Hispanic Lizette Salas and Danielle Kang were the golfers who led the team’s comeback in the United States that concluded the first day of the Solheim Women’s Cup with a 5.5-2.5 lead and new brand in the “fourball”.
Salas, 28, of Mexican origin, and newcomer Kang were in charge of winning two matches, beating the European pair formed by the Spanish Carlota Ciganda and the German Caroline Masson for 1 up.
After having lost in the morning session the competition of “foursomes” (2.5-1.5), which allows to exchange the players of both teams in the blows corresponding to each hole, in the “fourball”, which Gave in the afternoon, the United States rolled with a new perfect mark of 4-0, the first sweep that has occurred in the Solheim Cup, something that did not impress the captain of the United States team Juli Inkster.
“This is the story that we really do not want. We want it to be Sunday night because we’re looking to win the Cup,” Inkster said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us. I know Annika Sorenstam (captain of the European team) who will certainly motivate the team to go back.”
Salas and another rookie, Angel Yin were also able to play with Ciganda and Danish Emily Pedersen 6 and 5, while Kang and Michelle Wie did so with Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3 and 1 in “fourball” matches.
The other fourball matches Brittany Lincicome and Brittany Lang beat Masson and Englishwoman Florentyna Parker 3 and 2 while Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller also won the English Charley Hull and Georgia Hall 2 and 1.
In the morning’s competition, the Americans Cristie Kerr Kerr and Lexi Thompson scored half a point against the English Hull and Mel Reid.
While in Europe, Hall and Swedish Anna Nordqvist defeated Paula Creamer and Austin Ernst 3 and 1 and the French Karine Icher and Scottish Cathedra Matthew overcame Lewis and Piller 1 up.
The US team found better performance in the “fourball” mode, where it dominated and was always in control during the four games played.
Salas and 18-year-old Yin were the ones who led the comeback in the United States after the Spanish golfer opened the session with three consecutive birdies for the corresponding holes and won over five consecutive pairs that helped the pair complete the Match on the 13th hole.
The victory of 6 and 5 was the biggest that has occurred in the history of the Solheim Cup.
“Everything was always in place and it worked perfectly,” said Salas, 28. “In addition I have had my parents looking at me at the last hole and that was also the biggest”.
For his part, Kang always hit well with his putt by getting consecutive birdies that sealed the victory with Wie after 17 holes.
Lincicome and Lang improved to 3-0-0 as a couple in “fourball” mode and Lewis made history with birdie short putt on the 17th hole to complete the sweep.
“It was a beautiful thing, I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” Lang said when he saw the entire red marker in the United States.
After new rounds of “foursomes” and “fourballs”, which will be played on Saturday, the competition closes on Sunday with 12 individual matches. Efe
