutier for the first time:

“I never played with Celine before and I absolutely loved it. I felt like I really needed a point, and it's nice to see some blue on the board. We've just got to keep doing our best. But I had a really fun morning with Celine.”

So what had looked like a potential 3-1 point split to favour Europe turned into 2-2. With the score now 8-4 in favour of USA, the Europeans needed a strong display in the afternoon fourballs to help make the deficit not be so big heading into the Sunday singles matches.

Watch highlights from the Saturday Morning Foursomes

Saturday Fourballs

The Saturday afternoon Fourballs saw :

MATCH 13 – Alison Lee/Megan Khang (USA) def. Anna Nordqvist/Madeleine Sagstrom (EUR), 4&3

The second point of the afternoon came from the first match where an unbelievable hole-out for eagle from Alison Lee on the second hole really set the tone for the match.

The Europeans remained composed after the wild celebrations to keep the match at 1up until the 7th hole. A birdie from Kang on 7 was followed by one from Lee on 8 to go to 3up. If there was any pairing that would not go down without a fight, then it was Nordqvist and Sagstrom. They got one back on 10 and after holing a long range putt on 11 for birdie, it looked like Norqvist had gained another. That was until Khang's birdie putt hung over the edge of the hole and after what must've felt like an eternity it fell in to halve the hole.

The edge of the hole proved Khang's friend again on 14 as she caught the edge and it fell in for an eagle. Europe would then concede the 15th to give Team USA a 4&3 victory and a further point to take them to 10 points to 4.

Alison Lee explained the reason behind their caddies taking their shirts off in celebrating her hole-out:

"Right off the second tee, Jack, Megan's caddie, had said, oh, come on, guys, I want to see one of you guys hole one in. If one of you guys hole one out, I'll give you $500. I said, no, I don't need $500; I want you to take your shirt off. I didn't think he'd say okay, but he said, oh, I'm doing it.

"Literally holed out five minutes after that conversation. Great motivation!"

MATCH 14 - Andrea Lee/Rose Zhang (USA) def. Linn Grant/Celine Boutier (EUR), 6&4

The proven USA fourball pairing of Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang hit the ground running and didn't look back in the second match on Saturday afternoon. They were 2up after two holes and even though a birdie from Boutier on five got it back to 1, Zhang got it back six. Then Team USA would win with birdies on 10, 11, 13 and finish with an eagle on 14 from Zhang to win the match 6&4 and give the first point of the afternoon to the Americans.

Speaking about their dominant performance Lee said:

"I think we both played incredible golf today, super solid. Whenever I was out of the hole, Rose was there for me, and whenever Rose was out of the hole, I was there for her. We both made a lot of putts and we just had so much fun out there. Just so grateful to have a partner like Rose."

MATCH 15 - Carlota Ciganda/Emily Pedersen (EUR) def. Ally Ewing/Lexi Thompson (USA), 2&1

At the beginning of the afternoon session, the board turned red very quickly. The third match between Ally Ewing and Lexi Thompson and Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen was no exception with USA 2up after two holes. Ciganda would claim a hole back with a birdie on three and she finally moved their game out of the red with a birdie on seven.

The match would remain tied for the next five holes. Whilst the Americans looked to be wavering a little, the Europeans birdied the 13th Pedersen struck with a long range putt on 15 to go 2up. It was short lived as Thompson hit one close for birdie on 16. But anything Thompson can do, so can Pedersen who then hit her approach shot on 17 to a similar distance to the American's on 16. Neither Thompson or Ewing could make their long range birdie putts, so the match went to Europe 2&1.

It was certainly a very vital point, with Ciganda explaining how they got it done:

"I think we played amazing golf, morning and afternoon. Obviously it's really tough to beat the Americans. They were playing some great golf, and with the home crowds, it's not easy.

"But I told Emily, let's wear them out. Let's hit as many greens as we can. The putts are going to drop. I knew. We are just quality. I knew we are really good and I knew we could do it. We just have to believe. I'm just so happy for her because she's an amazing player, and we did so well.

"So just stay in the moment after losing two down after two holes, and then I was like, come on, we can do this, and we are going to do it for Suzann, for Europe and for the team."

MATCH 16 - Georgia Hall/Charley Hull (EUR) def. Allisen Corpuz/Lilia Vu (USA), 2up

The final point of the day came down to the final match on the course. Best friends Georgia Hall and Charley Hull were playing together for only the second time, having lost in a fourball match back in 2017. Taking on the steady and reliable pairing of Allisen Corpuz and Lilia Vu, it was always going to be a well fought match.

One of the reasons it was so tough was because there was very little to separate the sides. Europe were 1up after two holes thanks to Hall, which was immediately cancelled out on the following hole, only to be regained on the 5th. That's how it would remain until the 7th and then returned to Europe 1up as they headed down the the tricky par 3 11th.

They were 2up after 12 holes and looked like they would close the match on the 17th when Hull's approach shot landed just to the side of a greenside bunker and kicked towards the hole. But in the end it went to the Americans after Corpuz holed a longe range putt whilst Hull wasn't able to convert hers.

Hull ended up heading down 18 for the second time on Saturday and whilst the European's managed not to find trouble, the Americans found they ran out of shots and conceded the hole and the match before the Europeans had to putt.

A vital second point to Europe, which saw both morning and afternoon sessions tied 2-2, the first time this has happened in Solheim Cup history.

Explaining about finally getting to play together again, the duo said:

"Yeah, we was buzzing because we're best friends. We know each other inside out. We know what we can and can't say to each other. Well, there is pretty much nothing we can't say to each other," said Hull

Whilst Georgia added: "We've been asking for it for a while, for a few Solheims, to be honest, and finally got a chance in our last match to play together. Yeah, I was obviously really happy to go out and have this experience with her. Like a lot of things we experience together."

Sunday Singles announced

Not long after play finished, the singles line-up was announced:

Match 17, 8:50 a.m. – Charley Hull (EUR) vs. Nelly Korda (USA)
Match 18, 9 a.m. – Emily Pedersen (EUR) vs. Megan Khang (USA)
Match 19, 9:10 a.m. – Georgia Hall (EUR) vs. Alison Lee (USA)
Match 20, 9:20 a.m. – Anna Nordqvist (EUR) vs. Allisen Corpuz (USA)
Match 21, 9:30 a.m. – Carlota Ciganda (EUR) vs. Rose Zhang (USA)
Match 22, 9:40 a.m. – Esther Henseleit (EUR) vs. Andrea Lee (USA)
Match 23, 9:50 a.m. – Celine Boutier (EUR) vs. Lexi Thompson (USA)
Match 24, 10 a.m. – Maja Stark (EUR) vs. Lauren Coughlin (USA
Match 25, 10:10 a.m. – Albane Valenzuela (EUR) vs. Lilia Vu (USA)
Match 26, 10:20 a.m. – Madelene Sagstrom (EUR) vs. Sarah Schmelzel (USA)
Match 27, 10:30 a.m. – Leona Maguire (EUR) vs. Ally Ewing (USA)
Match 28, 10:40 a.m. – Linn Grant (EUR) vs. Jennifer Kupcho (USA)

There are some fantastic matches ahead on Sunday. With a 10-6 deficit, Team Europe may be taking a little bit of momentum from winning the last two matches on Saturday, into Sunday but it will be extremely tough for Europe to pull it back as Team USA need just 4.5 points from 12 to claim the Solheim Cup back.

I don't know about you, but let the final day battle commence!

View all the scoring from Saturday the 2024 Solheim Cup here.