Europe ended the first day of the Solheim Cup with a three point advantage, but there was a sour taste to the first day’s play after the USA’s Nelly Korda was awarded an eagle putt she didn’t make.
Catriona Matthew’s team won three of the first session foursomes on the 18th green and halved the other. After that dream start, they held their lead as the afternoon fourballs were shared with 2 wins each.
Referee’s intervention proves decisive
The #SolheimCup where you can miss an eagle putt, but still make an eagle. Yes, she shouldn't have picked it up but that ball wasn't falling in ten seconds or ten hours or ten days. pic.twitter.com/2o5Db5a3xp
— Robert Lusetich (@RobertLusetich) September 4, 2021
That doesn’t tell half the story, however. The Europeans were visibly furious over a referee’s intervention on the 13th to award Nelly Korda an eagle putt after her ball had failed to drop.
Madelene Sagstrom moved in to remove Korda’s ball when it stayed up. USGA referee Missy Jones intervened and said she was giving the putt as the Swede had taken it away three seconds before the statutory time had elapsed.
Checks of TV pictures by the chief referee brought an official statement that the ball was “clearly overhanging” the cup. That was at best questionable. What was actually abundantly clear was the Korda’s ball was never going to drop into the hole.
The decision put Korda and partner Ali Ewing one-up. Almost inevitably, that was the final margin of victory against Sangstrom and Nana Koertz Madsen.
Sagstrom in tears after the match
Madelene Sagstrom visibly upset as she explains the rules snafu on 13 that lost Team Europe the hole. The pair ended up losing the match 1 down. pic.twitter.com/aM2Hj5xH01
— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) September 4, 2021
The Swede was in tears after the game and said she didn’t agree with the official’s decision.
“It sucks right now as it feels I let my team down,” she said.
“I believe in the integrity and honour of the game of golf. I would never pick up a putt that had a chance of going in. Personally, I don’t agree with the decision of the ball being on the edge.”
The Euros shouldn't have picked it up so quickly. But the penalty for being three seconds too quick is effectively loss of hole when it was never going to drop unless Hurricane Ida came back and was blowing in the right direction. Ludicrous.
— Steve Scott (@C_SScott) September 4, 2021
Korda admitted the situation was “weird”.
“You don’t want to win hole like that,” she said. “We honestly had no say in it. It was all up to the rules committee.”
While the American players did not intervene, it was suggested later that Korda’s caddie had been the one to bring the incident to the attention of the official.
Sagstrom said the players had “argued” over the issue on the 14th tee. There was an obvious frosty atmosphere in the match until its conclusion.
European captain Matthew confronted the rules official at the scene. She said later “It was a fuzzy picture and I would say, inconclusive.”
US recover but stay three back after the fourballs
💥WOW💥@georgiahall96 rolls in a monster putt 🙌🇪🇺#SolheimCup pic.twitter.com/yEh4PseM4P
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) September 4, 2021
Despite the awkwardness the Americans had apparently no problem with taking the gift point. They had been down in all the fourballs at one point on Saturday afternoon.
Evenetually Lizette Salas and Jennifer Kupcho defeated Sylvia Popov and Carlotta Ciganda with Sala’s 18th hole birdie conclusive. But Europe won the other two afternoon contests.
Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren won a handsome 4&3 win over Lexi Thompson and Mina Harigae. In the final fourball, Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire defeated Yealimi Noh and Brittany Altomare 1 up.
Maguire, Nordqvist and Castren all finished the day with two wins. Hall was also unbeaten in her two matches.
Solheim Cup: Europe’s morning for three point lead as all foursomes go to the 18th