Europe stay ahead despite incredible comeback by USA’s Pressel and Alex
Europe maintained their one-point lead after Saturday morning’s play at the Solheim Cup.
But, led by a an incredible comeback from Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex in the morning’s first foursome, the USA showed hunger to retain their crown.
Pressel and Alex found themselves four down after six holes at wind-blasted Gleneagles as Europe’s Anna Nordqvist and Anne van Dam turned the screw.
But an extraordinary collapse by the European pair saw the US duo win seven of the next nine holes on their way to a 2&1 victory.
For Alex, there was a clear turning point in the match.
“Definitely number seven – getting away with a win on that hole after the tee shot left me with a tricky shot,” she said.
“It wasn’t an easy up-anddown. So to get that par in and force their hand was a huge deal for us, and we just chipped away as fast as we could.”
Pressel, meanwhile, ranked the match as amongst the best she has ever been involved in.
“That’s up there,” she gushed. “Gosh, so many emotions. It was a hard-fought battle.
“We obviously got off to a bad start. We were four down early, but we really didn’t feel we were playing that poorly.
“Anne and Anna played great golf, got off to a great start in really tough conditions, and the putt that Marina made on seven
was really the turning point in our match.
“From there they started to get a little shaky and all the momentum went toward us.
“That’s what match play is all about. The emotions can change at the drop of a hat.
“Once the momentum shifted towards us, we rode it the whole way back.”
After Pressel and Alex’s early heroics, Europe quickly retook the lead when Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier carded a 3&2 win over Lizette Salas and Ally McDonald, then stretched it thanks to Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz’s 4&3 romp against Danielle Kang and Megan Khang.
“In that wind you really have to stay focused because this golf course is quite tricky, especially in this wind,” said Hull.
“That means there aren’t going to be a lot of birdies. A lot of pars are going to win holes.”
If Hull and Azahara’s performance was impressive, the final match of the morning saw a record-equalling 6&5 drubbing dished out to Europe’s Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law by US sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda, leaving the score 6½ to 5½ in Europe’s favour at lunchtime.
“Amazing,” said Nelly of her place in the record books.
“Jessica is my best friend, so she knows me so well. She knows how to push my buttons and she knows how to calm me down, too.
“She did a lot of that today – the calming down part, not pushing my buttons.
“It was a good team effort, which we needed, because it was a tough day out there.”