U.S. Leads after Morning Session at Solheim Cup

The United States leads Europe, 2.5 to 1.5, after the morning foursomes on Solheim Cup Day 1:

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• Pat Hurst/Cristie Kerr, U.S., halved with Suzann Pettersen/Sophie Gustafson, Europe
  
• Sherri Steinhauer/Laura Diaz, U.S., def. Annika Sorenstam/Catriona Matthew, Europe, 4 and 2
  
• Juli Inkster/Paula Creamer, U.S., def. Laura Davies/Becky Brewerton, Europe, 2 and 1
  
• Gwladys Nocera/Maria Hjorth, Europe, def. Natalie Gulbis/Morgan Pressel, U.S., 3 and 2
  

The afternoon four-balls are just getting under way. Here are those pairings:

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

So everyone on the U.S. team plays on Day 1. For Europe, Bettina Hauert and Linda Wessberg sit out. And Suzann Pettersen doesn't play in the afternoon. That's surprising. In fact, Hauert and and Wessberg sitting is surprising, too.

Well, "surprising" may not be the right word for it. I've mocked "proven veteran syndrome" several times on Waggle Room, and I think that's what's at work here with Helen Alfredsson, who is getting veterans Iben Tinning and Trish Johnson into the mix on Day 1, while Wessberg and Hauert sit. Those decisions won't necessarily turn out to be bad ones; Tinning and Johnson are quite capable of helping their side to victory.

But Hauert won just a couple weeks ago, has another win and two seconds on the LET this year; and Wessberg has been excellent in LET tournaments all year and solid in LPGA appearances (and I think a "solid" LPGA appearance outweighs an "excellent" LET showing). I would have gotten Hauert and Wessberg into the action today.