Charley Hull of England is set to kick off Team Europe’s quest for Solheim Cup glory by teaming up with rookie Esther Henseleit in the Friday foursomes opener. This marks Hull’s seventh consecutive appearance, as Team Europe aims for a historic “four-peat” following their impressive wins in 2019, 2021, and a dramatic retention of the trophy last year.
The world No. 12 will face off against world No. 1 Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz at 7:05 am local time (12:05 pm BST) at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Henseleit, who secured Olympic silver in Paris and was runner-up at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, partners with Hull in what promises to be a thrilling start to the event.
Korda and Corpuz form a strong pairing after their successful opening match in the 2023 contest in Spain, with Team USA looking to reclaim the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017.
Celine Boutier, Europe’s highest-ranked player, will also debut alongside Albane Valenzuela as they take on Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin in the session’s second match at 7:17 am (12:17 pm BST).
Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark, previously united in fourballs at Finca Cortesin, will compete together in the foursomes against Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho. Veteran player Carlota Ciganda, boasting a perfect record on home soil, will join forces with Linn Grant to take on world No. 2 Lilia Vu and rookie Sarah Schmelzel.
Leona Maguire, who has been a star performer in past Solheim Cups, will sit out a session for the first time in her career, having made a significant impact with 4.5 points on debut in 2021 and three points in 2023. Other notable absentees include Georgia Hall, Anna Nordqvist, and Madelene Sagstrom, while Team USA’s excluded players are Megan Khang, Alison Lee, Andrea Lee, and Lexi Thompson, the only member of the squad who participated in their last victory.
Friday Foursomes Lineup (All Times BST)
12:05 Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz vs. Charley Hull (ENG) and Esther Henseleit (GER)
12:17 Rose Zhang and Lauren Coughlin vs. Albane Valenzuela (SUI) and Celine Boutier (FRA)
12:29 Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho vs. Maja Stark (SWE) and Emily Pedersen (DEN)
12:41 Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel vs. Linn Grant (SWE) and Carlota Ciganda (ESP)
How the Solheim Cup Format Works
The tournament consists of 28 matches over three days, utilizing three different styles of match play: foursomes, fourballs, and singles. Each match is worth one point towards the team total. In foursomes, two players from Team Europe compete against two from Team USA, alternating shots with a single ball. The fourballs format allows pairs to use their own balls, with the best score counting towards the team’s total.
The match schedule for Saturday mirrors that of Friday, leading into Sunday’s singles matches, which commence at 1:50 pm. The first team to reach 14.5 points will be declared the winner of the Solheim Cup. If the tournament ends in a tie, Europe retains the trophy.
Who will emerge victorious in the 2024 Solheim Cup? Look for live coverage starting Friday at 11:30 am on ECNETNews.
