The opening day of the 2024 Solheim Cup couldn’t have gone much better for the United States.
Thanks to an outstanding performance by world number one golfer Nelly Korda, the Americans took a 6-2 lead over Europe on Friday – the largest lead in the history of the Solheim Cup after one day.
Korda won both matches on Friday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Together with her partner Megan Khang, she defeated Europeans Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire 6 and 4 in the morning four-ball session. In foursomes, Korda and Allisen Corpuz defeated Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit 3 and 2.
US golfers Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel – both playing in the Solheim Cup for the first time – also collected two points for the Americans by playing together twice and winning both games.
The United States has not won the Solheim Cup on its own since 2017, losing to Europe in ’19 and ’21 before reaching a 14-14 tie in 2023.
The 2024 Solheim Cup will continue on Saturday with four more matches each in the foursome and fourball competitions. The Solheim Cup will conclude on Sunday with 12 singles matches.
Friday went smoothly for the U.S. team, but it was a logistical nightmare for fans, as bus delays marred the viewing experience and many stands were only partially filled.
