Gainesville, Sep 14 (V7N) – After a tough opening day in the Solheim Cup, Europe finds itself trailing 6-2, prompting captain Suzann Pettersen to rally her team for a comeback. The Americans, seeking their first win since 2017, matched their biggest lead ever through the first eight matches in the women's golf competition.
 
"We have a huge challenge ahead," said Pettersen. "We need to regroup and be ready to fight again tomorrow."
 
Saturday’s morning foursomes will feature Carlota Ciganda of Spain and Emily Pedersen of Denmark taking on the world’s top-ranked Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz. England’s Charley Hull and Germany’s Esther Henseleit will face Jennifer Kupcho and Ally Ewing, while Sweden’s Maja Stark and England’s Georgia Hall go up against Lexi Thompson and Lauren Coughlin. The final match pairs France’s Celine Boutier and Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist against Lilia Vu and Sarah Schmelzel.
 
Pettersen urged her team to channel their frustrations into determination. "They need to wake up tomorrow wanting revenge," she said. "I’ve got to find the right words to motivate them, and I will."
 
The Norwegian captain reminded her team of last year’s successful comeback, where they fought back from a 4-0 deficit to secure a draw and retain the Cup for the third straight time. "We’ve done this before. We’ve got to come out hungry. There are still plenty of points to play for."
 
Pettersen believes her team didn’t play poorly, but the Americans had the upper hand. "We gave a solid effort, but the U.S. played exceptionally well. They made key putts at the right moments. I don’t think we’re playing badly; we just need to find the right combinations and tighten up our game."
 
Her message is clear: "We’ve got to sharpen up and come back hungrier than ever."
 
END/WSD/SMA/