Davies sets Solheim Cup record, but US fight back

Laura Davies set a new Solheim Cup points record, but the pendulum swung in the favour of the USA on Saturday after the second day fourballs at the Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle in Ireland. One point down overnight, and trailing 5-7 after the morning foursomes, the team seeking a fourth win in a row, and a ninth from the 12 contests, won the fourballs 3-1 to level the score at 8-all ahead of Sunday's deciding singles. Before the change in momentum, Davies had claimed the top match by a comfortable 4 and 3 alongside Melissa Reid against Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang. The only player to compete in all 12 Solheims, 47-year-old Davies was relieved to reach the 24.5 points she needed to overtake Annika Sorenstam as the all-time most successful player. "It was a bit embarrassing not to have the most points when I've played in every match," said Davies. "So it's great to have made it. It's cleared the pressure and now I can relax a bit more without that extra edge in the singles." With four birdies in a row from the third, Davies' all-English side was four up at the turn. Reid then made a huge contribution with a eight foot eagle putt at the long 12th. For the 24-year-old rookie - who had suffered two heartbreaking final green defeats on day one - it was a first Solheim point. The closest match featured Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel against world No.2, Suzann Pettersen, and the new European star, Caroline Hedwall. The USA were two up with four to play, but Hedwall made a winning birdie at the long 15th and Pettersen danced in delight by draining a 35-foot birdie at the short 16th. But Pressel was having none of it. She rammed home an eight foot birdie putt to win the 17th and they held on for the one hole victory. Paula Creamer, who is set to play in all five matches, retained her week's unbeaten record with a 3 and 1 win over Maria Hjorth and Azahara Munoz in the final fourball alongside Brittany Lincicome. And rookie Stacy Lewis claimed her first point with Ryann O'Toole. Their 2 and 1 win over Sandra Gal and Christel Boeljon made it 2.5 points for O'Toole from three outings. "It feels great," said O'Toole, a first year rookie on the LPGA Tour. "It's nice to pay back the faith that Rosie Jones (the USA captain) showed in me." The score was also 8-all at the same stage at Rich Harvest farms in Illinois two years ago and America went on to win 16-12. In the morning foursomes, it was the four Swedes - Caroline Hedwall and Sophie Gustafson in the top match and Anna Nordqvist and Maria Hjorth in number three - that provided the full points with Catriona Matthew and Munoz adding a half against Kerr and Creamer.