Hull to face Korda in opening Solheim Cup match

Charley Hull and Nelly Korda will look each different successful Friday's opening lucifer of this year's Solheim Cup successful Virginia.

Play gets nether measurement astatine 07:05 (12:05 BST) connected Friday pinch 4 foursomes (alternate shot) matches.

Experienced English subordinate Hull is collaborated pinch German rookie Esther Henseleit, while world number 1 Korda is erstwhile again paired pinch Allisen Corpuz aft nan Americans won some their foursomes matches successful past year's contest.

"It's bully to get Charley going, she doesn't for illustration to beryllium astir and wait," said Europe skipper Suzann Pettersen.

Her US counterpart Stacy Lewis said nan reasoning down putting Korda retired first was simple.

"I wanted to nonstop acquisition retired first and location is nary amended than nan world number 1 and a pairing that was very successful," she added.

The United States swept nan opening convention 4-0 astatine Finca Cortesin past year, but Europe fought backmost to gain a 14-14 draw.

As holders, Europe request 14 points to clasp nan trophy for a grounds 4th time, while nan US request 14½ to regain nan title they past won successful 2017.

Europe's different debutant Albane Valenzuela is retired successful nan 2nd match, alongside France's Celine Boutier, who is nan team's highest-ranked subordinate astatine 10 successful nan world.

"Let's nonstop them retired and acquisition it," said Pettersen of her determination to humor some her caller players successful nan opening session.

"There's nary constituent for them to beryllium astir and wonderment what it's going to beryllium like."

Lewis said it was "a prize to get them some retired there", having besides selected her 2 rookies successful nan opening matches.

Lauren Coughlin, who won past month's Women's Scottish Open, is making her debut astatine nan property of 31 alongside erstwhile world number 1 amateur Rose Zhang, 21, against Valenzuela and Boutier.

Sarah Schmelzel, who is nan lowest classed US subordinate astatine 58, will partner world number 2 Lilia Vu successful nan bottommost lucifer against Sweden's Linn Grant and Spain's Carlota Ciganda, who secured nan constituent to guarantee Europe retained nan trophy past twelvemonth successful her homeland.

The different lucifer features Sweden's Maja Stark and Denmark's Emily Pedersen against Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho.

Among nan players sitting retired are Ireland's Leona Maguire, who is missing a convention for nan first clip aft playing 5 matches successful some her erstwhile appearances.

"To beryllium Leona successful a foursome is simply a reliable call," conceded Pettersen. "But you spell a small spot pinch nan gut. She has a awesome grounds and is simply a feisty Solheim subordinate and you'll spot her."

Lewis besides defended her determination not to usage Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang, who won some their foursomes matches past year. "I don't deliberation you're going to spot that pairing," she added.

"We person a batch of bully pairings and not everybody is going to play this session," she added. "I don't deliberation I'll person anybody play each five."

The 19th version of nan Solheim Cup is being held astatine nan 6,741-yard Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, connected nan shores of Lake Manassas, astir an hr westbound of Washington DC.

It opened for play successful 1991 and, fixed its proximity to nan American capital, has played big to galore US presidents, pinch Barack Obama still a personnel of nan club.

Europe and nan United States will play a operation of foursome, fourball and singles matches complete 3 days successful Virginia, pinch 28 points up for grabs.

The pairings for Friday's fourballs, wherever players play their ain shot pinch nan champion people counting, will beryllium announced towards nan extremity of nan foursomes session.

Saturday will characteristic 4 much foursomes matches, followed by 4 fourballs, pinch each 24 players contesting 12 singles matches connected Sunday.

The US lead nan bid 10-7 pinch 1 tied match. Europe person only won doubly connected US soil, but those person travel successful nan past 3 contests, successful 2013 and 2021.