Team Europe Jumps To Early 5-3 Lead After Day One Of Solheim Cup 2013

Azahara Munoz (click to enlarge)

On a day marred by a controversial (and incorrect) ruling, Team Europe took a 5-3 lead after the first day of Solheim Cup 2013. The Euros have never won the Cup on American soil but came out strong in the morning foursomes, jumping out to a quick 3-1 lead. America’s lone point in the morning came from the pairing of Solheim standout Morgan Pressel and rookie Jessica Korda, who bested Catriona Matthew and Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3&2.

Karine Icher and Azahara Munoz (click to enlarge)

Morning standouts for Europe included Karine Icher and Azahara Munoz. Many commentators pointed to the American pairing of fellow US Women’s Open winners Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr as advantageous for the US. Munoz and Icher were undeterred and not intimidated, taking down their more celebrated opponents, 2&1.

MORNING FOURSOMES

Player Name	Status			Status	Hole
Match 1
	Stacy Lewis Lizette Salas		lost to	Anna Nordqvist Caroline Hedwall	4 and 2	F
Match 2
	Brittany Lang Angela Stanford		lost to	Suzann Pettersen Beatriz Recari	2 and 1	F
Match 3
	Morgan Pressel Jessica Korda	3 and 2	defeated	Catriona Matthew Jodi Ewart Shadoff		F
Match 4
	Cristie Kerr Paula Creamer		lost to	Azahara Munoz Karine Icher	2 and 1	F

Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)

The Americans found their footing in afternoon fourball, with some brilliant shot making from Brittany Lang and controversial captain’s pick, Michelle Wie. Lang was locked in to the pin throughout the day, even in the morning foursome loss. She would pair with Brittany Lincicome in the afternoon win convincingly over Europe’s Anna Nordqvist and Giulia Sergas, 4 & 3. The match was highlighted by an amazing hole out from the bunker on 14 by Lang.

Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie (click to enlarge)

Not to be outdone, the Cristie Kerr-Michelle Wie pairing also sent a roar of applause echoing through the Colorado Golf Club with an awesome chip-in on 13 by Wie. Some criticized Meg Mallon for picking Wie, but the Stanford grad from Hawaii was solid in afternoon fourball, as she was the last time the Solheim Cup was played in America, at Rich Harvest Farms in 2009. Cristie, simply put, was Cristie. Inbee Park might be considered the best putter on tour at the moment and Ai Miyazato might have the best putting stroke, but Kerr reminded everybody of her putting virtuosity with an absolute no-doubt-about-it bomb of a putt on 10 for a birdie to win the hole.

Stacy Lewis and Dottie Pepper address rules official on 15th hole (click to enlarge)

If there were a moment to ruin the day, it was an incorrect ruling on the 15th hole in the afternoon fourball match between the European team of Suzann Pettersen and Carlota Ciganda against the Team USA’s Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson. Besides taking forever (ok, more like 25 minutes) to make a decision on a drop by Carlota Ciganda, a rules official, who for some reason was using a laser, improperly allowed Ciganda to hit a shot 40 yards behind where she should have. Because an official made the ruling, it stands despite being wrong. Lewis complained afterward, rightfully I might add, that the length of time it took to make the ruling blunted the momentum of the American team, which would go on to drop the pairing 1 down.

	Player Name	Status		Player Name	Status	Hole
Match 1
	Stacy Lewis Lexi Thompson		lost to	Suzann Pettersen Carlota Ciganda	1 Up	F
Match 2
	Angela Stanford Gerina Piller		lost to	Caroline Hedwall Caroline Masson	2 and 1	F
Match 3
	Brittany Lincicome Brittany Lang	4 and 3	defeated	Anna Nordqvist Giulia Sergas		F
Match 4
	Cristie Kerr Michelle Wie	2 and 1	defeated	Catriona Matthew Charley Hull		F