Great Britain and Ireland won the foursomes 2-1 on the second day of the Curtis Cup at Formby to tie the match at 6-6.

Great Britain and Ireland whitewashed the United States 3-0 in the Curtis Cup opening foursomes at windy Formby today to give captain Ada O’Sullivan the perfect start to her quest to end a run of three successive defeats.

IRELAND'S Curtis Cup rookie Claire Coughlan will have plenty to cope with today on the opening day of the event at Formby when she plays against American teen starlet Michelle Wie.

GREAT BRITAIN & Ireland Curtis Cup captain, Monkstown’s Ada O’Sullivan, is planning to use the spectre of playing against teenage sensation Michelle Wie to motivate her eight-member squad.

CORK’S Claire Coughlan will be the 12th Irish golfer to play in the Curtis Cup when she lines out for Britain & Ireland against the United States at Formby on June 12 and 13.

CLAIRE COUGHLAN, the heroine of Ireland’s magnificent victory in the Home International Championship at Cruden Bay last month, is a shock omission from the Curtis Cup elite squad announced yesterday.

Ireland and Great Britain today staved off an amazing last-ditch fightback by the Continent of Europe at Co Louth to win the Vagliano trophy for the first time for a decade.