By Ali Stafford at Bernardus Golf Friday 11 September 2026 14:23, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Watch Megan Khang tee off in style at this year’s Solheim Cup, after she hyped up the crowd to encourage more noise The horseshoe-shaped grandstand around the first tee at Bernardus Golf was close to capacity long before daylight, with nearly 3,000 spectators – and plenty more along the fairway – creating a party-like atmosphere of noise and excitement. United States captain Angela Stanford danced onto the tee after emerging from the tunnel, a walk Charley Hull said earlier in the week was like ‘entering an arena’, with vice-captains – from both sides – doing their best to make things even louder. Latest Solheim Cup scores, pairings, schedule and resultsSolheim Cup recap: Day one as it happened at Bernardus GolfGet latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow cookies for this session only. One sign on display read ‘Dutch courage, European glory’, with the Netherlands doing the players proud by creating a boisterous environment more akin to a football stadium or darts event than a golf course.Nordqvist’s vice-captain Anne van Dam grabbed the microphone to guide the crowd through “Links Rechts”, the song that became the unofficial anthem for the Dutch football team during the World Cup and involves lots of bouncing in a certain direction.
“It doesn’t get better than this,” Nordqvist said about the atmosphere. “The crowds are amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many Europeans on the first tee.” Image: Costumes linked to both teams were on display in a colourful grandstand Stands full of fans dressed in banana costumes, stars and stripes suits and golf bucket hats all jumping together at 7.20am was a brilliantly bonkers scene, with the dancing and singing only increasing as they edged closer to play getting under way.”Let’s go Europe, let’s go!” chants echoed around the grandstand before Europe’s classic ‘Final Countdown’ blasted out of the speakers, with Team USA’s star-studded opening pairing arriving almost 10 minutes early to soak up the atmosphere.Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz were quickly joined by Hull and rookie Lottie Woad, with every pair’s arrival greeted with smoke cannons, huge cheers and cleverly thought-out adaptations of chants heard in other sports. Image: Nelly Korda filmed the atmosphere around the tee ahead of beginning her match on Friday morning A big message of ‘quiet please’ appeared on the big screens ahead of the opening tee shots, with a Corpuz-inspired adaptation of the Beatles classic ‘Hey Jude’ quickly cut for respectful silence as players hit their drives.The party at the tee continued long after Woad rolled in the opening birdie of the event on the first green, with Team USA vice-captain Paula Creamer – wearing her cowboy hat – and fan favourite Megan Khang among those showcasing their dance moves.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Charley Hull and Lottie Woad got off to the perfect start in the Friday foursomes, making a birdie at the par-four first “Ohhhh, Leona Maguire” was sung loudly to the tune of Kings of Leon’s ‘Sex on Fire’, while Desmond Decker’s ‘Israelites’ was adapted to fit in Esther Henseleit’s name.Remember the “Europe’s on fire, USA is terrified” song chanted regularly during last year’s Ryder Cup win at Bethpage Black? A Maguire twist was heard to recognise the Irishwoman with one of the best winning percentages in Solheim Cup history. , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow cookies for this session only. Carlota Ciganda was the only European player with previous experience who sat out the opening session, but the Spaniard was sporting a Solheim Cup beanie and showing the rookies how to enjoy every second of their week.Dancing along to every song, arm in arm with the debutants during ‘It’s Raining Men’ and when the DJ played a Vengaboys track, the Solheim stalwart seemed to never have anything but a huge grin on her face.The positive vibes spread throughout the European team, with Maja Stark and Linn Grant running out to the crowd and swaying their hips to ABBA’s karaoke classic ‘Dancing Queen’ as they awaited their match to get going. , which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow cookies for this session only. “These people absolutely make it for the players,” said Dame Laura Davies, a 12-time Solheim Cup player, said about the crowd.
“Without these brilliant fans, it’s just not the same.””Maja Stark, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo” – to the theme of Baby Shark – is an earworm nobody needs but works well with the Swede’s name, with Stark and Linn Grant buoyed by the crowds to earn Team Europe’s first point of the contest. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Linn Grant and Maja Stark won Europe’s first point of the Solheim Cup after beating Andrea Lee and Lindy Duncan The weather turning from early sunshine to persistent light rain didn’t dampen the spirits of those following the action, with strong galleries lining the fairways to watch a tight opening session that left the teams tied at two apiece.”We had incredible support out here,” Maguire said after her win. “They were really spurring us on, especially when that weather got bad and miserable. It was that extra little bit we needed to grind it out.”The noise appeared to reach even higher levels during the afternoon session, where former major winner Karen Stupples described the crowds as ‘insane’.
If the quality of golf on the course matches the atmosphere being created off it, the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup could be one of the most memorable yet.Who will win the Solheim Cup? Watch Team Europe’s bid to regain the trophy exclusively live on Sky Sports, with all three days live on Sky Sports Golf. Get latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract on NOW.
