GAINESVILLE, Va. — Pardon the atrociousness of the pun, however Charley Hull smoked Nelly Korda in Sunday singles on the Solheim Cup.
Within the first match out within the ultimate session at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership, Hull defeated the world’s No. 1 participant, 6 and 4.
“I knew that you simply needed to play unbelievable to beat her, and to beat Nelly, she’s a fantastic participant, and I performed my — nicely, my coronary heart out,” Hull stated.
The match was tied by way of 5 holes earlier than Hull gained the sixth and seventh holes with pars. Gifted a 2-up benefit, Hull took cost from there.
She birdied the eighth, eleventh and thirteenth holes to go 5 up, earlier than closing it out with a conceded eagle on the par-5 14th, the place she hit a 6-iron from 187 yards to tap-in vary.
“I simply love enjoying underneath strain. I completely like it,” Hull stated. “That’s why I all the time really feel like I play nicely within the majors. I like massive occasions, enjoying in entrance of crowds, and on onerous robust golf programs. That’s one thing I simply love doing.”
Hull’s victory minimize Europe’s deficit to 10-7, with the U.S., needing 4 1/2 factors to win the cup, main within the majority of the remaining matches on the course.
For Korda, the singles match continued her development of disappointing performances in massive, particular person moments. After profitable six instances to start out the season, Korda missed the minimize in back-to-back majors (taking pictures within the 80s in each). She had an opportunity to medal within the Olympics however made a late triple bogey and completed T-22. She additionally led by 4 photographs halfway by way of the AIG Ladies’s Open at St. Andrews, solely to shut in 75-72 to tie for second.
Korda gained her three associate matches forward of singles. She’s now 10-5-1 in 4 cups. Hull is now 15-9-3 in seven appearances.