Opening Golf to the World
Curtis Cup
Great Britain and Ireland dig in to keep Curtis Cup hopes alive in Bel-Air
13 Jun 26
7 mins
Catriona Matthew’s Great Britain and Ireland team remain two points behind heading into the final day of the 44th Curtis Cup after a gritty afternoon fightback kept their hopes alive against the United States of America at Bel-Air Country Club.
Team GB&I were up against it when the USA won a third successive session 2-1, with Patience Rhodes and Sophia Fullbrook securing the only visiting point in Saturday morning’s fourballs. However, Rhodes and Fullbrook again teamed up to good effect in the afternoon foursomes, claiming their third success from four matches together, and there was also an emphatic win for Charlotte Naughton and Davina Xanh, who took down Asterisk Talley and Anna Davis 3&2. Only Avery Weed and the irrepressible Farah O’Keefe denied GB&I a sweep of the session, the latter taking her record for the week to a perfect 4-0 as Beth Coulter and Isla McDonald-O’Brien were beaten 4&3. As a result, the USA hold a 7-5 lead ahead of eight singles contests on the final day, with Matthew’s side requiring five further points to retain the trophy they secured in thrilling fashion at Sunningdale two years ago. You can follow live scoring on Sunday here.Xanh stars as GB hit back
Xanh will head into the singles high on confidence following her performance in Saturday’s foursomes. Having sat out two successive sessions following a defeat alongside Lily Hirst in the opening fourballs, Xanh provided a host of highlight-reel moments as she and Naughton defeated Talley and Davis. Incredibly, Xanh came close to a hole-in-one at the par-4 7th, Naughton duly knocking in the short eagle putt that followed. And another near-ace came Xanh’s way on the 13th with the top match having already turned decisively in GB&I’s favour.
Davina Xanh and Charlotte Naughton excelled in a victory over Anna Davis and Asterisk Talley
“We were just fuelled with a lot of energy getting out,” said Xanh after victory was secured on the 16th. “Not so much nerves as excitement, and just really wanting to get after it.”
“I’m so happy,” added Naughton, who produced a wonderful tee shot of her own at the 10th. “It means everything to represent GB&I, and to actually win a point as well, it means everything to me.”
Coulter and McDonald-O’Brien were one up through six against Weed and O’Keefe as GB&I led in all three foursomes matches at one point.
O’Keefe, however, was particularly outstanding as the Americans turned things around to win on the 15th. She also came agonisingly close to a hole-in-one, her ball brushing the edge of the cup at the iconic par-3 10th.
Rhodes and Fullbrook double up
Having never trailed in their morning victory over Davis and Weed, Rhodes and Fullbrook stepped up once again in their foursomes contest against Kelly Xu and Kary Hollenbaugh, winning the first hole and remaining in front thereafter. However, there were increasingly anxious moments down the stretch as Rhodes and Fullbrook, three up with four to play, lost the 15th and 17th. When Rhodes then left a long birdie putt some way short on the final green, the tension was extreme. Yet Hollenbaugh, in her first appearance of the week, missed a par putt to ease GB&I nerves before Fullbrook held firm to convert hers and earn a two up win.
Sophia Fulbrook and Patience Rhodes celebrate claiming their second win of day two
Fullbrook and Rhodes had again been the star performers for GB&I in the morning fourballs, the English pair beating Davis and Weed 3&2.
The contest was all-square through seven, but Fullbrook and Rhodes duly took command, winning the 8th, 9th, 12th and 14th on their way to a second full point.
“We made lots of birdies, lots of putts,” said Rhodes, who was six-under-par alongside Fullbrook for the first 14 holes.
“So it put a lot of pressure on them, and it worked out great.”
Hopes of a second morning point for the visitors were raised when Coulter and McDonald-O’Brien staged a terrific fightback against O’Keefe and Jasmine Koo, recovering from three down after five to square the match at the 15th.
However, the outstanding O’Keefe responded in style, shining down the stretch to keep her perfect record intact.
The world number three secured a brilliant birdie at the short 16th to restore the USA’s lead before coming up clutch again on 17 and 18 as she and Koo claimed a one up victory.
World number one Kiara Romero and Talley came on strong for a 4&3 win over Hirst and Nellie Ong in the other fourball clash.
Hirst and Ong were one up through eight holes, but their opponents won five of the next seven, sealing their second point in style when Romero chipped in for birdie at the 15th.