Matthew and Hall lead European defiance
Odd couple spearhead fightback in Solheim Cup Kerr takes leading role for the United States
They at different stages of their careers – not to mention golf ’s age scale – but Catriona Matthew and Georgia Hall have at least one trait in common.
They are both determined that Europe will not go down in the 15th Solheim Cup without a fight.
However, with Charley Hull having to sit out the entire second day because of a wrist injury, the portents were not at all positive.
Annika Sorenstam’s team managed to gain parity in yesterday’s morning foursomes but at 71/2-41/2 down, the blue and gold brigade were only just hanging on.
Thank goodness for Matthew, the indefatigable 47-year-old Scot, and thank goodness for Hall, the Bournemouth 21-year-old debutant who looks born for this malarkey. Europe were out on the ropes having lost the first two foursomes and needed the last two pairings to keep them upright. In the
‘Georgia has played like a superstar in the last two days, she’s fearless and has a great future’
company of world No 13 Anna Nordqvist, Hall accounted for former world No 1 Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller 2&1, while Matthew, again linking up with France’s Karen Icher, enjoyed a success by the same margin over Michelle Wie and Danielle Kang, the US rookie star.
Nordqvist was certainly impressed. “Georgia has played like a superstar the last two days,” she said. “She’s fearless. I didn’t know her coming into this week, but it’s certainly been a blast playing alongside her. She has a great future.”
The results sheet backed up Nordqvist. Hall had won two out of three points going into the afternoon fourballs, and was plainly playing the Hull role.
Hull, the British No 1, suffered yet another aggravation of the wrist problem which has plagued her entire season and Sorenstam believed she had no option but to let her rest before today’s singles.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that she’s had this injury for a little while,” Sorenstam said. “But Charley is Charley. I saw her in the lunch-room after the foursomes yesterday and she was icing her wrist. And I said ‘You’re going out in 20 minutes, are you okay?’. She goes, ‘I’m fine’. But I talked to the physios and I do have a plan B without Charley. So we’ll do what we can.”
The great Swede has enjoyed no luck whatsoever, with Suzann Pettersen, maybe her most important player, pulling out on Wednesday with a back injury. But Matthew, originally earmarked to be an assistant captain, has risen to the replacement task with remarkable nerve, and indeed, quality, considering her recent form.
“That was a huge point,” Matthew said. “We definitely didn’t want to lose another session. Obviously Danielle and Michelle played very well yesterday, so that was a big for us to beat them and hopefully get some momentum on our side.”
Nevertheless, the crowd at Des Moines Country Club were in full “USA, USA” voice as they sensed a second successive Stars and Stripes Solheim victory in the offing.
There can be no doubt as to the identity of their darling. Cristie Kerr partmorning nered world No2 Lexi Thompson to a thumping 5&3 win over England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff – and that point saw the 39-year-old leap to the top of America’s all-time standings.
And the person Kerr usurped was none other than Juli Inkster, the US captain. Perhaps understandably, Kerr did not wish to make too big deal of her new milestone of 19 points. “I don’t really care about that,” Kerr said. “Honestly, I never thought about that once. And that’s just something to talk about. I just want to help our team win.”
Thompson was in no doubt about her partner’s worth. Traditionalists may blanch at Kerr’s habit of striding confidently after a putt when she knows it is on, but to Thompson, and
Winners and losers on first two days
indeed, every America in Iowa, it is a thing of beauty. “Cristie putted amazing today, walked in so many putts,” Thompson said. “I just gave her the opportunities and she just kept rolling that ball.” Of course, Inkster was delighted. Actually, scratch that. “I am ecstatic,” Inkster said.
After watching her girls go down 21/1-11/2 in the Friday’s opening series, Inkster saw her fourballs “win” 4-0, the first time the US had completed a sweep in a Solheim session. Foursomes is their principal weakness and to come out 2-2 met the captain’s ambitions.
“We lost yesterday morning and I think anytime we can split in foursomes I think that is a win for us,” Inkster said. “I was very happy with this and I’m looking forward to this afternoon. The girls are in great form and great spirits.”
Sorenstam could not resist putting out Matthew and Hall in the fourballs and their encounter against Kerr and Thompson looked mouthwatering. Mel Reid – the Englishwoman who with Danish rookie Emily Pedersenn was on the wrong end of a 5&3 result in the foursomes against Paula Creamer and Austin Ernst – went out first with Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, but they found themselves two down after two and already facing a mountain.
Ewart Shadoff and Nordqvist halved the first with Lizette Salas and Angel Yin, with Icher and Madelene Sagstrom taking on Creamer and Ernst.