Lexi Thompson led Team USA out in the Friday morning foursomes at the Solheim Cup, hitting the opening tee shot at Finca Cortesin before delivering a point for Stacy Lewis' side.
From the highs of the start of the day, it ended on a sad note for the experienced American after a dreaded shank came at the worst possible moment.
Watch Lexi Thompson's shank:
From shank to superb for Lexi Thompson 😅 pic.twitter.com/v7J0zIl1PlSeptember 22, 2023
Lexi Thompson was greenside in two on the par 5 18th hole with her and Lilia Vu all square versus Leona Maguire and Georgia Hall. It looked as if USA were going to seal a victory, or at least a halve, before the match - and potentially the entire 2023 Solheim Cup - was turned completely on its head.
Leona Maguire hit a stunning chip shot struck perfectly, which checked up and began edging right before dropping into the hole for the most incredible of birdie finishes.
Watch Leona Maguire's 18th hole chip-in:
LEONA MAGUIRE!! pic.twitter.com/uWMGcptcjKSeptember 22, 2023
The pressure was then piled on Lexi, who needed to get up-and-down to halve the match.
What happened next can only be described as unfortunate.
The 28-year-old proceeded to hit an unlikely shank from just off the green, with her ball rolling all the way back down one of the huge banks at Finca Cortesin to leave her considerably further away than when she started. That sealed USA's fate, with Thompson having to hole an unlikely pitch shot or her partner Vu needing to roll in a long birdie effort.
Neither happened and Europe won the match, although Lexi's stunning pitch shot that followed was commendable.
Lexi described her chip as "pretty much impossible"
On the shank, Thompson didn't want to comment when asked about it post-round.
"I don't need to comment on the chip," she said. "It was a bad lie, and I didn't hit a good chip, but it was pretty much impossible, so..."
Thompson was only picked as USA's lead player late on Thursday afternoon, when US captain Stacy Lewis decided she wanted her and Megan Khang to play together.
“I had a feeling yesterday (Thursday), she wasn’t in my line-up that I’ve had for a couple of weeks," Lewis said.
"The way that the last four days have gone, the way that she seems mentally I had a good feeling about it and Megan has been playing amazing obviously the last month or so.
“I literally went to them with about three holes left in the practice round and said ‘hey, can you figure out some golf balls’ and fortunately they managed it and got the win.”
Thompson and Khang once again play together in the Saturday morning foursomes.
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