America showed Europe a clean pair of heels on the opening day of the Solheim Cup at Muirfield Village in Ohio - except Brandie Burton, that is.

The United States established a handy 5 1/2 2 1/2 lead in their bid to win the event for the fourth time in five meetings, but Burton had a different reason to remember the day.

The 26-year-old Californian won both of her games, but a moment on the par five 11th hole of her fourball victory with Dottie Pepper against world number one Annika Sorenstam and fellow Swede Catrin Nilsmark will be replayed on television time after time.

It was literally black comedy. Burton, trying to play a shot from the edge of a hazard, over-balanced and went into the thick dark mud. She emerged looking like she had been in a mud-wrestling match - and minus one shoe.

Her caddie had to search for that and became similarly muddied, and as they both tried to clean up another pair of shoes was sent for.

She and Pepper were three up at the time, and although they lost the hole to a Sorenstam birdie it did not produce a turnaround.

The Americans held on to win on the last and complete a fine day's work, taking the fourballs 21/2 1 1/2 after winning the foursomes 3-1.

European captain Pia Nilsson admitted: "It has not gone according to our plans, but I still feel OK - we are not far from playing great.

"The Americans played really well but I believe we will be a lot better tomorrow. We'll have some good rest and be ready to go again."

On the course where the United States suffered their first home defeat in the Ryder Cup 11 years ago, Judy Rankin's side wasted no team showing their determination to avoid the same fate.

The only European winners in the morning were Sorenstam and Scottish debutant Catriona Matthew, who were level par in beating Donna Andrews and mum-to-be Tammie Green 3 and 2.

Davies and Trish Johnson, passed fit on the eve of the match after a neck problem, lost 3 and 1 to Pepper and Juli Inkster.

Meg Mallon and Burton beat Alfredsson and England's 1997 US Open champion Alison Nicholas by the same margin, having been two down starting for home, and Hackney and Lotta Neumann were beaten on the last by Robbins and Hurst.

Three down with four to play, Hackney and Neumann won the 15th and 17th and Hackney sank a six-foot birdie putt on the 395-yard 18th. But Hurst had already hit her approach to four feet - the ball actually struck the flag on its way down - and Robbins holed for the half they needed.

Opening Day

(US names first)

Foursomes: D Pepper and J Inkster bt L Davies and T Johnson 3 and 1, M Mallon and B Burton bt H Alfredsson and A Nicholas 3 and 1, K Robbins and P Hurst bt L Hackney and L Neumann 1 hole, D Andrews and T Green lost to A Sorenstam and C Matthew 3 and 2. Foursomes result: US 3, Europe 1.

Fourballs: B King and C Johnson halved with Davies and C Sorenstam, Hurst and R Jones bt Hackney and S Gustafson 7 and 5, Robbins and S Steinhauer lost to Alfredsson and ML de Lorenzi 2 and 1, Pepper and Burton bt A Sorenstam and C Nilsmark 2 holes. Fourballs result: US 2 1/2 Europe 1 1/2.

Match position: US 5 1/2 Europe 2 1/2.