Solheim Cup 2021: Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren to lead out Europe in Saturday foursomes | Golf News

Georgia Hall reunites with Celine Boutier and Mel Reid partners Irish debutant Leona Maguire; Charley Hull also features in opening session alongside Emily Kristine Pedersen – watch live on Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf

AIG Women’s Open champion Anna Nordqvist will partner Solheim Cup rookie Matilda Castren in the opening match of the Saturday foursomes in Ohio.

Nordqvist, who qualified for her seventh consecutive Solheim Cup appearance by claiming a third major title last month, is one of three surviving players from Europe’s only victory on American soil in 2013.

Castren was one of Catriona Matthew’s captain’s picks after breakthrough wins on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour this season, with the all-Scandinavian pairing going out at 7.35am local time (12.35pm BST) against Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst.

Matthew, hoping to guide Europe to back-to-back Solheim Cup victories, has stuck with a winning formula from their dramatic 14.5-13.5 win at Gleneagles by pairing Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier together once again.

Hall and Boutier won all three matches together in 2019 and both ended the week with 100 per cent records, also winning their singles matches, with the pair hoping to extend that run against Ally Ewing and Megan Khang.

Team USA captain Pat Hurst has gone with experience and left all three of her debutants off the team sheet in the opening session, with four-time Solheim Cup player Lizette Salas joining Jennifer Kupcho, Yealimi Noh and Mina Harigae in sitting out the foursomes.

World No 1 Nelly Korda and sister Jessica, the only two unbeaten players in USA’s 2019 defeat, will face Mel Reid, a vice-captain in Scotland, and Leona Maguire, who will become the first Irish player to ever compete in a Solheim Cup.

Charley Hull teams up with Emily Kristine Pedersen for Europe in their final foursomes match, where they will play Lexi Thompson and Brittany Altomare, while none of Carlota Ciganda, Sophia Popov, Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Madelene Sagstrom feature for the visitors on Saturday morning.

Schedule (all times BST)

1235 Anna Nordqvist and Matilda Castren vs Danielle Kang and Austin Ernst

1247 Georgia Hall and Celine Boutier 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

Watch the Solheim Cup live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Saturday from midday on Sky Sports Golf and – for free – on the Sky Sports Golf YouTube channel.