Momentum feels like everything in team events like the Solheim Cup. On Friday, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was the source of that momentum for Team Europe.
The 36-year-old veteran Ciganda, playing with Solheim Cup rookie and fellow Spaniard Julia Lopez Ramirez, stepped up to her ball on the par-4 18th with a 12-foot putt standing between her and tying the match against world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin.
As the ball rolled in, Ciganda threw her putter and arms out wide.
It’s only the second time in Solheim Cup history that day one has ended in a tie, 4-4, and for the first time ever, Europe and the United States split both Friday’s foursomes and fourballs.
“Big momentum going into tomorrow,” Ciganda said of the triumph, with a stunning sunset serving as the backdrop of a nail-biting first day at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
In the morning foursomes, the United States’ dominant pairing of Korda and Allisen Corpuz routed Charley Hull and Lottie Woad, 4 and 3. The pair of U.S. veterans has now won five straight matches together, all foursomes, dating back to 2023.
The duo seems to thrive on taking advantage of each other’s strengths in the alternate shot format.
“I always make the joke to Nelly, like, it’s so nice to be 30 yards ahead of where I would be on my own drive,” Corpuz said. “It just makes the hole so much easier, I think. It’s so much fun out here. I love the Solheim Cup. I love being out here.”
Alison Lee and Coughlin were the other pairing to win a point for the Americans, beating Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier, 3 and 2. The win came despite Boutier receiving controversial relief due to a temporary immovable obstruction — in this case, a bridge — on the 16th hole. Europe ended up bogeying the hole and losing the match.
The Europeans were still able to split the morning session with the U.S. after winning the final two matches. Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire won 2 up over Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan, and Maja Stark and Linn Grant beat Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho 3 and 2 to finish the morning.
After being the U.S. team’s hype woman all morning, Megan Khang and partner Alison Lee were the only American pair to win their match in the afternoon fourball session. They handled Boutier and Koerstz Madsen easily, winning 5 and 3. It was Khang’s ninth straight Solheim Cup victory, dating back to Sunday afternoon fourballs in 2021. If the 28-year-old wins her next match, she’ll tie U.S. assistant captain Paula Creamer for the record of 10 straight victories, which Creamer achieved between 2005 and 2009.
Europe’s only afternoon win came from Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud beating Corpuz and Auston Kim, 2 and 1.
In addition to the Ciganda match-tying putt, the first match of the afternoon, featuring Team United States’ Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin and Team Europe’s Hull and Woad, finished tied as well.
Day two of the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup matches will feature another morning of foursomes and afternoon of fourball before concluding with 12 singles matches on Sunday. The U.S. looks to start strong Saturday with their powerhouse duo of Korda and Corpuz facing Maja Stark and Linn Grant.
