Europe maintained their slender one point lead over the USA during the third session of the Solheim Cup at a blustery Gleneagles this morning.

Having forged a 4 ½ - 3 ½ advantage after Friday’s foursomes and fourballs, Catriona Matthew’s side shared today’s foursomes 2-2 to hold on a 6 ½ - 5 ½ lead heading into the fourballs

Matthew made just one change to her pairings as day two of the Solheim Cup got under way in tough conditions.

Anna Nordqvist and rookie Anne van Dam formed a new partnership and were sent out first in the morning foursomes against Morgan Pressel and Marina Alex as the home side looked to build on their one-point lead.

Matthew then kept faith with the pairings which claimed two and a half points from three matches on day one, Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall, Charley Hull and Azahara Munoz and Carlota Ciganda and Bronte Law.

Nordqvist and Van Dam made a flying start with birdies on the second and third and a par on the fifth was enough to move three up on Pressel and Alex.

The National:

Hull and Munoz were also two up after two holes against Danielle Kang and Megan Khang, while Hall and Boutier had edged ahead of Lizette Salas and Ally McDonald on the third.

Despite the wind gusting up to 25mph there was some good early scoring and Jessica and Nelly Korda birdied the first and second to move two up on the unbeaten Ciganda and Law.

A birdie on the sixth took Nordqvist and Van Dam four up and they looked like going further ahead on the next, only to three-putt from 15 feet.

READ MORE: Slow play hinders opening day of Solheim Cup

The European pair also lost the ninth after Van Dam hit her approach into the water and their lead was suddenly down to a single hole after an American birdie on the 10th.

Hall and Boutier remained one up in match two and Hull and Munoz went four up in match three after Kang failed to get out of a fairway bunker at the first attempt.

Pressel and Alex conceded a birdie on the 11th and made another on the 12th to remarkably move into the lead for the first time, a lead that was instantly doubled when their shellshocked opponents bogeyed the 13th.

The National:

Consecutive birdies had also seen Hall and Boutier move three up on Salas and McDonald, while pars on the 10th and 11th were enough to take Hull and Munoz to the verge of victory in match three.

Surprisingly the first result came in the final match as the Korda sisters birdied the 13th to complete a 6&5 victory over Ciganda and Law, equalling the record margin of victory for a foursomes match.

READ MORE: Slow burner but Europe lead at Gleneagles

Hull and Munoz edged Europe back in front with a 4&3 win over Kang and Khang, but moments later a par on the 17th was enough for Pressel and Alex to seal their remarkable win over a shellshocked Nordqvist and Van Dam.

A 3&2 victory for Hall and Boutier meant the session ended 2-2 and ensured Europe maintained their slender lead.

United States captain Juli Inkster had said none of her team would play all five matches and kept to her word, even though that meant leaving the rampant Korda sisters out of the afternoon session.