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Charley Hull was given the green light by his captain to take to the course in the opening session of the Solheim Cup on Friday and also lead Europe to history by knocking out world number one Nelly Korda in a tantalising opening encounter.
If it was a surprise that Suzann Pettersen left out Leona Maguire – the Irishwoman with a remarkable seven points from 10 games – in the foursomes, then seeing world number 12 Hull play first will come as no surprise.
Since stealing the spotlight on her debut as a 17-year-old in Denver 11 years ago – when Europe won on American soil for the first time – Hull has become something of a heartthrob in the team and, with her global fame, is a natural choice to lead the visitors.
“It’s good to see Charley playing early,” Pettersen said with a smile. “She doesn’t like to sit around and wait. And she’s interacted well with the home fans this week.”
Purists may not approve, but the galleries clearly love Hull, Kettering’s only one. At the final training session on Thursday, she even walked up to an American supporter and asked for a light. Classic, Charley.
After videos of her smoking during the U.S. Women’s Open in June went viral, she was banned from smoking during last month’s Olympics. Pettersen had no plans to stop Hull here at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, in a suburb 40 minutes from Capitol Hill.
Laughing when asked that she might have to buy her athlete her own lighter, Pettersen said optics were not an issue. “She’s having a lot of fun,” the Norwegian said. “And Charley is old enough to make those decisions.”
It would be a huge statement if Hull and German rookie Esther Henseleit could topple Korda and another major winner in Allisen Corpuz. Korda has established herself as the undisputed best in the game in 2024, having won the Chevron Championship in April, the major coming on the back of an unparalleled run of six wins from seven rounds. Korda doesn’t lack much on her CV – apart from a Solheim Cup. Three matches and not one in the triumphant team.
Last year, the draw in Spain saw Europe retain its Solheim trophy for a record third consecutive time. This time, the opportunity came to make history resonate even louder.
There are four major transatlantic encounters and the once-mighty Americans are stirring. The Walker Cup is 102 years old, the Ryder Cup 97, the Curtis Cup 92, and in each of those competitions America’s longest streak without a goal is three. The Solheim is only 35 years old, but Pettersen’s women have the chance to finish fourth, where no other American opponent has done so before.
The problem is that the visitors have not had a good season individually, despite Pettersen’s optimism. That is what makes Hull so important in the game which kicks off in the alternative format at 7.05am.
The 28-year-old downplayed the attention she had to receive on her hip from a physiotherapist on the course Thursday – “I had just put it back in, it always comes out” – and seemed anything but intimidated. “I love playing golf, no matter what,” she said. “I love the American crowd. It’s so much fun. I always love playing a Solheim Cup in America because the atmosphere is incredible. The crowd is so funny.”
This isn’t Hull trying to rally the “USA, USA” faction to her cause. This is simply the way she is — including smoking. “I’m just me,” she said. “If I like things, I like them for me. If other people don’t like them, well, that’s not their life. I live myself. I live my life the way I want to live it, not the way other people want me to live it.”
Sure, Hull and Henseliet can get their asses kicked and Europe can still prevail. On the Costa del Sol, Pettersen’s favourites were swept 4-0 in foursomes but came back to head into Sunday’s singles tied at 6-6. It felt as if the Americans were melting mentally in the heat. Only two of their 12 players have played in a dozen successful Solheims and Stacy Lewis, the American captain, is honest enough to admit there are psychological hurdles to overcome.
“That’s our biggest challenge this week – the majority of this group haven’t turned the corner yet,” Lewis said. “We’ve been close in the last three games. [losing 141/2-131/2 in 2019 and 15-13 in 2021, before last year’s 14-14] and it would mean a lot to cross the finish line this week. But we still have a lot of work to do before we get there.
Solheim Cup: Confirmed quartets Pairings and Predictions
12:05 BST
Charley Hull (England) and E Henseleit (Germany) vs Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz
Elegant Nelly versus unique Charley. A fine opening duel, although it may be their partners who decide the outcome. Henseliet was extremely impressive in her first year and Corpuz showed her taste for the big stage by winning the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach last year. She beat Hull that day. Charley can get her revenge.
Prediction: Europe 1up
12:17 p.m.
Céline Boutier (Fr) & Albane Valenzuela (Switzerland) vs. Rose Zhang vs. Lauren Coughlin
Boutier, the top-ranked European (world No. 10), had a terrible year last year, losing all three of her matches, and in truth it’s hard to imagine she and rookie Valenzuela, world No. 63, beating former amateur prodigy Zhang and another rookie, Coughlin. The latter was a revelation in 2024, winning twice and cracking the top 14. They look like a formidable duo.
Prediction: US 3&2
12:29
Emily Pedersen (Den) and Maja Stark (Sweden) vs. Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho
Pettersen sees a lot of herself in Pedersen, the dynamic Dane, and will rely on her fighting skills to expose the nerves Kupcho has been brave enough to admit in her first two matches. But she has a good partner in Ewing and the Euros could be tough, despite Stark’s 10th-place finish at the Olympics and second-place finish at the season’s first major tournament.
Prediction: United States 2&1
12:41
Linn Grant (Sweden) and Carlota CIganda (Spain) vs Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel
Vu, the world number two, has a lot to prove after losing all three of her foursomes and balls in Spain last year. Schmelzel is inexperienced and could be targeted as one of Lewis’s players. Ciganda was the heroine in Spain, beating Nelly Korda in the singles to ensure Europe retained the trophy. Grant has a wonderful swing and Patterson will be delighted with the chances of her pair of props.
Prediction: Europe 2&1
