Facts: Friday’s foursome matches
8.10: Linn Grant/Maja Stark-Lexi Thompson/Megan Khang
8.22: Céline Boutier/Georgia Hall-Danielle Kang/Andrea Lee
8.34: Leona Maguire/Anna Nordqvist-Nelly Korda/Allisen Corpuz
8.46: Charley Hull/Emily Kristine Pedersen-Ally Ewing/Cheyenne Knight
Resting in the European team: Caroline Hedwall, Madelene Sagström, Gemma Dryburgh, Carlota Ciganda.
Resting in the USA: Rose Zhang, Lilia Vu, Jennifer Kupcho, Angel Yin.
At 8.10 on Friday morning, this year’s Solheim Cup begins at the Spanish Finca Cortesín and it will be an all-Swedish rookie pair that will show Europe the way.
Grant and Stark meet Megan Khang and out-of-shape fix star Lexi Thompson in a foursome. An honorable mission to go first – and proof of how much confidence the Norwegian European captain has in the blue-yellow Gulf Comets.
— They are two good friends who have played together as juniors and have a strong desire. So I just let them drive, says the Norwegian European captain about the shameless debutants Grant (ranked 15th in the world) and Stark (40th).
“Cool experience”
At the press conference where the pairs were presented, Pettersen said that she has long had in mind to let the Swedes, both born in 1999 and according to their own statement undefeated together in the foursome during the junior years, start the whole Solheim Cup.
— They will be a cool experience for them to show the team the way here in Spain, says the captain.
— I am super impressed by both Maja and Linn. They are very different personalities, but sometimes “opposites attract”.
Linn Grant already happened to reveal to TT earlier this week that she and Maja Stark would play a foursome on the first day. Stark noted a little more hoveringly:
— If we were to play on Friday morning, it’s nice to feel that they trust you so much.
Suzann Pettersen confirms that the team selection has been completed for quite some time.
“I told the team to the players already on Monday evening, so they have had the whole week to prepare,” she says.
— I want the players to be involved in every decision we make this week. I try to be transparent and the more the players feel involved, the easier it is for them to prepare.
Nordqvist with Maguire
Even Anna Nordqvist, who is also one of Pettersen’s three vice-captains, plays directly on Friday morning. The 36-year-old veteran is playing the Solheim Cup for the eighth consecutive time and is paired with Ireland’s Leona Maguire.
— They have a similar game. They are very stable and know each other well, says the captain.
Nordqvist and Maguire are pitted against world number three Nelly Korda and US Open winner Allisen Corpuz.
Madelene Sagström and Caroline Hedwall are both resting during this morning’s game. Notably in the USA team, world number two and Solheim Cup debutant Lilia Vu, who has won two majors this year, is one of the players who also gets to start on the sidelines.