Solheim Cup 2019: Europe lead despite missed putts amid slow play controversy

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Gleneagles, September 14: Team Europe will take a one-point lead into the second day of the Solheim Cup on a day marred by controversy surrounding slow play.

Lizette Salas of the United States was twice warned for slow play, though the consensus was she was far from the only offender at Gleneagles.

"It's painfully slow out there," USA captain Juli Inkster conceded, with her team finishing the opening day trailing 4.5 - 3.5.

The deficit would have been greater had Charley Hull and Bronte Law not failed with putts on the 18th during their afternoon fourball matches.

Those missed opportunities resulted in their respective contests being halved, though Europe captain Catriona Matthew was keen to take the positives as they seek to win the cup for the first time since 2013.

"We're a point up. If we're leading at the end of each day, that would be great," Matthew said.

"I think everyone's a little disappointed, but Charley had a great putt on the last, it was just a little firm.

"It's not as if we lost it with bad play; the others birdied it. We're pleased with going in with a one-point lead."