Charley Hull has been given the green light by her captain to smoke on course in Friday’s first session of the Solheim Cup and also the task of sparking Europe towards history by bringing down world No 1 Nelly Korda in a mouthwatering opening encounter.
If it is a shock that Suzann Pettersen has sat out Leona Maguire – the Irishwoman with a remarkable record of seven points from 10 games – in the foursomes, then seeing Hull, the world No 12, playing the first shot will surprise nobody.
Since commanding the spotlight on her debut as a 17-year-old in Denver 11 years ago – when Europe won for the first time on US soil – Hull has emerged as something of a heartbeat on the side and with her global celebrity is a natural to lead out the visitors.
“It’s nice to get Charley out there and going early,” Pettersen said with a grin. “She doesnt like to sit around and wait. And she has interacted well with the home fans here this week.”
The purists might not approve but the galleries clearly adore Hull, the one-off from Kettering. In the final practice session on Thursday she actually walked over to a US supporter and asked him for a light. Classic, Charley.
After videos went viral of her puffing away at the US Women’s Open in June, she was banned from indulging in her habit at last month’s Olympics. Pettersen was not about to stop Hull here at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, in a suburb 40 minutes of Capitol Hill.
Laughing when it was put to her that she should perhaps buy her strike performer her own lighter, Pettersen said the optics were not a problem. “She’s having a ball,” the Norwegian said. “And Charley’s old enough to make those decisions.”
It would be a big statement if Hull and German rookie Esther Henseleit can topple Korda and another major winner in Allisen Corpuz. Korda has established herself as the undisputed best in the game in 2024, having won the Chevron Championship in April, this major coming in a peerless run of six victories in seven runs. There is not much missing on the Korda CV – apart from a Solheim Cup. Three matches and not once on the triumphant team.
Last year’s draw in Spain saw Europe retain the trophy for an unprecedented third time in succession at the Solheim. This time, the opportunity is for even more resonant history.
There are four main transatlantic tussles and the once mighty Americans are flapping. The Walker Cup is 102 years old, the Ryder Cup is 97, the Curtis Cup is 92 and in each of these the longest America has gone potless is three matches. The Solheim is only 35, but Pettersen’s women have the chance to boldly go fourth where no other US opponent has before.
The problem is the visitors have not enjoyed a good season individually, regardless of Pettersen’s positivity. That is what makes Hull so vital to cause, beginning in the alternate format at 7.05am.
The 28-year-old played down the attention she required on her hip from a physio on course on Thursday – “I was just getting it cracked back into place it always pops out” – and sounded anything but intimidated. “I just love playing golf no matter what,” she said. “I love the American crowds. It’s so much fun. I always love playing a Solheim Cup in America because the atmosphere is unbelievable. The crowds are a great laugh.”
This is not Hull trying to get the ‘U.S.A, U.S.A’ brigade on side. It is simply how she is – smoking included. “I’m just myself,” she said. “If I like things, I like it for myself. If other people don’t like it, well, it’s not their life. I live me. I live my life the way I want to live it, not how anyone else wants me to.”
Of course, Hull and Henseliet could get walloped and Europe could still ultimately prevail. On the Costa del Sol, Pettersen’s favourites were swept 4-0 in the foursomes but fought back to go into the Sunday singles tied at 6-6. There was a whiff of the Americans melting mentally in the heat. Only two of their 12 have been in a successful Solheim dozen and Stacy Lewis, the US captain, is honest enough to admit there are psychological hurdles to clear.
“That’s our biggest challenge this week – the majority of this group hasn’t got over the hump,” Lewis said. “We’ve been close in the last three matches [losing 141/2-131/2 in 2019 and 15-13 in 2021, before last year’s 14-14] and it would mean a tremendous amount to get over the line this week. But we’ve got a lot of work to do before we reach that point.”
Solheim Cup: Confirmed Foursomes pairings and predictions
12.05pm BST
Charley Hull (Eng) & E Henseleit (Ger) v Nelly Korda & Allisen Corpuz
Nelly the Elegant versus Charley the One-Off. A great openjing tussle, although it may be their partners who decides the outcome. Henseliet has been extremely impressive in her rookie year and Corpuz showed her fondness for the big stage by winning the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach last year. She beat Hull that day. Charley can take a measure of revenge.
Prediction: Europe 1up
12.17pm
Celine Boutier (Fr) & Albane Valenzuela (Switz) v Rose Zhang v Lauren Coughlin
Boutier, the highest ranked European as world No 10, had a terrible time last year, losing all three of her matches and, in truth, it is difficult to envisage her and rookie Valenzuela, the world No 63, overcoming the former amateur prodigy Zhang and another rookie in Coughlin. The latter has been a revelation in 2024, winning twice and rising into the top 14. They have the look of a cracking pairing.
Preidction: US 3&2
12.29pm
Emily Pedersen (Den) & Maja Stark (Swe) v Ally Ewing & Jennifer Kupcho
Pettersen sees a lot of herself in Pedersen, the dynamic Dane and will be counting on her battling qualities to expose the nerves that Kupcho has been brave enough to admit to in her first two matches. But she has a fine partner in Ewing and the Euros might struggle, despite Stark finishing 10th in the Olympics and runner-up in the season’s first major.
Prediction: US 2&1
12.41pm
Linn Grant (Swe) & Carlota CIganda (Sp) v Lilia Vu & Sarah Schmelzel
Vu, the world No 2, has plenty to prove after losing all three of her foursomes and footballs in Spain last year. Schmelzel is inexperienced and could be targeted as one of Lewis’ performers. Ciganda was the hero in Spain, beating Nelly Korda in the singles to ensure that Europe retained the trophy. Grant has a wonderful swing and Patterson will fancy the chances of her anchor pairing.
Prediction: Europe 2&1
