Rose Zhang’s putter saves Solheim Cup match for Team USA

Rose Zhang and Megan Khang have been the primary group off for Group USA within the four-ball session of Day 1 on the Solheim Cup.

The LPGA rookie’s putter got here alive on the again 9 to save lots of the match, as they halved the match with Group Europe.

The Zhang-Khang pairing was a implausible selection from Captain Stacy Lewis.

“I’ve been loving the crowds and simply being alongside Megan [Khang]. It was simply such a enjoyable and electrical spherical,” Zhang mentioned. “We have been ham-and-egging all the pieces, and I felt like so long as I had Megs on my again, like, I used to be in a position to come again from something. So it was an unimaginable first day.”

After being 2-UP on Group Europes’ Gemma Dryburgh and Madelene Sagstrom by means of 10 holes, the momentum shifted. The Europeans gained every of the subsequent two holes to sq. the match.

However Zhang confirmed ice in her veins on the par-4 thirteenth and par-4 sixteenth, the place she made two of probably the most clutch putts of the day.

The Europeans have been in place for a simple birdie-3 on 13, however Zhang wasn’t letting a 3rd straight gap slip away. She sank a prolonged birdie putt herself to halve the outlet.

The match nearly bought away a number of holes afterward 16, however once more, she got here up huge.

“We have been on 16 — it was a very clutch putt,” Zhang mentioned about her largest second of the day.

Dryburgh had chipped in from the green for birdie, sending the European crowd right into a frenzy. It appeared they may take a lead with two holes to go, however the 20-year-old phenom answered.

Zhang and Khang had a fantastic begin to their day, each driving the inexperienced on the par-4 1st gap.

“The primary tee Rose [Zhang] striping it onto the inexperienced as a result of I had not hit a ball till then from my final match,” Khang mentioned. “So her hitting the inexperienced gave me the inexperienced mild to go and freed me up quite a bit.”

It turned out to be an exciting, up and down match that would have been gained by both workforce.

But when it weren’t for Zhang’s two clutch moments down the stretch, Group USA might need watched their scorching begin go to waste.

“Halves are large. I feel from previous Solheims, you neglect how vital halves are,” Khang mentioned.

“I feel halves are one of the vital vital issues on the subject of workforce match play,” Zhang mentioned. “You by no means know the way vital it’s till it’s right down to the final half level level. So having the ability to begin out with out shedding is simply large for the subsequent couple of days once we come again.”

After sweeping the morning Foursome session 4-0, the People dropped two matches and tied two of them to guide 5-3 after Day 1 of the Solheim Cup.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. You possibly can observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for extra golf protection. Be sure you take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.