Great Britain and Ireland enjoyed a superb start to their bid to regain the Curtis Cup by opening up a three-point lead after the opening day at Conwy, Wales.
The home side, who were thrashed 17-3 at Quaker Ridge, New York, in 2018, went into the contest as sizeable underdogs against a United States team boasting seven players in the top 35 of the world rankings, including the top two in Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck.
However, GB&I won two of the morning foursomes matches and halved the other before picking up two more wins in the afternoon fourballs to end the day leading 4.5 points to 1.5.
Hannah Darling and Annabell Fuller birdied the 18th to beat Heck and Emilia Migliaccio, with Heck unable to convert an eagle putt to win the match and then also missing from four feet for birdie for a half.
Irish woman Lauren Walsh and Caley McGinty defeated Gina Kim and Jensen Castle 2&1, with the United States securing their only win of the day when Zhang and Allisen Corpuz beat Annabel Wilson from Ireland and Emily Toy on the 18th.
In the morning foursomes, Heck and Zhang had to birdie the 18th to snatch half a point against the Scottish pair of Louise Duncan and Hannah Darling, while Fuller and Charlotte Heath beat Rachel Kuehn and Emilia Migliaccio 4&3 and McGinty and Toy defeated Kim and Brooke Matthews 3&1.
“It was a bit of a battle and we were two down [after 10] but then managed to turn it around, made some good putts,” said Duncan, who finished 10th in the AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie, Scotland, on Sunday. “We managed to sneak one up and then unfortunately the other team made a birdie down the last, but what can you do to a birdie?”
