GLENEAGLES (United Kingdom): Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall were the European heroines on Saturday as Europe desperately clung on to the hope of regaining the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles. After a punishing series of fourballs in blustery, cold weather, the Americans emerged as 2.5-1.5 winners to leave the score tied at 8-8 going into Sunday’s final 12 singles. As holders, the US team need to win six of the matches to claim the trophy for the third year in a row.
With all four matches going to the final two holes, fortunes swung to and fro. At one stage, the visitors were ahead in every match. But Boutier, the French rookie, and Hall, the 2018 Women’s British Open Champion, staged a magnificent comeback against Ally McDonald and Angel Yin to claim a vital full point. Four down after seven holes and still three down with five to play, Hall and Boutier won the next four on the trot to take a one hole lead and they added another at the 18th for a two hole victory.
Boutier produced three stunning highlights – she holed from 20 feet for an eagle two at the short, par 4 14th and then made birdies at the 16th and 18th. Hall and 25-year-old Frenchwoman Boutier have won three out of three matches. “It’s a great way to start my Solheim career. I had a great partner. The eagle was important – it kept us right in it,” said Boutier. Hall said the conditions were line playing an extra adversary.
“We didn’t make the best of starts, but it was horrendous out there. We just had to dig deep and I am so happy,” she said. The home team, a point to the good overnight, was still ahead after a share of the morning foursomes. In a nervy top fourball, Brittany Altomare and Annie Park closed out a vital match by one hole against Anne Van Dam and Suzann Pettersen. The other point for the United States came from Lizette Salas and Danielle Kang in the final match, beating Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz by two holes. – AFP
