Lexi Thompson silences doubters and leads Team USA to a sweep on Friday morning at the Solheim Cup

In the realm of professional golf, where performance ebbs and flows, Lexi Thompson’s 2023 season had been riddled with challenges. Eight missed cuts and the absence of a single top-10 finish raised doubts about her form. To make matters more compelling, she hadn’t tasted victory on the LPGA tour in over four years. Yet, when the 2023 Solheim Cup rolled around, U.S. Captain Stacy Lewis made a bold decision: she entrusted Thompson with the honor of leading Team USA in the opening match, a choice that stirred considerable controversy.

Many wondered if the 28-year-old Thompson could endure the immense pressure that comes with teeing off first. There were concerns that her recent struggles might hamper Team USA’s prospects of making a strong start on European soil. These questions reverberated through golf circles after the initial pairings were unveiled. However, the Solheim Cup held a special place in Lexi Thompson’s heart. “It means the world to me to be able to play in the Solheim Cup,” she emphasized ahead of the competition. “I know it’s my number one goal every year to be on that team representing my country. There’s nothing like waking up, putting my country’s colors on, and going to represent and be alongside a team at that.”

Captain Lewis keenly observed Thompson’s dedication and fervor for the event, and her decision to send Thompson out first ultimately paid dividends. Thompson, partnering with Megan Khang, set the tone for the day by triumphing 2 & 1 in the opening foursomes match against Maja Stark and Linn Grant of Europe.

The Americans stormed out of the gates, winning the first three holes to establish a commanding 3-up lead. However, Thompson and Khang faced adversity as the “Super Swedes” Stark and Grant mounted a spirited comeback over the subsequent holes. A bogey at the par-3 6th hole by the Americans allowed the Europeans to capitalize with a par. The pattern repeated at the par-4 11th hole, further narrowing the American lead to just 1-up by the 12th hole.

Undaunted, Thompson and Khang maintained their composure. With determination, they birdied the par-4 15th hole, wresting control of the match back into their hands. Two holes later, at the par-3 17th, Thompson and Khang secured victory with a composed par, silencing the doubters.

Thompson remarked, “We work really well together, and it was definitely a great win. We played some good golf, and we knew that we had to come out swinging and play hard and out here supporting our teammates now.”

Their victory contributed to Team USA’s emphatic sweep of the morning session, marking the first time in Solheim Cup history that the red, white, and blue achieved such a commanding 4-0 lead. As the competition transitioned to the afternoon fourball matches at Finca Cortesín Golf Club in Málaga, Spain, Team USA found themselves in a commanding position, thanks in no small part to Lexi Thompson’s triumphant return to form.