U.S., Europe split Saturday foursomes; Americans maintain Solheim lead

After the U.S. blanked Europe in Day 1 foursomes, the two sides split the Saturday morning session, 2-2.

The U.S. will take a 7-5 lead into afternoon fourballs at the Solheim Cup. Here’s how the Day 2 alternate-shot format played out at Finca Cortesin in Casares, Spain:

Match 9: Emily Kristine Pedersen/Carlota Ciganda (EUR) def. Lilia Vu/Jennifer Kupcho (U.S.), 2 and 1

Neither of these teams competed together in Friday’s foursomes, unlike the other six teams on Saturday. Europe won Nos. 5 and 6 to go 2 up, but the U.S. countered by winning Nos. 7 and 8.

Pedersen and Ciganda again built a 2-up lead through 14 holes – thanks, in part, to a U.S. three-putt at the 13^th – but Vu stuffed her approach shot at the par-4 15^th to cut the deficit in half.

A bogey at the 16^th, however, cost the U.S. a hole and Pedersen and Ciganda closed out the match with a par at No. 17.

Match 10: Lexi Thompson/Megan Khang (U.S.) def. Anna Nordqvist/Leona Maguire (EUR), 1 up

Europe led, 2 up through seven, and were in position to extend their advantage until Thompson and Khang teamed for an incredible par/hole save at the eighth.

That sparked a winning stretch for the U.S., in which they claimed three consecutive holes, Nos. 9-11, to go 1 up.

Europe scrapped back to even it at the 15^th, but a par at No. 17 was good enough to secure the U.S. at least a half-point in the match. They made it a full point by tying the 18th.

Match 11: Nelly Korda/Allisen Corpuz (U.S.) def. Georgia Hall/Celine Boutier (EUR), 5 and 3

Korda and Corpuz won their opening foursomes match on the final hole. This one never made it to the 16^th. Korda and Corpuz dominated their fellow major champions, handing Hall and Boutier their second loss as a tandem this week (after going 3-0-1 in the two previous editions).

Korda and Corpuz were 2 up through two holes and never looked back, making five birdies compared to the Euros’ two.

Match 12: Maja Stark/Linn Grant (EUR) def. Danielle Kang/Andrea Lee (U.S.), 1 up

This match, the last to finish Saturday morning, was never separated by more than one hole and Europe never trailed.

Kang and Lee made several lengthy putts to keep this one close, beginning with Kang for birdie to win the 12th.

Lee made a long birdie putt to win No. 14 and another to win the 16th.

But Stark returned the favor, making a 25-footer to win the 17th and take a 1-up lead into the last.

On the par-5 18th, with the Americans in close for birdie, Grant needed to make a 10-footer to (likely) tie the hole and win the match. She did, also giving her side momentum heading into the afternoon session.