Team USA and Europe will head into the second day of the 2026 Solheim Cup all square after a dramatic opening day at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
The defending champions and Europe are tied at 4-4 after the two sides shared both sessions on Friday, with the morning foursomes ending 2-2 before the afternoon fourballs also finished level at 2-2.
This is the first time in Solheim Cup history both of the first two sessions have ended in a tie.
The day began with history as Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz became the first pairing in Solheim Cup history to win their first five matches together.
World No.1 Korda and Corpuz defeated England’s Charley Hull and Solheim Cup debutant Lottie Woad 4&3 in the opening match, despite Europe’s pairing being regarded as one of the strongest on paper.
Korda was delighted to continue her remarkable partnership with Corpuz.
“She’s just so solid, I enjoy playing alongside her so much,” Korda said.
Corpuz added: “It’s so much easier playing where she puts me in the fairway.”
Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin then doubled the USA’s advantage by defeating Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier.
Europe refused to allow the session to get away from them, however, as Esther Henseleit and Leona Maguire beat Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan 2&1.
The victory further enhanced Maguire’s outstanding Solheim Cup record, with the Irishwoman now boasting a 9-3-1 record in the competition and the highest winning percentage of any European player.
Maja Stark and Linn Grant completed the comeback by beating Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho 3&2, leaving the morning session all square at 2-2.
Hull and Woad were sent out together again in the afternoon and looked set for victory after twice moving three holes ahead of Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin.
The Americans fought back, though, to secure a tied match and the first half-point of the week.
Megan Khang and Alison Lee then put the USA back in front with a convincing victory over Boutier and Koerstz Madsen, who endured a difficult day after suffering back-to-back defeats.
Europe responded through rookies Mimi Rhodes and Nastasia Nadaud, who claimed a hard-fought 2&1 victory over Corpuz and Auston Kim.
That left the final match of the day finely poised, with Korda teaming up with Coughlin against Spanish duo Carlota Ciganda and Julia Lopez Ramirez.
The Americans looked set to claim another crucial point after Lopez Ramirez made bogey on the 18th.
But Ciganda held her nerve, just as she has done for many years at the Solheim Cup, rolling in a pressure-packed par putt from 18 feet to tie the hole and the match, ensuring Europe took a share of the afternoon points.
The dramatic finish meant the overall scoreline ended 4-4, leaving everything to play for on Saturday.
Alison Lee was the only player on either team to finish the day with two points.
Korda and Coughlin were next, taking 1.5 points from their two matches.
The same format will be used on Saturday, with morning foursomes followed by afternoon fourballs, before the competition concludes on Sunday with 12 singles matches.
The USA are bidding to retain the Solheim Cup after their victory at home in 2024 and they 14 points to keep hold of the trophy.
Europe require 14.5 points to regain the Cup.
The Americans are also seeking their first away victory since 2015, when they won in Germany.
The USA currently hold an 11-8 advantage in Solheim Cup history, with the biennial contest having been played since 1990.
Scroll down to see how day one played out at the Solheim Cup...
"I just love this week," said Ciganda.
"I love playing for the team, for my teammates and for Anna who is a good friend of mine. I just really want to win for her.
"Playing alongside my good friend Julia, it was amazing, we had a tough match but we fought hard and at least we got half a point which I think is really important."
She added: "I think we have big momentum now to take into tomorrow."
Match 4 ends in a tie, but we're sure how exactly.
Korda and Coughlin both missed birdie attempts on the 18th, leaving Ciganda an 18-footer for par to tie the match.
The Spaniard sent it into the heart of the cup, dropped her putter and received huge applause and cheers from the home European support.
Captain Anna Nordqvist ran onto the green to hug Ciganda.
Both sessions ended 2-2 with the scoreline finely poised at 4-4 heading into day two.
This is the first time in Solheim Cup history both of the first two sessions have ended in a tie.
We're all tied up going down the 18th hole in Match 4.
A halved 18th would see the day one scoreline finish 4-4.
We can't split the teams right now.
European rookies Rhodes and Nadaud see out a 2&1 victory in Match 3.
It brings the score to 3.5-3.5.
Just one match left on the course.
We're all tied up in Match 4.
Noh plays an unbelievable shot to six feet from the fairway bunker, and then converts the putt to pull USA into a tie for the lead with one hole to play in Match 1.
The last time this match was tied was the 3rd hole.
Hull and Woad, who lost their opening foursomes match 4&3, have been 3up twice in this match.
Korda and Coughlin go 1up in Match 4.
Khang and Lee win Match 2 4&3
Nadaud wins the 12th to send Europe 2up in Match 3.
Coughlin drills home a birdie putt on the 11th to cut the deficit to just 1 down in Match 4.
We're in for a tense finish here with three matches separated by 1 hole.
USA move 3up thru 13 holes in Match 3 after a birdie from Alison Lee.
USA have clawed the top game back to 1 down now thru 13 holes.
Rhodes makes birdie on 10 to send Europe into a 1up lead.
Europe now lead in three games.
Khang holes a 15 footer on the 11th to move USA 2up in Match 2.
USA have also trimmed the deficit to 2 down in Match 1.
Alison Lee makes a stunning eagle on the 10th to send USA into a 1up lead in Match 2.
Brilliance from Hull again. She's just drained a long putt for birdie on the 11th to move Europe into a commanding 3up lead.
Lopez Ramirez joins the party too as she tucks away a birdie from six feet on the 8th to send Europe 2up against Korda and Coughlin.
Match 2 and 3 are both tied.
Europe with the advantage now.
Woad makes a stunning eagle on the 10th to send Europe into a 2up lead in Match 1.
Match 4: Europe 1up (7)
Ciganda has just made back to back birdies to flip Match 4 on its head as Europe go 1up thru seven holes.
Europe now lead the first and fourth matches, with ties in the second and third.
Huge response from Team Europe over the last 20 minutes.
Ciganda has just buried a 10 footer for birdie on the 6th to tie up Match 4.
Europe lead the top game 1up, but the remaining three matches are now tied.
A huge back nine coming up here.
Rhodes converts a 12 footer for birdie on the 7th to square up Match 3.
WOW - what an incredible five minutes for Team USA.
The visitors have just won a hole in each of the four matches.
USA have cut the top match back to 1 down, tied up the second game, and they're now ahead in the bottom two.
Unbelievable.
USA pull a hole back in the top match as Yin converts a birdie.
Europe 2up thru 7.
![Lottie Woad [Tristan Jones/LET]](https://www.golfmagic.com/sites/default/files/2025-11/lottie-woad.jpg?height=270&format=webp&aspect_ratio=1:1)