Reid and Maguire faced world number one and Olympic champion Nelly Korda and her sister Jessica in the third match of the quartet opening session at Inverness Club on Saturday.
The Korda sisters won their foursomes matches 6 and 4 and 6 and 5 at Gleneagles in 2019, but separated for the opening day’s four balls and were left out of the second day’s four balls entirely as Europe scored a dramatic victory by a point.
Reid admitted earlier in the week that he didn’t know rookie Maguire, 26, well, but Europe’s captain Catriona Matthew said she was “very confident” the pair had bonded well.
“Leona is obviously quite new to the LPGA and with Covid it has been difficult,” Matthew said. “They haven’t been able to go out and they don’t see so many different people.
“(But) we are all together as a team and they have played the last few days together and they have to get to know each other. If you watch their press conference yesterday, they are getting along really well. “
When asked what he had seen in Maguire’s game in practice, Matthew added: “To be honest, it’s not even his game this week, it’s been his game for the last year and a half, probably.
“I think she is a very stable player. Hit many fairways, many greens and many birdies; great putter.
“I think she and Mel have really gotten to know each other in the last few days, and I think their games complement each other. Leona is a fantastic green reader and a fantastic putter, and Mel might be a little longer.
“I think they are enjoying playing with each other and their games will complement each other well in the quartets.”
AIG Women’s Open winner Anna Nordqvist will join Finnish rookie Matilda Castren in the opening match against Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst, and the undefeated pairing of Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall will face Ally Ewing and Megan Khang.
In the last match of the opening session, Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen face Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare.
US captain Pat Hurst kept her three rookies – Marina Harigae, Jennifer Kupcho and Yealimi Noh – out of the opening session, along with Lizette Salas.
Saturday Foursomes (European names first, all BST times)
1235 Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren vs. Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst
1247 Celine Boutier and Georgia Hall vs. Ally Ewing and Megan Khang
1259 Mel Reid and Leona Maguire vs. Nelly Korda and Jessica Korda
1311 Charley Hull and Emily Kristine Pedersen vs. Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-09-03 22:00:00
