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The visiting American team drew first blood as the 12th Solheim Cup got underway under leaden skies at Killen Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland this morning.
Watched by a large and vociferous crowd the lead American pair of Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie won the first hole with a par against Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist and then promptly won the second with a birdie four.
Hjorth and Nordqvist started their fightback when they won the 314-yard par-4 3rd with a par. The Americans were still one up over their European rivals after five holes.
Playing in the second match Paula Creamer and Lincicome also won the difficult 402-yard par-4 1st hole with a par to go one up against English duo Karen Stupples and Mel Reid and then doubled that advantage with a birdie on the 528-yard par-5 2nd. The European pair battled back with a winning birdie three on the 3rd both the sides halved the 370-yard par-4 4th.
The third match which pitted Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford against Catriona Matthew and Munoz started scrappily when the sides halved the first in sixes after finding trouble from the tee. The European took a one hole lead after the Americans pair also dropped a shot on the 2nd hole and they doubled that advantage with a par on the 4th.
The final match in which the experienced Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson were playing against Brittany Lang and Juli Inkster was all square are both sides carded par-4s on the first. However the Swedes won the 3rd with a birdie to go one up.
At just after 09.00 the match was tied with both sides holding a lead in two of the foursomes matches.
