Korda, U.S. keep rolling at Solheim Cup

Alison Lee sparked a shirtless caddy celebration by spinning a wedge into the cup for eagle.

- BEN NUCKOLS

Top-ranked Nelly Korda helped the Americans take the first point in three consecutive sessions of team matches at the Solheim Cup.

Andrea Lee holed a bunker shot to set up Rose Zhang’s walk-off eagle one hole later. And Megan Khang paused for 10 seconds to let gravity help her out on a critical birdie putt.

The wait was worth it for the United States, which maintained a fourpoint lead over Europe in the Solheim Cup international golf championship on Saturday.

With top-ranked Nelly Korda getting an afternoon break after winning the leadoff point in three consecutive sessions of team matches, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis watched role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage.

“They’re playing the way I expected them to play, so I’m not surprised at all,” Lewis said. “But at the same time, to do it on this stage and in these moments and to pull these shots off and to make the putts, and to do it with the joy that they’re doing it with, it’s the coolest part to me.”

Europe, which has captured the Solheim Cup the last three times, won the last two matches to conclude a 4-4 day. But the team in royal blue and yellow will need its largest comeback in Sunday singles to make it a record four in a row. The U.S. rallied from four points down to win in Germany in 2015.