Miami Herald

Thompson helps Americans rally at Solheim Cup

- Miami Herald Staff, Wire Reports — MICHELLE KAUFMAN

The Europeans have the lead. The Americans have the momentum.

An opening day of swinging fortunes in the Solheim Cup reached a crescendo in a tensionfil­led last hour at Gleneagles, Scotland, with the final two matches of the fourballs going to the 18th hole and the U.S. team staring at a three-point deficit.

Two long birdie putts later, first from Lexi Thompson then from Brittany Altomare, the U.S. had escaped with two half-points and only trailed Europe 41⁄2-31⁄2.

“You keep gnawing a half-point here and a point there, and it adds up,” said U.S. captain Juli Inkster.

Jessica and Nelly Korda played central roles in both sessions Friday, teaming up as the first siblings to play together in the competitio­n and winning 6 and 4 in the morning foursomes. It was the only win for the U.S., which went into the fourballs trailing 21⁄2-11⁄2.

The sisters were split up in the afternoon and placed in the final two matches, a decision that looked bad as the Americans went to the 18th hole losing in both.

Thompson — playing alongside Jessica Korda — rolled in a 15-foot birdie from left to right to grab a half from a match against Bronte Law and Carlota Ciganda in which neither side led more than 2 up. Altomare — Nelly Korda’s partner — went even better, holing a birdie from 25 feet up the slope to complete a U.S. comeback from 4 down with six holes to play against Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz.

ELSEWHERE

Last fall, Kevin Chappell was at home recuperati­ng from back surgery. On Friday in his first PGA Tour event since surgery, he had the 11th sub-60 round in tour history.

Chappell shot an 11-under 59 in the second round of A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. He missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 ninth to fall a stroke short of Jim Furyk’s 2016 tour record.

A day after shooting a 71, Chappell opened with a par on No. 10, then birdied the next eight to make the turn in 28. He birdied No. 1 and got to 11 under with birdies on Nos. 5 and 7.

ETC.

UM basketball: Circle ● these dates on your calendars, Hurricanes men’s basketball fans: Nov. 5 vs. Louisville, Jan. 4 vs. Duke, Jan. 18 vs. Florida State, March 4 vs. Virginia, March 9 vs. Syracuse. Those are the marquee games on the home schedule, announced late Thursday by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Miami will play 11 games against teams that reached the 2019 NCAA Tournament, and six of those will be at the Watsco Center, including the March 4 game against defending national champ Virginia.

For ticket informatio­n, call 1-800-462-2637

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