DUNSANY, Ireland |
DUNSANY, Ireland (Reuters) - Laura Davies set a Solheim Cup points record with a fourball victory alongside Melissa Reid as Europe and United States were locked together at 8-8 on Saturday.
One point behind overnight and trailing 7-5 after the morning foursomes, the American holders battled back by winning three of the four afternoon fourballs.
"My girls turned it on this afternoon and there are a lot of smiling faces," U.S. captain Rosie Jones told reporters. "I put out a few new pairings and it worked out well.
"In the past Europe have relied on a few top players and this time it has been my turn. This morning some of my pairs didn't work out."
The only player to compete in all 12 Solheim team events, the 47-year-old Davies reached a total of 24 1/2 points to overtake Swede Annika Sorenstam as the most successful player in the women's version of the Ryder Cup.
The Briton did it in style too as she and Reid defeated Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang 4 & 3.
"It was a bit embarrassing not to have the most points when I've played in every match so it's great to have made it," Davies told reporters.
"It's cleared the pressure and now I can relax a bit more without that extra edge in the singles on Sunday."
With four birdies in a row from the third, Davies and fellow Englishwoman Reid were four up at the turn.
Rookie Reid, 24, then made sure of her first Solheim point by eagling the long 12th from eight feet to make up for two agonizing final-green defeats on Friday.
GOOD FRIENDS
"Laura is the reason I took up golf," said Reid. "I always looked up to her and now it's so nice that we are good friends.
"It's great that I helped her break the record and also get my first point."
The closest fourball match featured U.S. pair Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel against world number two Suzann Pettersen and Caroline Hedwall.
Kerr and Pressel were two up with four to play but Hedwall made a winning birdie at the long 15th and Pettersen jigged around the green and sent the home fans into raptures by downing a 35-foot birdie putt at the short 16th.
Pressel silenced the crowd by rolling home an eight-foot birdie putt to win the 17th and the Americans hung on for a one-up victory.
Paula Creamer, who is set to play in all five matches for the U.S. this week, retained her unbeaten record at Killeen Castle with a 3 & 1 win over Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz in the final fourball alongside Brittany Lincicome.
The overall score was 8-8 at the same stage at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois two years ago before the U.S. went on to win 16-12.
"The Americans came back at us today but we always knew it was going to be about the singles and I'm very confident in my players," said European captain Alison Nicholas.
"In the past Europe have overplayed some players and they have been exhausted by the Sunday. It was part of my strategy to give everyone a rest and I know they are all ready."
In the morning foursomes Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson won the top match for Europe before fellow Swedes Hjorth and Anna Nordqvist also triumphed in the third game.
Munoz and Catriona Matthew halved with Kerr and Creamer while Pressel and Ryann O'Toole breezed past Karen Stupples and Christel Boeljon 3 & 2.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)
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