Lydia Hall
Ladies European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

[Europe] are obviously one point better than the opening foursomes last year but it’s not the start they would have been looking for, especially after last year.

They will have to put the pedal to the metal, get down and do some business this afternoon.

Off to a decent start so far.

Anna Nordqvist holds the finish as she sticks her tee shot within six feet or so on the par-three fourth - but Lexi Thompson's having none of that and manages to get in closer with a beautiful effort.

You can tell the crowd have all largely managed to get into the property now as there's a huge noise willing Alison Lee's ball into the hole on the third.

Even they can't manage it though as the long putt is one of those annoying ones that breaks just a bit too late and ends up behind the hole.

Image source, Getty Images

Hole one has been a bit gnarly for the American pair, summed up by Rose Zhang misjudging from six feet for par.

Both Charley Hull and Linn Grant have similar-length chances to nudge Europe in front and Hull does just that.

Another splash of blue onto the early foursomes board.

Agonising for Georgia Hall.

She watches Leona Maguire and Nelly Korda squander birdie chances at the fourth and has the chance to win the hole and get Europe back on terms.

However, a tentative stroke on a relatively straightforward putt and frustratingly the opportunity goes.

Scottish Open champion Lauren Coughlin hits a wonderful approach to the second green, but Maja Stark somehow manages to knock it closer and almost holes the thing!

That's a gimme for Europe but Coughlin knocks it in to ensure that Stark stunner is only good enough to halve the hole.

Image source, Getty Images

On the third hole Nelly Korda's crisp approach shot plops on to the green to give her a chance to birdie to win the hole.

Korda duly takes it and then punches the air. The crowd roar and shake their stars and stripes in jubilation.

Can Georgia Hall and Leona Maguire find a response?

Image source, Getty Images

All four matches are out on the course now so let's take the temperature. How's everyone feeling?

Will Europe end up with a better result than 3-1 in this session?

Thumbs up if you think the score at the end of the day will be 5½-2½ or better for the Europeans.

Thumbs down if you're anticipating 6-2 or worse.

First hole halved in four the third match of the session - a steady enough way to kick this one off.

"Let's go Charley, let's go!"

So go the chants from the stands and it's game face for Charley Hull as she steps up to the first tee. She dunks it in the bunker though.

Plenty of noise for the American pair but of the four players, only Andrea Lee is able to pick out the fairway.

Image source, Getty Images

USA captain Stacy Lewis was naturally pleased with establishing a 3-1 lead after the opening session: "It was a great morning. Obviously you'd like maybe to get that last one, but just the fight that those two showed. I just told them to go as long as they could and to get the crowd into it and get the crowd ready for this afternoon. In my eyes, they did their job.

On if she changed her plans for fourballs: "No, it was just what I had planned. The four that sat this morning, I wanted to get them all out there to play this afternoon so everybody played today.

On the travel difficulties experienced by a number of fans: "I just thank them because, as you can see, they're here now. That's important. We got the problem fixed from what I've heard.

"It's disappointing. You play in these things for years, and things happen. Unfortunately, it was a big one. But things happen, and we're going to fix it. We're just thankful for all these fans that stuck with us."

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport in Virginia

The last time two US rookies were paired together and won their match was in 2021 when Mina Harigae and Yealimi Noh played together on day two of the afternoon fourballs.

Could Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel repeat that feat? We shall see. Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark, are looking pretty good on the first hole.

Meanwhile, former US President Barack Obama has been posing for pictures members of the European team, including Charley Hull, who is just about to go off down on the first tee.

The English golfer has been bopping away to the music and seems in her element in the party atmosphere.

Europe have an outside chance of the win at the second with Anna Nordqvist having a long-range putt, but it never really troubled the hole and it's a steady enough half.

It started pretty well for Maja Stark earlier, picking up that crucial sole point for Europe in the foursomes.

Lydia Hall
Ladies European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

On Maja Stark and Linn Grant not being paired together this year:

Obviously last year they were so eager to be paired together all the time and actually requested to tee off first. From a source inside camp, they’ve not played any rounds together. I don’t know if there’s a plan to play together.

Obviously it didn’t work that well last year so definitely Suzann Pettersen mentioned this week she was going to be a lot stronger and make her decisions and be that leading captain and not try to please everybody.

She was going to make sure the girls had a leader and to make those decisions for them.

Image source, Getty Images

A blockbuster final match to round off the fourballs.

Charley Hull and Linn Grant both lost their foursome this morning so will have a point to prove against US superstar Rose Zhang and team-mate Andrea Lee.

They'll be getting going shortly.

Neither Georgia Hall nor Leona Maguire are able to collect a birdie putt on the second.

Megan Khang has a gimme putt to send the USA one up, but somehow she fluffs it. A few nerves, perhaps?

BBC Sounds

Along with listening to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary live via the link at the top of the page, you can also listen via most smart speakers. So, for today, on most smart speaker devices all you need to do is say “ask BBC Sounds to play Solheim Cup day one” to hear all the action.

Back at the first tee, we've got a pair of rookies from the USA in Lauren Coughlin and Sarah Schmelzel taking on Emily Pedersen and Maja Stark, who won Europe's only point in the foursomes.

No signs of nerves from the rookies though - after all, they both won a point separately in the foursomes too.

Could be an interesting match.