Europeans fights back to 9-7 lead

The European team rebounded from a 3-1 drubbing in the Saturday morning foursomes at The Solheim Cup to dish out a emphatic pasting by winning all four points in the fourballs to lead the USA 9-7 heading into Sunday's 12 singles matches at Interlachen GC.

It was only the second clean sweep in the history of the event with Europe repeating an American whitewash during the first day at Loch Lomond in 2000.

The defending champions need just five points from the singles to retain the trophy they so bravely won in the soggy conditions and with an extra half a point, they will win this biennial event outright.

Historically, Europe have never performed well in the individual four ball matches, and with a two point deficit going into the afternoon, it required huge heart from Reid's team to keep them in the fight.

The undefeated Sorenstam and Koch eased captain Reid's lunchtime frustrations as they recovered from an early two-hole deficit against Daniel and Ward. The Swedes remained patient and holed over 100-feet of putts as they won six out of the next eight holes in a scintillating 4&3 win.

"It was so important to see some blue numbers on the leader boards after this morning," said Koch, who extended her Solheim Cup record to seven wins, no losses.

"I was pretty pumped out there and I am so excited about tomorrow now. The teams are pretty even now and people have always said that Europe need a big lead going into the singles, but it's not that way anymore, we have 12 very strong players in our team."

Maria Hjorth and Iben Tinning kept Pat Hurst and the normally vociferous Kelli Keuhne quiet after as they scraped in with a priceless point.

Europe took the lead after six holes, only to slip back to even at the turn. Hjorth holed from the fringe at the 12th to move back into the box seat, but Hurst fired a wedge to a foot to even the match once again. The visiting team won the 15th and held on by their blue and gold painted fingernails to close 1up winners.

"It's fantastic," said Tinning after she won her first Solheim point. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow now, I don't really care who I play, bring them on!"

And in a pairing that was lambasted by many critics, Karine Icher and Raquel Carriedo led all afternoon against the formidable Rosie Jones and Christie Kerr. The Europeans won the second hole to move one up and halved the next seven before increasing their lead with a Carriedo birdie at the tenth.

However, Icher missed for her par at the 11th to slip back to 1-up. But the Spaniard holed from 20 feet at the 12th, with the Americans surviving the 13th after Jones holed from 15 feet for birdie with Carriedo within 'gimme' distance.

The drama ended at the last hole when the French rookie nailed a three wood from 228-yards to ten feet and safely two putted for her first point in the event.

"That was probably the best shot I have ever played in my life," said the 23-year-old.

And in the most dramatic match of the day, Laura Davies and Sophie Gustafson sealed the hammering with a nail-biting 1-up victory over Kelly Robbins and Emilee Klein. The US Pair raced into a 2-hole lead after six holes, but Davies pulled off two enormous shots under pressure to square the match.

The 38-year-old from Surrey belted a five iron to 10-feet at the eighth for birdie and at the long par five tenth, found the green with a magnificent 227-yard two-iron to ten feet and safely two putted.

The pair won the next three holes with yet more sterling mid-iron work from Davies along with a birdie from Gustafson at the 12th. But Klein fought back bravely, winning the 15th and Robbins made a magnificent birdie from eight feet at the 17th, after her ball was stuck in a divot for her approach shot.

Davies held on, despite finding thick, deep rough around the 18th green, her first chip off the green did not upset her, she just knocked the next one next to the cup to claim her 16th Solheim point.

"We were a bit irritated this morning after losing 3-1 and I know the other girls were disappointed because they were playing so well," said Davies.

"I don't think anyone's head went down, we were just more determined and the captain got the picks spot on."

And with poor European performances in the singles in previous encounters, the team plan is to win them outright, letting the result take care of itself.

"The Americans have a history of having good singles days and we will just have to make sure it is our turn," added Davies. "That was the goal at the beginning of the week, regardless of how we stood on Saturday night. We wanted to win six and a half points in the singles, just so we can prove that we can win them."

The 12 singles begin on Sunday at 0910am CST with Europe needing 14 points to retain the trophy and 14 and a half for outright victory.

USA takes advantage on day two

European captain Dale Reid is undeniably disappointed as Europe head into Saturday's afternoon fourballs with a mountain to climb after suffering an unprecedented 3-1 defeat at the hands of the USA in the morning foursomes in The Solheim Cup at Interlachen in Minnesota.

The Swedish duo of Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch made light work of Michelle Redman and Christie Kerr to gain the first blue point of the morning with a 4&3 victory, Reid's plan for a clean sweep in the foursomes, historically Europe's strongest suit, backfired when three strong pairings failed to deliver another point.

Scotland's Mhairi McKay and Iben Tinning from Denmark endured a tough battle with Emilee Klein and Wendy Ward. The Americans started strongly winning two out of the first four holes but the two European rookies rallied and won three of the next four to lead one up after eight. However, Ward and Kerr were full of determination showed little mercy as they won the ninth, 10th, 12th and 13th and cruise in for a 3&2 victory.

England's Laura Davies and Spain's Paula Marti were strong for 13 holes but squandered an opportunity to close out Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster having been one up at the time. Inkster won the 14th after a brilliant tee shot at the par three, resulting in a concession and a stray Davies drive effectively cost Europe the 16th hole when Marti could only advance from thick rough into the greenside bunker, with Mallon firing to ten feet.

And after a booming Marti drive into the right side of the 17th fairway, Davies, who was seemingly tired, blocked her approach shot into the greenside bunker from 130-yards out. Inkster punched a mid iron to 20 feet and when Marti thinned it out of the bunker and into the crowd, Europe had lost a vital point.

Helen Alfredsson and Suzann Pettersen were recipients of a drubbing up until the turn when they were three down against Laura Diaz and Kelly Robbins. But the Europeans, affectionately known as 'Alfie and mini Alfie', battled hard with Pettersen making a crucial putt to win the 10th hole.

They Scandinavians then won the 11th and 13th to tie and had the Americans questioning their bottle to close out. But Diaz, a feisty 27-year-old, and Robbins, an experienced five time Solheim Cupper responded by winning the 14th, 16th and 17th for a 3&1 victory.

In the afternoon fourballs, the undefeated pairing of Sorestam and Koch are finding it tough as the veteran Beth Daniel and rookie Wendy Ward jumped into a two hole lead after seven holes. But the pig-tailed Swede holed from 30 feet at the eighth to reduce the deficit.

Maria Hjorth and Iben Tinning from Denmark are keeping Pat Hurst and Kelli Keuhne quiet as they lead one up after six holes.

And in a pairing that has already surprised many, Karine Icher from France and European number one Raquel Carriedo are holding their own against the vociferous pairing of Christie Kerr and Rosie Jones. The Europeans won the first hole and halved the next three.

In the final match, Laura Davies, who now holds the all time record in points with 15, and Sophie Gustafson are one down to Kelly Robbins and Emilee Klein.

FOURBALL PAIRINGS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON:

1200pm CST Beth Daniel and Wendy Ward vs Annika Sorenstam and Carin Koch 1215pm CST Pat Hurst and Kelli Keuhne vs Maria Hjorth and Iben Tinning 1230pm CST Rosie Jones and Christie Kerr vs Karine Icher and Raquel Carriedo. 1245pm CST Kelly Robbins and Emilee Klein vs Laura Davies and Sophie Gustafson

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