Charley Hull will once again find herself in a high‑stakes duel with world No. 1 Nelly Korda as the first match of this year’s Solheim Cup gets underway in the Netherlands. Hull, currently ranked eighth in the world, is making her eighth straight appearance for Team Europe and will tee off alongside fellow Englishwoman Lottie Woad, one of the four newcomers selected by captain Anna Nordqvist. The pair will open the morning foursomes session against the unbeaten American duo of Korda and Allisen Corpuz, who have won every foursomes match they have played together over the past two Solheim Cups.
The American pair are scheduled to start at 7:40 a.m. local time (6:40 a.m.
BST), hoping to extend their perfect record as Team USA seeks to retain the cup and capture a first victory on European soil since 2015. Their chemistry on the course has been highlighted by USA captain Angela Stanford, who said, "They have a nice rapport, so I felt they earned the right to go out first. If I didn’t put those two out, I would be questioned!
The whole world knew they were coming." Hull and Woad will be the only European debutants on the opening morning, and their performance will be closely watched after Europe’s sluggish starts in the first sessions of the 2021 and 2023 Cups. In 2023, the United States swept the opening session, and in 2024 they built a 3‑1 lead before ultimately winning the event on home soil. Europe, therefore, is eager to avoid a similar slow beginning and to give its newcomers a chance to make an immediate impact. The rest of the day’s schedule includes three additional foursomes matches.
At 6:52 a.m. local time, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Celine Boutier will face Alison Lee and Lauren Coughlin. At 7:04 a.m., Esther Henseleit will partner Leona Maguire against Andrea Lee and rookie Lindy Duncan. Finally, at 7:16 a.m., Swedish teammates Maja Stark and Linn Grant will take on Rose Zhang and Jennifer Kupcho.
Hull entered the 2024 Solheim Cup having been the top scorer for Europe in the team’s loss, and she famously defeated Korda 6&4 in their Sunday singles match the previous year. Her experience and recent head‑to‑head success make her a pivotal figure for the home side, and she is likely to be paired with Woad again later in the competition. Team captain Nordqvist noted, "Over the years the Solheim Cup has really grown on her.
She’s been buzzing and excited since she arrived on Monday. She and Lottie have played a lot together on the LPGA Tour this year, so they were thrilled to be here together." Several other European players will sit out the opening session. Rookies Mimi Rhodes, Nastasia Nadaud and Julia Lopez Ramirez are not in the first morning’s line‑up, nor is veteran Carlota Ciganda, who is making her eighth consecutive appearance.
Angel Yin, a two‑time LPGA Tour winner, is also rested for the morning but remains available for later rounds 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 over the first two days, so these golfers can be expected to feature in the afternoon four‑ball matches or the Sunday singles.
For those unfamiliar with the format, foursomes involve two players from the same team alternating shots with a single ball. Each hole is contested as a single point, and the first team to reach 14½ points over the three‑day event claims the Cup. Team USA must secure 14 points to retain the trophy, while Europe needs 14½ to win it outright.
Sky Sports Golf will broadcast more than 12 hours of live action across the first two days, beginning at 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The opening foursomes start at 6:40 a.m. local time, followed by the afternoon four‑ball sessions at 12:05 p.m. (1:05 p.m.
local). Sunday’s singles competition kicks off at 9 a.m., with the first tee‑off at 10:10 a.m. Viewers can follow the drama live on Sky Sports or stream via NOW without a contract. Beyond the on‑course action, the event also highlights the broader appeal of golf tourism in the UK and Ireland.
Sky Sports frequently promotes special offers for booking rounds at over 1,700 courses across the region, encouraging fans to experience the sport firsthand after watching their favourite players compete. In summary, the opening foursomes set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested Solheim Cup. Hull and Woad have a daunting task against the in‑form Korda‑Corpuz partnership, but the energy of the home crowd and the determination of a European side looking to reverse recent trends could produce a thrilling start. Whether the United States can maintain its unbeaten foursomes streak or Europe can spark an early comeback will be the key storylines to watch as the tournament unfolds from September 11‑13.