U.S. Leads Europe by 1 at Solheim Cup

You know that line in Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" about the "bustle in your hedgerow"? I think I finally understand that line after seeing a miraculous par by Laura Davies today that helped turn the tide of the afternoon four-ball matches.

At one point in the afternoon matches, the U.S. - which took a 1-point lead out of the morning foursomes - led all four four-balls. The momentum seemed to shift around the Morgan Pressel/Paula Creamer vs. Laura Davies/Trish Johnson match when Pressel missed a 2-foot putt to win the 13th hole.

That matched reached the par-3 16th tee, where the Americans teed off first. Pressel and Creamer both lost their tee shots right, amidst trees on the other side of a creek from the green.

Great opening for Johnson and Davies. Johnson promptly hit her tee ball into that creek, and Davies' tee ball wound up way right into the bushes, coming to rest midway up an embankment of a, well, hedgerow.

What a break for the Americans after those terrible tee shots. It looked like the Americans, 1-up at the time, would win the hole with a par and go dormie. Johnson was in the water, Davies was dead in the bushes.

Then Davies, struggling to keep her balance, took a mighty whack at her ball and somehow slashed it out. She nearly came out of her cap, she nearly fell over. Let me tell you - there was a bustle in that hedgerow!

Said Davies of the shot:

The ball wound up on the opposite side of the green, in the rough between two bunkers. And then Davies chipped it in. Remarkable. That exceedingly unlikely par won the hole for the Euros, and Davies and Johnson wound up halving the match.

Annika Sorenstam and Maria Hjorth, trailing all day in their match, also rallied for a half, and Europe split the four-balls. Team USA leads after Day 1, 4.5 to 3.5.

Here are the results of the afternoon matches:

• 
  
• Catriona Matthew/Iben Tinning, Europe, def. Pat Hurst/Brittany Lincicome, 4 and 2
  
• Angela Stanford/Stacy Prammanasudh, U.S., halved with Annika Sorenstam/Maria Hjorth, Europe
  
• Nicole Castrale/Cristie Kerr, U.S., def. Sophie Gustafson/Gwladys Nocera, Europe, 3 and 2
  
• Paula Creamer/Morgan Pressel, U.S., halved with Trish Johnson/Laura Davies, Europe
  

Update: Here are the Saturday morning foursomes pairings:

• Sherri Steinhauer/Laura Diaz, U.S., vs. Gwladys Nocera/Maria Hjorth, Europe
• Juli Inkster/Paula Creamer, U.S., vs. Suzann Pettersen/Sophie Gustafson, Europe
• Pat Hurst/Angela Stanford, U.S., vs. Iben Tinning/Bettina Hauert, Europe
• Nicole Castrale/Cristie Kerr, U.S., vs. Annika Sorenstam/Catriona Matthew, Europe