SINGLES SHOWDOWN
Europe and US tied on points as tough conditions test ladies to their limits
AROUSING Europe fightback in the evening gloaming means there is nothing to separate the home side and America going into today’s singles in a gripping Solheim Cup.
Losing in all four matches in the afternoon fourballs, at 4pm it looked bleak indeed for Europe, given they have never won the trophy when trailing going into the final session. Here, it appeared they would go from one point ahead after three series to two points adrift.
Step forward the brilliant Georgia Hall and her resolute French partner, Celine Boutier. They looked for all the world like they would lose their first match together when they fell three down with five holes to play.
You don’t win a British Open aged 21 without fighting to the end. A marvellous eagle two from Boutier at the driveable par-four 14th set in train a stunning comeback, as they won every hole from there until the end. They have now contributed three points from three matches together.
With the England-Germany partnership of Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Caroline Masson fighting back as well to earn a precious half-point, it means the teams are locked together with eight points apiece heading into what promises to be a nerve-shredding last day.
There cannot have been too many fourballs sessions in this event containing the drama of the four matches played out in horrendous conditions, with a strong crosswind and driving rain over the final few holes. Yes, it’s fair to say it was all miles too slow, with matches taking six hours. But you could hardly blame the players for treating every shot like the destination of the trophy depended on the outcome. This is looking like one of those contests that will be decided by the tiniest of margins. Three of the four fourballs went to the final green, including the top one, which will go down as one of the best matches in this year’s edition. It ended in a defeat for Suzann Pettersen, which was unfair on the valiant Norwegian, who had five birdies in six holes during the middle of a high-quality affair. Alongside her, Anne van Dam from the Netherlands got to experience the full gamut of emotions the Solheim Cup can generate. On a high on Friday evening after carrying Pettersen to a fourballs success, here she was the weak link in a crushing one-hole loss.
In the morning foursomes, alongside Anna Nordqvist, she was four up after six holes and a new star had seemingly been found. But the Scandinavians three putted that hole from nowhere — and so began a dramatic shift in fortune.
Over nine holes they went from four up to three down and Van Dam never really recovered from the loss. It will be some turnaround if the longest hitter in women’s golf can recapture her rhythm to win her singles today.
In the morning, Charley Hull and Spain’s Azahara Munoz made it 2.5 points from three matches with a crushing success. What a final day it promises to be.