Sweden, Australia and Thailand all grabbed the utmost two factors from two matches on the opening day of the LPGA International Crown workforce occasion on Thursday as China and the United States break up their pool matches.
Sweden roared out of the gate with the largest wins of the day as Madelene Sagstrom and Maya Stark beat England’s Liz Young and Alice Hewson 5-4 in a four-ball competitors.
Anna Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall beat England’s Bronte Law and Jodi Ewart-Shadoff 4&3.
Nordqvist and Hedwall, who’ve a protracted historical past collectively within the Solheim Cup and the International Crown, seized management early as Nordqvist began the day with three straight birdies to provide them a 3-up lead.
Law and Ewart-Shadoff birdied the fifth to get to 2-down however would get no nearer.
Stark, taking part in her first match play occasion as knowledgeable, had her nerves eased as Sagstrom made 4 birdies and an eagle within the first 10 holes.
Stark then birdied 12 and 13 to guarantee the Swedes of not less than a tie, and after each groups parred the 14th Sweden had the win.
The occasion at TPC Harding Park is the fourth version of the eight-team occasion that includes four-woman groups from eight nations.
Four-ball (finest ball) matches proceed via Saturday when the highest two groups in every group advance to Sunday morning semi-finals consisting of two singles matches and a foursomes match.
Those winners meet for the title in the identical format on Sunday afternoon.
The United States and China had been behind Sweden in Group A with one win apiece.
World primary Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu — who gained her first main title on the Chevron Championship two weeks in the past — rallied on the again 9 to beat China’s Yin Ruoning and Lin Xiyu 2&1.
Korda and Vu trailed by one on the flip however gained three straight holes with the assistance of birdies by Vu on the thirteenth and fifteenth.
“I think when Lils just stuffed it on that par-three (13) and made that putt, that was kind of the turning point of the match,” Korda stated.
China’s Liu Ruixin and Liu Yu held on to beat Lexi Thompson and Danielle Kang 1 as much as seize some extent towards the top-seeded United States.
In Pool B, Australia surprised defending champions South Korea and Thailand swept Japan.
Hannah Green, winner of the LA Championship on Sunday, teamed with Sarah Kemp to beat Kim Hyo-joo and Ko Jin-young 2&1.
– We stored pedalling -Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou beat Choi Hye-jin and Chun In-gee Choi 2 up.
“I’m not surprised that this happened,” Kemp stated. “We’re just all having a good time and it’s just – it doesn’t surprise me that we did what we did today. … But for my first day of my first International Crown to start like this is pretty awesome.”
Thailand, seeded sixth, additionally gained two factors with wins over third-seeded Japan.
Sisters Moriya and Ariya Jutanugarn beat Nasa Hataoka and Hinako Shibuno 2 up, whereas Patty Tavatanakit and Atthaya Thitikul edged Yuka Saso and Ayaka Furue 1 up.
Patty and Atthaya by no means led till each birdied the par-five 18th for the win.
“We just kept on pedaling,” Patty stated. “Tried to give ourselves the best chance as possible, so got it done on the last hole, so it was pretty good.”