It wasn’t just the spectator shuttle buses that had to get moving on day two of the Solheim Cup in Virginia. The Europeans had to get a shift on too.
The seemingly simple procedure of transporting eager fans from a park and ride to a golf course for Friday’s opening exchanges had turned into the kind of logistical nightmare that confronted Noah when he had to shepherd a whole host of biblical beasts on to a floating zoo.
Auld Noah probably would’ve have dealt with the Solheim Cup debacle with a nonchalant shrug.
As Saturday morning’s session of foursomes got underway at the Robert Trent Jones club in Gainesville, with the US holding a commanding and record-breaking 6-2 lead, Mollie Marcoux Samman, the LPGA Tour commissioner, held a press conference to apologise to the thousands who were left stuck in queues for hours the previous day.
“We have to make sure our fans know how much we care about them and how much we whiffed,” said Samman with her hands held up in contrition.
By all accounts, things were running smoothly again yesterday. Perhaps too smoothly as far as Europe were concerned.
The holders needed the US to suffer a few bumps in the road, but the hosts kept motoring and managed to retain the healthy four-point advantage they had forged overnight during an intriguing morning of foursomes.
The session was shared 2-2, leaving the US 8-4 in front heading into the afternoon fourballs, but it was a case of what might have been for Suzann Pettersen’s Europeans.
At one point, the visitors, aiming to keep the Solheim Cup in their clutches for an unprecedented fourth time in a row, were in command in three of the four matches as they tried to eat into the largest first day deficit in the event’s history.
In the end, though, the holders had to settle for a share of the foursomes spoils. They were probably grateful too as the USA, spearheaded by the brilliant world No 1 Nelly Korda and cheered on by former President Barack Obama, mounted a robust counter-offensive and bombarded the Europeans coming home.
The figures told the fluctuating story. Europe played the front nine in a combined three-under and the back nine in five-under.
The USA, meanwhile, were eight-over for that outward half as Europe took charge but got going on the back nine and were a combined 17-under. The improvement made a significant difference.
As Europe tried to rally, the USA’s four-point advantage was briefly increased to five. Lexi Thompson, making her seventh and final appearance in the biennial bout having announced her retirement plans earlier this season at the age of just 29, paired up with Women’s Scottish Open champion Lauren Coughlin to beat Maja Stark and Georgia Hall 4&3.
The Europeans hit back, though, and Anna Nordqvist, a veteran of nine Solheim Cup campaigns, dovetailed with Celine Boutier to beat Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel by a similar 4&3 margin.
In the top tie, meanwhile, Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda had been two-up at the turn against Korda and Allisen Corpuz but the pendulum would swing in the US pairing’s favour on the run-in.
All-square through 13, the US got a bit of luck from the golfing gods when Corpuz thinned her second shot but saw the ball whip around the water guarding the green before trundling up to within 15-feet of the flag. The jammy sod.
Korda stepped up and rolled in the eagle putt to put the US ahead for the first time in the match. “That could be the top three best shots I've ever seen in my entire life,” chuckled Korda.
Pedersen and Ciganda would swiftly restore parity on the 15th but the Europeans then three-putted the 17th to fall behind again and Korda and Corpuz stood firm to claim a vital one-hole win
Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit were also in danger of squandering a two-hole lead with four to play when they lost the 15th to a long-range birdie before Hull made a right hash of her approach to the 17th and flew it 20-yards over the green.
All-square playing the last, Hull made amends with a corker of a drive which allowed Henseleit to hit a magnificent approach to within tap-in range which gave Europe a one-hole win.
The US were still in the driving seat. As the afternoon fourballs got going, Alison Lee holed her approach on the second for an eagle-two and, amid ridiculous whoopings and hollerings of jubilation, the giddy US caddies stripped their shirts off on the fairway.
Europe needed to get the gloves off to stay in the fight. And they did. A spirited fourballs showing kept the hearts beating and the visitors won the final two fourballs to head for supper with a spring in their step.
The score going into the final day singles is 10-6 to the USA. It’s a big task for Europe but it’s been done before. The Ryder Cup comeback at Medinah in 2012, for instance, still rouses the spirits.
“We have to believe,” said Ciganda, who picked up a key point with Pedersen against Ally Ewing and Thompson before Hull and Georgia Hall closed out the final match. “We need to do this for Suzann, for the team, for Europe. The Miracle of Medinah. It’s coming.”
Miracles don’t happen too often. Team Europe are eager to make one happen, though.
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