GAINESVILLE -- Virginia State Golf Association manager of media and communications Chris Lang is on site this week at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club for the 19th playing of the Solheim Cup. Check throughout the day for nuggets, scenes, and news from on the ground at RTJ.
(Lauren Coughlin, courtesy LPGA)
The nerves were long gone by the time Lauren Coughlin stepped to hit her birdie putt on the 16th hole of her four-ball match at Friday's Solheim Cup. Coughlin and fellow Solheim rookie Sarah Schmelzel--who despite their rookie status are the oldest players on the U.S. team--had steadily plugged away in the afternoon session, building a 3-up lead against Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark through 14 holes. A win seemed inevitable, yet someone still needed to close the door.
Coughlin had that opportunity on 16 in morning foursomes but just missed her birdie putt, and Rose Zhang closed the match with a tap-in par. Coughlin didn't let the second opportunity slip away, nailing the putt to clinch a 3 & 2 win and a perfect 2-0-0 day.
"Dead center," Schmelzel noted afterward.
Coughlin spoke afterward about just going through her normal process before lining up for the clinching putt. It's not like Coughlin hasn't hit huge putts in the last two months. She nailed an 8-footer for birdie to set up her first career victory in Canada in July, and she closed her victory at the Scottish Open with a long birdie putt, even giving a bit of a sheepish smile after it went down.
Coughlin and Schmelzel are a big reason why the U.S. holds a 6-2 lead after the first day, but as captain Stacy Lewis noted afterward, "there's still two days to go." The other big factor on Friday was the play of world No. 1 Nelly Korda, who played like -- well -- the world's best player. Her side won both matches on Friday by at least three holes. She won eight straight par-5s. And she won 16 holes overall.
Korda will again lead the American team off on Saturday in the 7:05 a.m. match (which will be refereed by the VSGA's Matt Smiley, by the way), pairing again with Allisen Corpuz. As for Coughlin and Schmelzel, each earned a third straight start, with Coughlin set to team with Lexi Thompson in the 7:29 match and Schmelzel set to partner with Lilia Vu in the 7:41 a.m. match.
The full schedule:
As the pairings for the first session of the 19th Solheim Cup were revealed on Golf Channel on Thursday afternoon, commentator Lizette Salas -- a two-time LPGA Tour winner -- gave her thoughts on the Lauren Coughlin/Rose Zhang pairing, essentially saying that she hoped Coughlin -- a Solheim rookie --embraced the moment.
Captain Stacy Lewis gave Coughlin a few last words of encouragement on the practice green as Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" blared on the first tee. Coughlin walked to the first tee at 7:17 a.m., soaked up the adulation from the partisan American crowd, and striped her first tee shot down the middle.
Coughlin not only embraced the moment. She rose to it.
The local support was there for Coughlin. As she and partner Rose Zhang walked the fairways, calls of "Let's go LC!!" and "Let's go Hoos!!" rang out. Coughlin spent much of the match with a smile on her face, easy to do when your side wins 3 & 2. One of the biggest moments came on the par-5 12th hole. Zhang teed off on the even holes in Friday morning's alternate shot format. Coughlin was next to hit and roped a perfect shot right on line with the flagstick, but just a touch long. Zhang was in between shots, as she was on the first-cut but only about 15 feet from the hole. A chip was risky, so she putted. The ball hopped on the thick grass and settled well short of the hole, leaving Coughlin a nervy comebacker, which she calmly drained to help her side to a 2-up lead.
The match ended when Zhang tapped in for par on 16 after Coughlin lagged her birdie putt close. Quick note: VSGA executive director Matt Smiley served as the forward observer for the match.
Much of Coughlin's support team walked the match, including husband John Pond, former UVA and current Wake Forest coach Kim Lewellen and her husband John, who is Coughlin's swing coach. They're sure to be with her again this afternoon.
It's a double dip for Coughlin today at the Solheim Cup. She paired with Rose Zhang for a 3 & 2 win in alternate shot in the morning. She'll team up with fellow Solheim rookie Sarah Schmelzel in the afternoon for four-ball. The full slate:
The Americans held a 3-1 lead after the morning session, marking the fifth time they've taken at least three points in the first session of a Solheim Cup. Per Elias Sports Bureau, the others:
Those who made it to RTJ in time did their best to make the first tee a rowdy experience for the four alternate shot matches. But it was hard to miss the empty seats in the grandstands. Don't blame the fans. Blame the buses, or a lack of them.
I have no original reporting on this, just anecdotes from co-workers who were desperately trying to make their way to the course for the morning session. Golf.com has you covered with this report of the logistical mess.
Alarm set for 4:15 a.m., left the hotel just before 5, at the golf course at just before 6. It shouldn't have taken 40 minutes to get from the shuttle lot to the media center -- it's about a mile from door to door -- but if there's one thing you'll notice when you come out to RTJ for this event, it's red and blue flashing lights.
(Side note: If you were interested in committing a crime in, say, Woodbridge, this would be the time to do it, as it feels like the entire Prince William County Police Department is working this event.)
A major international event brings dignitaries. There was a logjam of folks trying to leave after yesterday afternoon's opening ceremony, but everything was delayed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's departure, which required the closure of the roadways leading in and out of RTJ. Word on the shuttle bus was that former President Barack Obama will be attending today, arriving sometime in the late morning. The Secret Service was already on site when we arrived.
So no, this is not your normal golf tournament. Motorcades seems to come out of nowhere, shutting down U.S. 29 for short periods of time. Both teams are staying in cabins on site, so they don't have far to go. At 6 a.m., people had already claimed their seats in the first-tee grandstand and more were filing in. It's going to be a show.
Again, the schedule for this morning's matches. European side listed first:
Pairings for afternoon four ball matches will be announced on Friday. Lewis noted that she didn't expect any of her 12 players to compete in all five sessions.
I'm heading out at 7:17 to walk Coughlin's match in its entirety, so we'll be back later with scenes, commentary and insights. Until then, tune into Golf Channel or Peacock and enjoy the golf.