Slow start for Ireland and GB

Ireland and Great Britain were slow off the blocks today in their bid to regain the Curtis Cup from the United States in Pittsburgh.

At the midway point of the three morning foursomes over the 6,358-yard par-71 Fox Chapel Course the team captained by Surrey’s Pam Benka trailed in two of the matches and were level in the other one.

Experienced Yorkshire pair Rebecca Hudson and Emma Duggleby found Meredith Duncan and Angela German tough nuts to crack.

The American couple, hitting the ball superbly on the finely manicured course and chipping and putting well, established a two-hole advantage with 11 played.

In the bottom game former Irish champion Alison Coffey and Hampshire’s Kerry Smith also struggled in the early stages against Courtney Swaim and Laura Myerscough and found themselves two down after eight holes.

But the tough Scottish pair of Heather Stirling and Vikki Laing were all square at the turn against Mollie Fankhause and 53-year-old Carol Semple Thompson who was playing in her 12th Curtis Cup match.

Captain Benka left Derbyshire’s Fame More and Welsh teenager Sarah Jones out of the foursomes line-up.