Charley Hull will once again find herself in a headline‑making duel, this time against world No.1 Nelly Korda, as the opening foursomes match of the 2024 Solheim Cup kicks off on Dutch soil. Hull, who is currently ranked eighth in the world, is making her eighth straight appearance for Team Europe and will lead the host nation out of the first tee at Bernardus Golf Club alongside fellow Englishwoman Lottie Woad.
Woad is one of four rookies selected by captain Anna Nordqvist, and the pair will take on the unbeaten American tandem of Korda and Allisen Corpuz in the Friday morning session. Korda and Corpuz have built a perfect record in Solheim Cup foursomes, winning all four of their matches together over the past two editions of the event.
They will look to extend that streak when they tee off at 7:40 a.m. local time (6:40 a.m. BST), as Team USA aims to defend the cup and secure the first victory on European ground since 2015. Their chemistry on the course has been described by USA captain Angela Stanford as "a nice rapport" that makes them a natural first‑pair choice; she added that leaving them out would "raise questions" given their reputation.
The second morning match will see former U.S. champion Alison Lee, the sole participant from the 2022 American away win in Germany, paired with Lauren Coughlin. They will face European stalwart Céline Boutier and Denmark's returning veteran Nanna Koerstz Madsen. In the third foursome, Germany's Esther Henseleit joins Ireland's Leona Maguire – a partnership that mirrors Henseleit’s pairing with Hull during the 2024 Solheim Cup – as they take on the American duo of Andrea Lee and rookie Lindy Duncan.
The final European pair of the morning session consists of Sweden's Maja Stark and Linn Grant, who will battle the highly ranked Americans Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho. The line‑up for the opening morning can be summarised as follows: 0640 Charley Hull / Lottie Woad vs Allisen Corpuz / Nelly Korda 0652 Nanna Koerstz Madsen / Céline Boutier vs Alison Lee / Lauren Coughlin 0704 Esther Henseleit / Leona Maguire vs Andrea Lee / Lindy Duncan 0716 Maja Stark / Linn Grant vs Rose Zhang / Jennifer Kupcho Woad is the only rookie named to the first morning foursomes, reflecting Nordqvist's desire for a quicker start than Europe managed in the opening sessions of the 2022 and 2023 Solheim Cups. In those previous events, the United States either swept the first session (2023) or built an early lead that proved decisive (2022).
Historically, Europe has struggled to lead after the first morning of the last six Cups, making this early match‑up particularly crucial. Hull entered the 2024 competition on a high note, having been the top scorer for Europe in last year's loss and delivering a dominant 6&4 victory over Korda in their Sunday singles clash. At 30 years old, Hull is expected to be a central figure in Europe's quest to reclaim the trophy, and her partnership with Woad could prove pivotal. European captain Anna Nordqvist highlighted Hull's growth, noting that "the Solheim Cup has really grown on her" and that Hull has been "buzzing" since arriving on Monday.
The two English players have already spent considerable time together on the LPGA Tour this season, which should help them settle quickly into their partnership. Several other players will sit out the opening session.
Rookies Mimi Rhodes, Nastasia Nadaud and Julia Lopez Ramirez are not scheduled to play, nor is veteran Carlota Ciganda, who is making her eighth consecutive appearance for Europe. Angel Yin, a two‑time LPGA Tour winner, has also been rested for the morning but remains available for later matches after a fitness concern limited her to a single 72‑hole event since May.
On the American side, debutants Auston Kim, Megan Khang and Yealimi Noh are also on the bench for the first session. The Solheim Cup rules require every player to compete at least once during the first two days, so these captains will need to rotate their line‑ups strategically.
For those unfamiliar with the format, foursomes involve two golfers from the same team playing a single ball alternately, with teammates taking turns to hit shots. Each match is worth one point, and the first team to reach 14½ points wins the Cup. If the United States retains the trophy, they need 14 points; otherwise, a team must achieve 14½ points to claim victory.
Sky Sports Golf will broadcast at least 12 hours of live coverage across the first two days, beginning at 6 a.m. local time on Friday and Saturday.
The opening foursomes tee‑off at 6:40 a.m. BST (7:40 a.m.
local time), followed by the afternoon four‑ball sessions at 12:05 p.m. BST (1:05 p.m.
local). Coverage will continue through the final putt, and Sunday singles action starts at 9 a.m. BST with the first tee‑shot at 10:10 a.m. Fans eager to follow the drama can watch the entire European bid to regain the Solheim Cup live on Sky Sports, with all three days of competition (September 11‑13) streamed without a contract on NOW.
Golf enthusiasts can also take advantage of special Sky Sports deals or explore discounted rates for booking a round at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland.