By STEVE DOUGLAS<\/p>\n
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands (AP) \u2014 Jennifer Kupcho first shushed the Europeans with her finger against her lips. Then she did it with her putter.<\/p>\n
In one of the most remarkable finishing stretches in the Solheim Cup\u2019s 36-year history, Kupcho rolled in huge birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18 \u2014 one, outrageously, from 93 feet \u2014 to snatch an unlikely point for the Americans from the last match on the course on Saturday and tie the score at 8-8 after four sessions at Bernardus Golf.<\/p>\n
Over to the Sunday singles to determine the destination of the crystal trophy, with the United States needing 14 points to keep possession.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was huge,\u201d U.S. captain Angela Stanford said of Kupcho\u2019s exploits. \u201cIt\u2019s absolutely turned the tide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Europe\u2019s fans became more excitable \u2014 or \u201crowdy,\u201d in the words of Kupcho \u2014 as Day 2 wore on, helped by two big wins from Swedish pairing Maja Stark and Linn Grant, first over Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz in the morning foursomes and then Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin in the afternoon four-balls.<\/p>\n
Kupcho silenced them.<\/p>\n
She was already a target after producing a \u201cshush\u201d gesture, seemingly toward the Europe fans, after making birdie on the 10th hole of her match with Lindy Duncan against Carlota Ciganda and Celine Boutier.<\/p>\n
About two hours later \u2014 and trailing at 1 down as she reached the 17th green \u2014 Kupcho got to her ball off the back of the green knowing Ciganda and Boutier were both inside 12 feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, going into it, I had zero expectations,\u201d Kupcho said. \u201cI hardly even read my putt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kupcho sent in a speculative putt that kept rolling and rolling and rolling, before sweeping down the hill and into the side of the cup.<\/p>\n
Cue huge celebrations from Kupcho \u2014 \u201cVamos!\u201d she screamed in Spanish, the nationality of Ciganda \u2014 and the rest of the U.S. team that was gathered beside the green. Some of the players and support staff spilled onto the putting surface.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen anything like that,\u201d Stanford said. \u201cAnd in that environment, it just makes it so much more special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ciganda and Boutier both missed their putts, leaving the match tied.<\/p>\n
There was more to come from Kupcho, a Colorado native, on No. 18. With the last putt of the match, she poured in a 25-footer from the edge of the green into the heart of the hole, completing a 1-up win and securing a 3-1 victory for the Americans in the four-balls.<\/p>\n
There was time for one last gesture from Kupcho: A cup of the ear, apparently toward Europe\u2019s shellshocked fans.<\/p>\n
Or was it toward Ciganda?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just playful,\u201d Kupcho said. \u201cCarlota\u2019s loud, so I can be loud back.\u201d<\/p>\n
The scores were tied at the end of Day 1 \u2014 4-4 \u2014 and still were after Day 2.<\/p>\n
The momentum, crucially, is now with the Americans heading into Sunday.<\/p>\n
Kupcho\u2019s opponent in the singles? It\u2019s Ciganda again.<\/p>\n
Super Swedes upstage misfiring Woad and Hull<\/p>\n
The Europeans haven\u2019t been helped by their star pairing misfiring.<\/p>\n
Lottie Woad and Charley Hull, the highest-ranked Europeans in the lineup, have been paired for all four sessions so far \u2014 something that has never been done in 36 years of the Solheim Cup.<\/p>\n
They have contributed only a half-point, with two straight defeats coming Saturday against Alison Lee and Coughlin \u2014 a 6-and-5 thrashing \u2014 in foursomes and Yealimi Noh and Andrea Lee (1 up) in four-balls.<\/p>\n
European captain Anna Nordqvist defended her continued selection of Woad and Hull, saying: \u201cThey\u2019re doing everything they can or everything right, but they just haven\u2019t really holed those momentum putts this week. So I have full trust and confidence in them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noh was particularly inspired, making five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine to build a 2-up lead that she and Lee never relinquished.<\/p>\n
With Europe\u2019s power pairing continuing to stumble, Stark and Linn have stepped up. They are 3-0-0 for the week and, on Saturday, took down the U.S. heavyweights, ending the record five-match winning streak of Korda and Corpuz by 3-and-2 before handing Coughlin her first loss in eight Solheim Cup matches.<\/p>\n
Stark, specifically, sparked the biggest roars around Bernardus, chipping in for eagle at the par-4 8th in the morning and then holing a wedge shot from 74 yards for eagle on No. 1 in the afternoon. <\/p>\n
Korda loses, then gets benched<\/p>\n
Korda, the world No. 1, came to the Netherlands carrying much of the expectations of her nation but has also struggled.<\/p>\n
After her loss to Stark and Grant, she headed to the range and was left out of the afternoon session, meaning she\u2019ll play four matches for the fifth straight Solheim Cup.<\/p>\n
Her record this week is 1-1-1 ahead of a singles match against European rookie Mimi Rhodes on Sunday.<\/p>\n
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