EUROPE LEAD AMERICANS 5-1 AFTER OPENING FOURSOMES

EDITOR'S NOTE: There is, at the moment, a technical fault which is preventing us from putting articles up on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk  Normally the following Ping Junior Solheim Cup report would appear there. But, as that is physically impossible, we thought you should have the chance to read it on www.scottishgolfview.com

FROM COLIN CALLANDER 

Ping Junior Solheim Cup Officer

Europe claimed a comprehensive 5-1 lead over the Americans after the opening foursomes at the PING Junior Solheim Cup match played at Knightsbrook Hotel Spa and Golf Resort in Trim, Co. Meath, Ireland this morning.

The home side lost the top match when England’s Lauren Taylor and Charley  Hull went down by 2 and 1 to Mariah Stackhouse and Jaye Marie Green but drew level when Sweden’s Emma Nilsson and Amy Boulden from Wales defeated Kyung Kim and Summar Roachall by 4 and 3.

The Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, watched by a large and patriotic crowd, claimed Europe’s second point of the morning when they defeated Emma Talley and McKenzie Talbert on the final green.

Further victories by Manon Gidali and Celine Boutier, Emilie Alonso and Luna Sobron and Antonia Scherer and Margaux Vanmol gave Europe a four- point advantage heading into the six afternoon fourball matches.

“It’s a great start,” said the European captain, Lotta Neumann, a winner of both the British and US Women’s Open Championships. “We played very well but there’s still a long way to go.

“I’m delighted about how things went this morning but we need to do the same this afternoon.

“It would be nice to take a good lead into the singles because we all know how tough they can be.”

“It’s not the start we were looking for but I’m sure we can fight back this afternoon,” said US Captain, Meg Mallon.

“I was happy with the pairings but it didn’t quite work out the way we wanted it to. There was a lot of great golf played out there by both sides. They just finished it off a little bit better than we did.”  

The match featuring the Maguire twins against Emma Talley and McKenzie Talbert was indicative of how close most of the matches were. 

The American duo went one up with a birdie two on the 142-yard par-3 third hole but the home favourites bounced back straight away with a birdie on the 494-yard par-5 fifth. 

Thereafter, the two sides swapped six holes before the Irish duo went one up with a birdie on the 523-yard par-5 17^th and then closed out the match with a regulation par-3 on the 153-yard final hole.

The first match, featuring English duo, Charley Hull and Lauren Taylor, against Mariah Stackhouse and Jaye Maria Green was equally closely contested. The home pair won the 374-yard par-4 first and there was never more than one hole in it until the Americans went two up with a birdie on the 377-yard par-4 11^th. The English girls fought back to all square by the 14^th but the American duo finished strongly with two birdies over the next three holes

Some of the best golf of the morning was played in the bottom match where German champion, Antonia Scherer and Belgian Margaux Vanmol, the reigning British Girls’ champion, were three under par when they defeated Karen Chung and Alison Lee on the 15^th hole.

The contest continues with six fourball matches followed by 12 singles tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.

Foursomes Results

Europe 5, United States 1

(Europe names first)

Lauren Taylor and Charley Hull lost to Mariah Stackhouse and Jaye Marie Green 2 and 1.

Lisa Maguire and Leona Maguire bt Emma Talley and McKenzie Talbert 1 hole

 Amy Boulden and Emma Nilsson bt Kyung Kim and Summar Roachell 4 and 3.

 Manon Gidali and Celine Boutier bt Esther Lee and Gabriella Then 1 hole

Emilie Alonso and Luna Sobron bt Lindsey Weaver and Ashlan Ramsay 2 holes

Antonia Scherer and Margaux Vanmol bt Karen Chung and Alison Lee 4 and 3.

AFTERNOON FOUR-BALL PAIRINGS

Lisa Maguire and Charley Hull v Lindsey Weaver and Mariah Stackhouse

Amy Boulden and Emma Nilsson v Jaye Maria Green and Ashlan Ramsay

Leona Maguire and Lauren Taylor v Kyung Kim and Karen Chung

Emilie Alonso and Antonia Scherer v McKenzie Talbert and Summar Roachell

Manon Gidali and Celine Boutier v Alison Lee and Esther Lee

Margaux Vanmol and Luna Sabron v Gabriella Then and Emma Talley