Team Europe and the United States stand deadlocked at 4-4 after the opening day of the 2026 Solheim Cup at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, following a dramatic late surge by Carlota Ciganda. According to tournament results reported by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and Golf Channel, Friday’s play featured historic milestones in the morning sessions before an intense afternoon exchange leveled the overall standings.
Morning Foursomes Create Early Momentum
The morning foursomes ended in a 2-2 tie, marking only the third time in 19 Solheim Cups that Day 1 morning play finished level, joining similar stalemates in 2011 in Ireland and 2015 in Germany, according to official LPGA reports. U.S. duo Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz secured a 4-and-3 victory over Charley Hull and Lottie Woad. That win pushed Korda and Corpuz to a 5-0-0 record together, making them the first pairing in Solheim Cup history to win five consecutive matches as a tandem.
Lauren Coughlin and Alison Lee added another point for the United States by defeating Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier 3 and 2. According to LPGA data, Coughlin improved her career Solheim Cup record to 4-0-1 (.900), giving her the highest winning percentage in event history among players with at least five matches.
Europe responded when Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire defeated Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan 2 up. With that win, Maguire lifted her career tournament record to 9-3-1 (.731), overtaking Janice Moodie (.727) and Carin Koch (.719) for the highest winning percentage by a European player with at least five matches, as tracked by the LPGA. Maja Stark and Linn Grant secured the remaining morning point for Europe by defeating Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho 3 and 2.
Ciganda Secures Late Halving Point
The afternoon four-ball matches kept the pressure high on the Dutch course, culminating in Carlota Ciganda delivering key shots down the stretch. According to coverage from ESPN and the Golf Channel, Ciganda’s late heroics alongside partner Julia Lopez Ramirez against Nelly Korda and Lauren Coughlin ensured the day ended in a tie. The matching 4-4 scoreline leaves both teams with everything to play for heading into Saturday’s second-round sessions at Bernardus Golf.
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