PARKER, Colo. – It’s rare when a match ends with players standing on a tee box.
It’s more rare when a player aces that hole to end the match.
Anna Nordqvist took a mighty blow with a 7-iron on the par-3, 180-yard 17th hole and barked for the ball to “be good.” Moments later the ball found the bottom of the cup for what’s believed to be the first ace in Solheim Cup history to end a match.
Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall defeated Morgan Pressel and Jessica Korda, 2 and 1, Saturday in morning foursomes. After Nordqvist’s ace, Korda stood on the tee knowing she needed an ace of her own to push the match to Colorado Golf Club’s 18th hole. When Korda’s ball ended left of the hole the match officially was over.
“I don’t think it has hit me yet,” Nordqvist said. “It was a really good shot, going straight at it. We thought it was – it might be a little long, but it pitched and hit. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.”
The match was not well played over the first 10 holes, but the Americans birdied the 11th to move ahead, then Europe birdied 14 and 16 to regain the lead before Nordqvist slammed the door shut with the hole in one on 17.
Nordqvist’s record moves to 2-1 this week and Hedwall is 3-0. Hedwall is now 5-1-1 in career Solheim Cup matches.