Europe claws back, future stars shining bright highlight 5 things we learned Saturday at the 2023 Solheim Cup

Nelly Korda and Ally Ewing couldn’t buy a birdie on the front nine, allowing Charley Hull and Leona Maguire to take a 4-up lead by the turn in the first match of the day. Despite both Americans making birdie on the par-3 10th, the match didn’t last much longer as the Euros put the first point on the board on the 14th green with a dominant 4-and-3 victory. Maguire made seven birdies over 14 holes (with usual match-play concessions).

Rose Zhang eagled the first hole but an Emily Pedersen birdie on No. 3 and a pair of Pedersen and Sagstrom birdies on the par-5 4th flipped the match in the European favor. Andrea Lee briefly tied the match again with a birdie on No. 6 before both Euros made birdie at the 7th. Pedersen and Sagstrom responded to the few charges made by the U.S. and put the match out of reach with a late birdie on the 15th before claiming a 2-and-1 victory on the 17th green.

Minutes later the first point was on the board for the Americans. Team Europe’s Caroline Hedwall birdied five of the first eight holes in her first appearance of the week, leading to a 2-up lead alongside Anna Nordqvist against Cheyenne Knight and Angel Yin. Three American wins on Nos. 11-13 (with two birdies and a par) flipped the match and gave the U.S. their second lead of the entire afternoon at 1 up, a score they held until a Yin birdie at the 18th delivered a 2-up victory.

In the final match of the day, Linn Grant birdied the first six holes and somehow Europe only took a lead on No. 6. Vu matched Grant with birdie on Nos. 1, 3 and 4 while Kang put circles on the card on Nos. 2, 4 and 5. The American pair held strong until Kang made birdie on the par-3 10th to briefly tie the match before a 2-up advantage was quickly restored thanks to a Grant birdie at No. 11 and a Ciganda par on No. 12.

Kang and Vu both birdied the 13th to bring the match within one for the next three holes before Ciganda sent the crowd into a frenzy with a birdie on the 16th to give the Euros a 2-up lead with two holes to play. All four players made par on the 17th, giving the Europeans a crucial 3-1 session win to square the match at 8-8 entering Sunday singles.

The current 28-point Solheim Cup format dates back to 2002. Four matches have been tied 8-8 entering Sunday singles (2005, 2009, 2011, 2019) since then.

Both the Americans and Europeans have won twice. It’s 8-8 once again and 12 matches tomorrow to decide the winner. Hell yeah.

— Adam Woodard (@AdamWoodard) September 23, 2023