CROMVOIRT, Netherlands — Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz made history Friday morning at Bernardus Golf, routing Europe's top-ranked pair Charley Hull and world No. 7 Lottie Woad 4 and 3 to become the first 5-0 partnership in Solheim Cup history as the opening foursomes session ended in a 2-2 tie, just the third time in 20 editions the first session was split.
The American duo, paired by U.S. captain Angela Stanford who said a day earlier, "The whole world knew they were coming," fell 1 down after Woad rolled in a 20-footer for birdie at the first, then seized control with three straight won holes at Nos. 6-8 and dropped only one other hole in a 4-under, bogey-free performance. "I always make the joke to Nelly, like, it's so nice to be 30 yards ahead of where I would be on my own drive," Corpuz said. "It just makes the hole so much easier." Korda added of Corpuz, "She's just so solid. Honestly, I enjoy playing with her so much. We have a lot of fun out there."
Korda, the world No. 1, and Corpuz are now the winningest U.S. tandem ever, surpassing Dottie Pepper and Brandie Burton (4-1-1), and matched Europeans Laura Davies and Alison Nicholas (5-4) for most points earned on either side. To compare, the only 5-0 partnership in Ryder Cup history is Arnold Palmer and Gardner Dickinson. Individually, Korda improved to 11-5-1 in all formats, with seven of those 11 wins coming after she trailed in the match.
In Match 2, Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin defeated Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier 3 and 2 to put the U.S. 2-0 up. Boutier holed a 25-foot birdie putt at the third for a 1-up lead, but a European bogey at the par-3 sixth tied it and Coughlin's conceded par at the eighth gave the Americans the lead for good. Coughlin drained a 15-footer for eagle at the par-5 10th and another putt at the 13th to go 3 up, and despite the Europeans winning the 15th with a bogey after both teams found water, Madsen missed a short par putt at 16 to end it. Coughlin improved to 4-0-1, matching Michelle Wie's U.S. record for most points earned in her first five career Solheim Cup matches.
Europe answered to level the session 2-2, led by Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire's 2-up victory over Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan. Henseleit set up Maguire birdies at the first and second for a 2-up lead, and after the Americans cut it to 1 down, Duncan's tee ball at the par-3 sixth kicked back into the water to restore the margin. Lee holed the longest putt of the session from nearly 40 feet at the 13th to cut it to 1 down, but Maguire answered with a 10-footer for birdie at the next for another 2-up lead and the Europeans held on despite dropping the 16th.