The opening rounds of the Solheim Cup began in front of empty fairways surrounding the first course at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club on Friday morning, with travel issues preventing fans from taking to the golf course.
The fans were like that posting on social media that they were stuck in lines for hours waiting for buses at Jiffy Lube Live, a concert venue near a golf course in Gainesville, Virginia, about 40 miles west of Washington, DC.
20 minutes before kick-off, a few fans ran towards the stadium, but there was no sign of the record crowds promised by the organizers.
“We recognize and deeply apologize to all fans affected by the challenges of traveling from the parking lot to the golf course,” the LPGA Tour said in a statement. “We have made significant changes to our transportation system to mitigate these issues going forward, and we are working on ways to express our condolences to those affected.”
Esther Henseleit scored Europe’s first goal in the team’s competition against the United States as part of a shooting pairing with Charley Hull. Allsen Corpuz followed for the US, alongside top-ranked Nelly Korda.
The United States holds a 3-1 lead after four games Friday morning as it tries to deny Europe a record fourth consecutive Solheim Cup.
Players often describe the opening match of the Solheim Cup as more intimidating than anything in women’s golf, fueled in part by fans filling the main courses hours in advance to cheer on the home team.
The few hundred fans who arrived for Friday morning’s opener quietly watched the European games and cheered as the Americans beat theirs, out of golf’s way of honoring the players who came to welcome them to the team’s tournaments.
“You’ve got to get people out of here,” former U.S. captain Juli Inkster said after teeing off on the fourth hole.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
