Solheim Cup 2024: Team USA lead Team Europe 3-1 after opening foursomes session in Virginia

World No 1 Nelly Korda gained early Solheim Cup bragging rights over Charley Hull as Team USA built a 3-1 lead over Team Europe after the opening foursomes.

Korda led from the front as she partnered Allisen Corpuz to a 3&2 victory over Hull and rookie Henseleit in the top match at Robert Trent Jones Golf, having also won both foursomes matches when paired together in last year’s contest.

The victory was one of three matches won by Team USA in the opening session, as Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin dispatched Celine Boutier and Albane Valenzuela by the same margin before Lilia Vu partnered Sarah Schmelzel to a 3&2 success.

There was briefly the possibility of a clean sweep for the hosts when Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho fought back from four behind to trail Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark by just one with three holes remaining, only for the European pair to secure a 2up win.

Europe have historically had the better foursomes record but have now lost the first session for the second successive Solheim Cup, having be beaten by a clean sweep on the opening morning last September.

Team USA claim early advantage over Europe

Thousands of spectators missed the start of the opening session due to transportation problems getting into the golf course, with grandstands having empty seats and fans on social media complaining about lengthy queues.

The LPGA Tour later issued an apology for the “issues”, with crowds back close to what was expected by the time Korda and Corpuz had recovered from falling one behind after four holes to win three of the next four move two ahead.

Hull and Henseleit claimed the first two holes of the back nine with birdies to level the contest with seven holes to play, only for the American pair to win three holes in a row from the 14th and claim the first point of the contest.

“We just vibe really well,” Korda said. “When one of us didn’t hit it well, we really relied on each other and kept calm out there and knew there were more opportunities. I have such a great partner – she comes up clutch every single time.”

Coughlin and Zhang never trailed in their match and grabbed control by winning three consecutive holes from the 11th, including back-to-back birdies, before seeing out their win with a par at the 16th hole.

“I feel like we were playing well all match, and then we just finally started getting some putts to go in,” Coughlin said.

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Vu holed a 20-foot birdie at the first and cancelled out losing the next to a bogey by winning the third, with the world No 2 and Schmelzel leading throughout before securing their win with a close-range birdie at the par-three 16th.

Pedersen and Stark took command of match three in the early stages and were four ahead after five holes, only for Ewing and Kupcho to win back-to-back holes from the 14th and threaten a famous comeback for Team USA.

Ewing missed a birdie chance to tie the match at the par-four 17th that could have increased the chance of an unbeaten session for the hosts, as Pedersen and Stark closed out victory on the final hole.

“We were playing great and we felt like we were playing the better golf out there,” Pedersen said. “We made a few mistakes. I hit a bad chip on 15, I made a mistake on 16.

“Generally we were playing pretty good. We said to each other, if we keep playing the way we’ve been playing, we are going to win this match.”

Team USA have not won the Solheim Cup since 2017, with Europe following back-to-back victories in 2019 and 2021 by retaining the title with a dramatic 14-14 tie in Spain last September.

Who will win the 2024 Solheim Cup? Watch live throughout the weekend on Sky Sports! Live coverage continues on Saturday from 11.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the Solheim Cup and more with NOW.

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