Europe struck an early blow in the 16th Solheim Cup at Gleneagles this morning as Catriona Matthew's side edged into a 2 ½ - 1 ½ lead during the opening foursomes session in glorious conditions at the Perthshire resort.
England's Bronte Law and Spain's Carlota Ciganda were sent out first by Matthew and responded by winning the opening hole with a par against Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex, who three-putted from just off the green.
United States captain Juli Inkster, who is looking to lead her team to victory for the third straight contest, lost veteran wild card Stacy Lewis to injury at the start of the week and had sent out five of her six rookies in the opening foursomes session.
A par on the fourth was enough to take Law and Ciganda two up, but in match two the American pair of Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare had birdied the third to move ahead of Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier.
Jessica and Nelly Korda were making history as the first sisters to play for the United States and got off to a flying start with birdies to win the opening two holes against Caroline Masson and Jodi Ewart Shadoff.
In the final match Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz had won the first hole with a par against Megan Khang and Annie Park.
The opening match turned around quickly as Pressel holed a long birdie putt on the fifth and the European pair bogeyed the next two holes to fall one down.
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However, it was a similar scenario in match two where a par on the fourth and a birdie on the fifth took Hall and Boutier into the lead for the first time.
The Korda sisters had to persuade Inkster to pair them together but it was looking an inspired move as they moved four up in match three, although they were gifted the fourth and fifth thanks to bogeys from their opponents.
After a birdie on the sixth was matched by their opponents, Masson and Ewart Shadoff conspired to lose the next hole to a bogey after three-putting from four feet.
The European pair finally won their first hole of the day with a par on the eighth after a superb fairway bunker shot from Masson, but the German followed that with a poor drive on the ninth and the Korda sisters took advantage to move five up with nine to play.
Thompson and Altomare had escaped with a half on the ninth despite the former finding the water with her approach, but a long-range birdie on the 10th took Boutier and Hall three up.
Masson and Ewart Shadoff were in danger of suffering a record defeat when they lost the 11th to fall six down, but were spared that fate when their opponents made a clumsy double bogey on the 12th.
Boutier and Hall had also won the same hole with a bogey and were closing in on victory, meaning the outcome of the morning session hinged on the top and bottom matches. Pressel and Alex birdied the 14th to move one up while the bottom match was all square after 10.
A conceded birdie on the short 14th meant the Korda sisters completed a commanding 6&4 victory to put the first point on the board.
That’s how you do it @celineboutier @georgiahall96 🙌🏻#ItAllLeadsToThisMoment
— Solheim Cup Team Europe (@SolheimCupEuro) September 13, 2019
pic.twitter.com/ZaDudAGaH1
Hall and Boutier were three up with three to play and Hull and Munoz had edged ahead in the final match thanks to a birdie on the 13th.
Europe looked like throwing the first match away after Ciganda's clumsy chip to the 18th ran off the green, but Law hit a superb fourth shot to help secure half a point after Pressel's birdie attempt came up short.
Hall and Boutier were taken to the 17th before eventually beating Thompson and Altomare 2&1 to level the match score and leave all eyes on Hull and Munoz as they tried to cling on to their slender lead. The European duo stood firm and won the 17th to clinch a 2&1 win and give the hosts the edge heading into the fourballs.
Solheim Cup, PGA Centenary course, Gleneagles
Europe 2 ½ USA 1 ½
Morning foursomes (Europe names first)
Carlota Ciganda & Bronte Law halved with Morgan Pressel & Marina Alex
Georgia Hall & Celine Boutier bt Lexi Thompson & Brittany Altomare 2&1
Caroline Masson & Jodi Ewart Shadoff lost to Jessica Korda & Nelly Korda 6&4
Charley Hull & Azahara Munoz bt Megan Khang & Annie Park 2&1
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