As Solheim Cup rivalries were renewed for the 20th time, Carlota Ciganda once again stole the show after Europe’s top pairing of Charley Hull and Lottie Woad failed to ignite against the United States at Bernardus Golf Club in the Netherlands
The 36-year-old Spaniard, who is the oldest player on show this weekend, let out a roar of pure emotion after holing a 15-foot putt to earn Europe what had seemed an unlikely half point in the final fourball match of the day to ensure honours are even at 4-4 heading into Saturday.
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Ciganda’s celebration evoked memories of the nerve-shredding finale at Finca Cortesin in 2023, when her putt allowed Europe to retain the trophy with a 14-14 tie.
And once again Nelly Korda was on the receiving end.
The world number one, and her playing partner Lauren Coughlin, both left match-winning putts short to allow Ciganda, who had crucially won the 16th hole with an eagle, to deliver a stunning reprieve for Anna Nordqvist’s team.
European hopes of parity had begun to fade into the shadows of the evening sunshine, with Angela Stanford’s visitors seemingly assuming control of the biggest team competition in women’s golf.
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It proved to be a hard-fought opening day between Europe and a United States team looking to retain the trophy following their 15½-12½ victory in Virginia two years ago.
However, despite Ciganda’s heroics, there was also a sense of what might have been for the hosts, who found themselves 6-2 behind at this stage two years ago at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
History has shown a good start to be essential in this competition, with the team holding the advantage after the opening day taking home the trophy 14 out of 19 times.
And the decision to send out Hull and Woad first in both the morning foursomes and the afternoon fourballs failed to deliver the impetus Europe’s captain Nordqvist would have hoped for.
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When Hull and rookie Woad emerged on the raucous opening tee with daylight barely breaking through at 06:40 BST, they did so as the two highest-ranked players in the European side at eight and seven respectively.
Yet despite winning the opening hole, Nordqvist’s gamble never looked like paying off against the formidable pairing of Korda and Allisen Corpuz.
The American duo won all four of their foursomes matches across the previous two editions of this contest and became the first to make it five on the spin with a comfortable 4&3 victory.
Disappointingly for Europe, Hull and Woad then let a three-hole advantage slip on the back nine on Friday afternoon against Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin, who was playing only her third competitive round since June.
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They did at least scramble a half point despite loud music distracting Woad and Noh as they lined up their final putts.
In contrast Europe’s three other debutants, Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud, delivered in style.
England’s Rhodes and France’s Nadaud produced a superb performance to defeat Corpuz and Auston Kim 2&1, while the big-hitting Lopez Ramirez teamed up with her compatriot Ciganda in that final match against Korda and Lauren Coughlin.
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