Solheim Cup 2024: US retain four-point lead as Europe show fight in Virginia
Europe can take inspriation from the US team coming from 10-6 down in Germany in 2015 to emerge victorious after a dominant 8½-3½ performance in the singles.
But this American juggenaut will take some stopping in front of expectant fans at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia.
While Friday morning felt largely subdued after transportation issues meant thousands of spectators missed much of the opening foursomes session, since then, this exclusive course 40 miles west of Washington DC has been a riot of colour and noise.
And no celebratory roar has been louder than the one for Alison Lee’s eagle two on the second in Saturday’s fourballs.
But in extraordinary scenes, the caddies of Lee and Megan Khang removed their tops in celebration after Lee holed an 86-yard wedge from the fairway.
Their actions served to further whip-up already frenzied American fans, revelling in a performance that looks set to see them win the trophy for the first time since 2017.
According to American television, Khang’s caddie, Jack Fulghum, had suggested on the tee that if any player holed out the caddies would pay them $500. Lee, whose caddie is Taylor ‘Shota’ Takada, responded by saying the caddies had to take off their shirts.
And lo, it came to pass.
“It was completely surreal but we celebrated just the way we wanted to,” said Lee.
A bemused Madelene Sagstrom looked on in bewilderment as she tried to prepare to hit her shot to the green.
Sagstrom, who along with fellow Swede Anna Nordqvist, were Europe’s solitary fourball winners on Friday, never recovered and were three down at the turn and lost 4&3.
That made the score 10-4 because it came moments after Andrea Lee and Rose Zhang completed a dominant 6&4 victory over Linn Grant and Celine Boutier.
Zhang, the former world amateur number one, holed a bunker shot on the 13th to put the US five ahead with five to play and they closed out the win at the following hole.
But, in scenes reminiscent of Medinah, Europe won the final two points.
Ciganda, who last year secured the point in her Spanish homeland to earn a 14-14 tie and keep the trophy in European hands, teamed up with Pedersen for a 2&1 win over Ally Ewing and the retiring Lexi Thompson.
And Hull and Hall kept their nerve down the last to secure a vital sixth point, seeing off Allisen Corpuz and world number two Lilia Vu.
