 |
| Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist |
Suzann Pettersen and Sophie Gustafson were defeated 1 up by Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr. Helen Alfredsson and Tania Elosegui finished 1 up against Angela Stanford and Juli Inkster. It was a big day for European team rookie Tania Elosegui of Spain, who won on her debut.
Despite admitting to a touch of first tee nerves Elosegui said: “I think the Europeans were feeling less nervous than the Americans because we don’t have anything to lose.”
Playing with Maria Hjorth, Catriona Matthew birdied 18 from eight feet and halved her match against Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie, building the momentum for the afternoon session.
The visitors were 2 up after five holes but the US fought back on the 12th and 13th, when Wie birdied from three feet to square the match. Pressel then birdied from four feet on 14 and the US went 1 up.
“It was huge for us to get that half, I think,” said Hjorth. “We really knew we had to make a birdie on the last to be able to get that half point. So Catriona’s putt there on the last was really, really important.”
US Captain Beth Daniel played all 12 Americans on her team on Friday, while European Captain Alison Nicholas kept just one player back, Diana Luna, who will make her debut alongside Matthew on Saturday. United States team rookie Wie, the youngest player on either team aged 19, shone on her debut and was well supported by the packed gallery and her fellow team mates.
Partners & Suppliers
|