Transatlantic battle finely balanced

Having stared into the abyss, Europe showed they are not just here to make up the numbers after an exhilarating day’s play at the Solheim Cup.

When the curtain finally came down in near darkness here at Rich Harvest Farms the score stood at eight points apiece. This contest couldn’t be more delicately poised.

It could have been even better for Europe at the end of a marathon day had Maria Hjorth’s putter not gone cold in the final match, missed putts at 17 and 18 handing Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr a precious point.

But European skipper Alison Nicholas will be quietly confident going into tomorrow’s singles, despite her side’s struggles in that format in the past.

At one stage this morning such a scoreline seemed fanciful at best, downright impossible at worst. Wie and Christina Kim scored an emphatic 5 & 4 in the top match this morning, with Wie playing some inspired golf.

The 19-year-old rolled in four birdies in just six holes, from the seventh to 11th holes, in the contest with Helen Alfredsson and Tania Elosegui. The Europeans had led by two in the early stages but were unable to live with Wie’s play, the youngster peppering flags and sinking putts with icy precision.

Elsewhere on the course, the Americans were in the ascendancy and Europe, desperate to get more blue on the board, were struggling simply to stay alive.

But how the worm turned. Catriona Matthew and Diana Luna went to the 17th tee trailing by two but the Scot, with grim determination, chipped in from the fringe on the penultimate hole and Irish Open winner Luna salvaged a half with a nerveless putt on the last.

It was a hugely satisfying result for Matthew, winner of the Women’s British Open.

“We were kind of down most of the day and just found it at the last two holes really,” she said afterwards. “We knew if we could get to 17 and 18 you can make birdies and you’ve got a chance.”

Suzann Pettersen was on the wrong end of two defeats yesterday but finally got the right result today as Anna Nordqvist closed out the match on the 18th green.

“This was a great match again,” enthused Petterson. “It was very close. I mean it was one up, level, one up to them . . . we’re going to take this with us and bring it out to this afternoon.”

The morning’s final fourball also went to the wire with Hjorth taking her personal tally to 2.5 points with the help of Gwladys Nocera.

With the pace of play again pedestrian – some wags have started referring to it as the Slowheim Cup – the afternoon foursomes were hugely delayed.

But the European’s immediately seized the initiative with two emphatic victories, Becky Brewerton and Nocera joining Janice Moodie and Sophie Gustafson in giving the challengers and unlikely two point lead.

The final two matches went down to the wire but the Americans held on in both the level matters entering the home straight.

Saturday fourballs

Helen Alfredsson & Tania Elosegui lost to Christina Kim & Michelle Wie 5 & 4

Catriona Matthew & Diana Luna halved with Angela Stanford & Brittany Lang

Suzann Pettersen & Anna Nordqvist beat Nicole Castrale & Cristie Kerr 2 up

Gwladys Nocera & Maria Hjorth beat Kristy McPherson & Brittany Lincicome 1 hole

Saturday Foursomes

Janice Moodie & Sophie Gustafson beat  Paula Creamer & Juli Inkster 4 & 3

Helen Alfredsson & Suzann Pettersen lost to Kristy McPherson & Morgan Pressel 2 up

Becky Brewerton & Gwladys Nocera beat Natalie Gulbis & Christina Kim 5 & 4

Anna Nordqvist & Maria Hjorth lost to Cristie Kerr Michelle Wie 1 up