Sorenstam's drive inspires Europe

A morning full of glory became an afternoon full of extended European agony in the first day's play against the United States in the sixth Solheim Cup here yesterday.

Europe won the opening foursomes 4-0, the first time they had ever inflicted such an indignity on their opponents, but, prophetically, Trish Johnson remarked at lunchtime that the Americans would be "out for blood this afternoon".

And so they were, and it needed a furious rearguard action at the end of the day to salvage one point which, with an earlier half, represented Europe's spoils. It left the home team in front by 5 1/2 to 2 1/2, a lead but a fragile one with 18 points still to play for.

The extent of that lead came courtesy of Janice Moodie and Annika Sorenstam in the last, stunning match. Playing Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon for the second time, they replied to seven birdies from the Americans with seven of their own, but the visitors had three bogeys, including one at the 18th.

All square on the last tee, Daniel pulled her second left of a green on which the pin was situated on the right. Mallon hit a poor pitch, Daniel could not hole from 20 feet and an important point was won.

It was appropriate that Sorenstam was involved. In the team meeting on Thursday night, to everyone's astonishment, this normally silent Swede stood up and made an impassioned speech.

She had no time for the underdog theory. "Just think," she said, "that between us we have won over 100 tournaments, and with the money we have won we could probably buy half this island". It seemed to work.

The first match set the tone. Laura Davies and Alison Nicholas were one under par after four holes, and three up, against Dottie Pepper and Juli Inkster.

The closest the Europeans came to a mistake was on the sixth. There are two things forbidden in foursomes - never say sorry and do not try to play your partner's shot.

Davies offended rule number two. She had put Nicholas in a bunker off the tee and thought that, if her partner took the risky option, she might reach the green.

"I should mind my own bloody business," she said. "All I was trying to do was say to Ali: `I've put you in trouble there. Have a go for it. I don't mind where you hit it'."

But Nicholas could not visualise such a shot, said so, and things got a little tense for a while. "I was pissed off with her," confessed Davies, "and she was pissed off with me".

"But," she smiled, "a couple of holes later we were three up and hugging and kissing again. That's why it's best to play foursomes with your mates."