GAINESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz became the first American duo to win three consecutive alternate-shot matches in the Solheim Cup, taking control of Charley Hull and Esther Henseleit on the back nine to help the U.S. take an early 3-1 lead on Friday.

Two U.S. newcomers also won their opening matches. The hottest American player of the summer, Lauren Coughlin, partnered Rose Zhang 3-and-2 to beat Celine Boutier and European newcomer Albane Valenzuela. Sarah Schmelzel, picked by U.S. captain Stacy Lewis for her first Solheim Cup, chatted amiably with partner Lilia Vu as they beat the deliberately slow-playing duo of Carlota Ciganda and Linn Grant 3-and-2.

The only European victory went to the fist-pumping, high-fived pairing of Maja Stark and Emily Pedersen, who were 3-up after four holes and survived a nerve-wracking second nine to beat Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho 2-0.

The United States also dominated the opening round of foursomes in Spain last year, winning 4-0 before Europe rallied to a 14-14 draw to win its third consecutive Solheim Cup. Neither team has won the trophy four times in a row.

Play began quietly under overcast skies on Friday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Transportation issues left the stands around the first tee half empty when Henseleit made his first shot at 7:05 a.m. Fans complained that they had to wait hours for shuttle buses to the sprawling facility about 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., prompting an apology from the LPGA Tour.

Korda and Corpuz were 2-0 in foursomes in Spain. Their match on Thursday ended in a tie on the par-5 14th hole when rookie Henseleit, who won the silver medal for Germany at the Paris Olympics, hesitated before deciding to hit a fairway wood for her second shot. Her ball headed toward the flagstick but ballooned in the wind and splashed into the pond in front of the green, resulting in a bogey.

A bad drive by Henseleit on the par-4 15th hole resulted in a three-putt bogey, and top seed Korda met her approach at 5 feet on the par 3 hole 16. Corpuz made the putt and finished the game with 3 and 2.

“Both were silent killers,” said Zhang, who heard the roar of the final putt from the nearby 15th green.

Korda improved her Solheim Cup record to 8-4-1 but has never been part of a winning U.S. team. The Americans last won in Iowa in 2017.

Playing in her home state, the long-hitting Coughlin, who traveled to RTJ four times this year, holed birdie putts on the par-5 8th hole and again on the par 5 hole 12 after her second shot with the fairway wood landed uphill at the back of the green.

“I think we played well the whole game and then we finally started getting some putts in,” Coughlin said. “But I think we played super solid the whole round.”

Melting hit her tee shot on the 130-meter-long 16th hole to 1.20 meters for another 3-and-2 victory for the USA.

Lexi Thompson, who walked to the first tee before play began to cheer on the fans in attendance, skipped the morning session of her final Solheim Cup before she retires and rode around on a cart alongside alternate captain Paula Creamer to support her teammates. She was scheduled to play a fourball match alongside Alison Lee in the afternoon.

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AP Golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf