US golfers fight back after whitewash

America's women have started a frantic fightback after suffering a morning whitewash in the Solheim Cup foursomes.

America's women have started a frantic fightback after suffering a morning whitewash in the Solheim Cup foursomes.

Becky Iverson and Rosie Jones defeated the European pair Laura Davies and Alison Nicholas to give the States hope after finding themselves 4-0 behind.

Davies and Nicholas had earlier led the way in the opening match with a 4 and 3 win over Dottie Pepper and Juli Inkster.

It was part of a stunning performance by the Europeans, which gave them the first-ever whitewash in the biennial contest.

But asked to do it all again in the afternoon they could not conjure up a repeat and went down 6 and 5 to rookie Iverson and Jones.

The home pair did not win a single hole and after going out in 39, three over par, found themselves six down as the Americans went to the turn in three-under-par 33.

The inevitable end came on the 14th with Davies' wayward drive sticking in heavy rough and when Nicholas could only move the ball a few yards the match was conceded.

There was more bad news in the next two matches with Inkster and Sherri Steinhauer two ahead of Trish Johnson and Sophie Gustafson, another of captain Dale Reid's successful morning pairs retained for the second set of foursomes.

And Kelly Robbins and Pat Hurst were one ahead of Liselotte Neumann and Helen Alfredsson, the Swedish pair the one fresh partnership in the afternoon.

Scotland's Janice Moodie and Swede Annika Sorenstam were the only home pair ahead in the final match, two ahead of Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel in a repeat of their morning clash that had gone down to the 18th.