 |
|
 |
||
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|||
Dallas Co Farmers Exchange – Buffalo, Fair Grove, Urbana |
|
Printable Page
09/12 15:13 CDT Two huge putts from Kupcho give US renewed hope in remarkable
Solheim Cup finish
Two huge putts from Kupcho give US renewed hope in remarkable Solheim Cup finish
By STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) --- Jennifer Kupcho first shushed the Europeans
with her finger against her lips. Then she did it with her putter.
In one of the most remarkable finishing stretches in the Solheim Cup's 36-year
history, Kupcho rolled in huge birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18 --- one,
outrageously, from 93 feet --- to snatch an unlikely point for the Americans
from the last match on the course on Saturday and tie the score at 8-8 after
four sessions at Bernardus Golf.
Over to the Sunday singles to determine the destination of the crystal trophy,
with the United States needing 14 points to keep possession.
"That was huge," U.S. captain Angela Stanford said of Kupcho's exploits. "It's
absolutely turned the tide."
Europe's fans became more excitable --- or "rowdy," in the words of Kupcho ---
as Day 2 wore on, helped by two big wins from Swedish pairing Maja Stark and
Linn Grant, first over Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz in the morning foursomes
and then Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin in the afternoon four-balls.
Kupcho silenced them.
She was already a target after producing a "shush" gesture, seemingly toward
the Europe fans, after making birdie on the 10th hole of her match with Lindy
Duncan against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier.
About two hours later --- and trailing at 1 down as she reached the 17th green
--- Kupcho got to her ball off the back of the green knowing Ciganda and
Boutier were both inside 12 feet.
"Honestly, going into it, I had zero expectations," Kupcho said. "I hardly even
read my putt."
Kupcho sent in a speculative putt that kept rolling and rolling and rolling,
before sweeping down the hill and into the side of the cup.
Cue huge celebrations from Kupcho --- "Vamos!" she screamed in Spanish, the
nationality of Ciganda --- and the rest of the U.S. team that was gathered
beside the green. Some of the players and support staff spilled onto the
putting surface.
"I've never seen anything like that," Stanford said. "And in that environment,
it just makes it so much more special."
Ciganda and Boutier both missed their putts, leaving the match tied.
There was more to come from Kupcho, a Colorado native, on No. 18. With the last
putt of the match, she poured in a 25-footer from the edge of the green into
the heart of the hole, completing a 1-up win and securing a 3-1 victory for the
Americans in the four-balls.
There was time for one last gesture from Kupcho: A cup of the ear, apparently
toward Europe's shellshocked fans.
Or was it toward Ciganda?
"It was just playful," Kupcho said. "Carlota's loud, so I can be loud back."
The scores were tied at the end of Day 1 --- 4-4 --- and still were after Day 2.
The momentum, crucially, is now with the Americans heading into Sunday.
Kupcho's opponent in the singles? It's Ciganda again.
Super Swedes upstage misfiring Woad and Hull The Europeans haven't been helped by their star pairing misfiring. Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, the highest-ranked Europeans in the lineup, have been paired for all four sessions so far --- something that has never been done in 36 years of the Solheim Cup. They have contributed only a half-point, with two straight defeats coming Saturday against Alison Lee and Coughlin --- a 6-and-5 thrashing --- in foursomes and Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee (1 up) in four-balls. European captain Anna Nordqvist defended her continued selection of Woad and Hull, saying: "They're doing everything they can or everything right, but they just haven't really holed those momentum putts this week. So I have full trust and confidence in them." Noh was particularly inspired, making five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine to build a 2-up lead that she and Lee never relinquished. With Europe's power pairing continuing to stumble, Stark and Linn have stepped up. They are 3-0-0 for the week and, on Saturday, took down the U.S. heavyweights, ending the record five-match winning streak of Korda and Corpuz by 3-and-2 before handing Coughlin her first loss in eight Solheim Cup matches. Stark, specifically, sparked the biggest roars around Bernardus, chipping in for eagle at the par-4 8th in the morning and then holing a wedge shot from 74 yards for eagle on No. 1 in the afternoon.
Korda loses, then gets benched Korda, the world No. 1, came to the Netherlands carrying much of the expectations of her nation but has also struggled. After her loss to Stark and Grant, she headed to the range and was left out of the afternoon session, meaning she'll play four matches for the fifth straight Solheim Cup. Her record this week is 1-1-1 ahead of a singles match against European rookie Mimi Rhodes on Sunday. ___ See AP's full golf coverage here
Super Swedes upstage misfiring Woad and Hull The Europeans haven't been helped by their star pairing misfiring. Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, the highest-ranked Europeans in the lineup, have been paired for all four sessions so far --- something that has never been done in 36 years of the Solheim Cup. They have contributed only a half-point, with two straight defeats coming Saturday against Alison Lee and Coughlin --- a 6-and-5 thrashing --- in foursomes and Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee (1 up) in four-balls. European captain Anna Nordqvist defended her continued selection of Woad and Hull, saying: "They're doing everything they can or everything right, but they just haven't really holed those momentum putts this week. So I have full trust and confidence in them." Noh was particularly inspired, making five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine to build a 2-up lead that she and Lee never relinquished. With Europe's power pairing continuing to stumble, Stark and Linn have stepped up. They are 3-0-0 for the week and, on Saturday, took down the U.S. heavyweights, ending the record five-match winning streak of Korda and Corpuz by 3-and-2 before handing Coughlin her first loss in eight Solheim Cup matches. Stark, specifically, sparked the biggest roars around Bernardus, chipping in for eagle at the par-4 8th in the morning and then holing a wedge shot from 74 yards for eagle on No. 1 in the afternoon.
Korda loses, then gets benched Korda, the world No. 1, came to the Netherlands carrying much of the expectations of her nation but has also struggled. After her loss to Stark and Grant, she headed to the range and was left out of the afternoon session, meaning she'll play four matches for the fifth straight Solheim Cup. Her record this week is 1-1-1 ahead of a singles match against European rookie Mimi Rhodes on Sunday. ___ See AP's full golf coverage here
