solheim cup U.S. team has singular purpose

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This article was published 23/08/2009 (6089 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. — Cristie Kerr nearly took the head off of a fake swan, and Michelle Wie overshot the green.

And they still managed to halve the hole.

Kerr and Wie overcame two ragged final holes to salvage a 1-up foursome win at the Solheim Cup on Saturday afternoon, keeping the Americans tied with Europe going into today’s all-important singles matches. The way the Americans have played in singles, that’s like having the lead.

“I’m just really proud of them the way they came back. It was not looking too good for us for a while,” U.S. captain Beth Daniel said. “They really rallied in the afternoon, that was huge. They feel like they’re ahead, and they should feel that way.”

Especially considering the United States has a .602 winning percentage in singles over the course of the tournament, and has lost only three times in singles.

The last time? That would be 2003, also the last time Europe won the Solheim Cup.

The Americans need 14 points to win a third straight Solheim Cup, while Europe needs 14 1/2 points to claim it on U.S. soil for the first time.

“We won today. We’ve got back that point that we were behind, and it’s all looking good for tomorrow,” Europe’s Becky Brewerton said. “We all feel confident.”

Wie and Christina Kim’s easy 5-and-4 victory over Helen Alfredsson and Tania Elosegui in the opening fourball match looked as if it might be the start of a big day for the Americans. While Wie and Kim partied at the green, the raucous crowd chanted “The Cup stays here.”

It was way too early for that.

Europe rallied to win the fourballs 2 1/2-1 1/2 and tie tournament up, then took an early lead in foursomes with two easy wins. And just when it looked as if Wie and Kerr had the tie comfortably in hand, everybody came unglued, which made for some ugly, uncomfortable golf as the light faded.

Wie and Kerr were 2 up on Maria Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist until Hjorth made a 3-footer for birdie on the 16th.

Wie’s tee shot on 17 had gone into the rough on the right side, and there was a big pond between Kerr and the green. Kerr decided to go for it and, sure enough, the ball skipped through the water, nearly hitting one of the fake swans in the middle.

Wie mishit the next shot and it flew the green, landing in deep rough. Kerr made a nice chip that skirted the hole, but it wouldn’t drop.

Most holes, that would mean a loss. But not on this one.

Hjorth went in the sand off the tee and Nordqvist muffed the approach shot. Needing to make a 6-footer for bogey and the hole, Hjorth missed. Wie then rolled in a 3-footer to halve the hole.

They also halved the 18th hole.

— The Associated Press