<p>Brian Martinez, caddie, and Beth Coulter (GB&I) talk on the 16th hole during foursome matches of the 2026 Curtis Cup at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, June 12, 2026. (Chris Keane/USGA)</p>
Beth Coulter is aiming to make a "hot start" with partner Isla McDonald-O'Brien and build on their impressive 3&2 win over US stars Kiara Romero and Asterisk Talley in the Curtis Cup in steamy Los Angeles.
The USA holds a 4-2 lead after the first day's action at Bel-Air Country Club, but after beating world number one Romero and eighth-ranked star Talley in the afternoon foursomes, Coulter insists Great Britain and Ireland are a team on a mission today.
She sat out the morning fourball session that ended with the USA leading 2-1 following a lone win for Sophia Fullbrook and Patience Rhodes.
Romeo and Talley beat Lily Hirst and Davina Xanh, 4&2, as Jasmine Koo and Farah O'Keefe, three-up after seven, held on to beat Charlotte Naughton and Nellie Ong 2 up.
But after the exertions of their US Women's Open efforts, where Romero was sixth behind Nelly Korda and Talley an impressive 22nd, they ran out of steam against McDonald-O'Brien and Kirkistown Castle star Coulter, who claimed Great Britain and Ireland's lone win in the afternoon foursomes.
"Obviously, they did play in the morning, so we definitely had the advantage of having a little bit more energy," said Coulter, who played on the team that won at Sunningdale in 2024 and hopes to help GB&I to its first away win for 40 years.
"We used that to our advantage in the back. We kept saying it to each other, and we had a lot of fun out there."
"It obviously held us in good stead this afternoon on the back. They had obviously played a lot more holes than we had, and that was important for us to remind ourselves."
The 4-2 scoreline is not what skipper Catriona Matthew had in mind, but she saw encouraging signs and aims to win both sessions today.
"There was some great golf out there," she said. "I thought our team really fought well, hung in well. And they fought till the end.
"There were no real big blowouts, which it could have been after being three or four down after a few holes.
"As I say, they fought well and just need to keep doing a bit more of that tomorrow."
Coulter and McDonald-O'Brien are clear on what they need to do today against O'Keefe and Jasmine Koo in the opening foursomes.
"I think getting out there and getting off to a hot start," Coulter said. "Obviously, the Americans did it this morning. I think that's what we'll be trying to do tomorrow. We've got a target, and we're obviously going to strive towards it."
The USA has also not lost on home soil since 1986 at Prairie Dunes, when Mary McKenna, Claire Hourihane and Lillian Behan.
At the LPGA's Dow Championship in Michigan, Leona Maguire and Lindy Duncan shot a one-under 69 and Lauren Walsh and Celine Herbin a 67 to make the cut on the three-under limit.
They go into the third round tied for 25th, nine shots behind Norway's Celine Borge and Germany's Polly Mack, who shot a 10-under 60 to lead by a shot on 12-under from Japan's Ayaka Furue and Yuna Nishimura (61) and by two from world number one Nelly Korda and Germany's Olivia Cowan, who also shot 60.
" Obviously, we're all zoned in and trying to perform our best, but there was a little bit less pressure than alternate shot," Korda said.
Article Link: Coulter gunning for fast start as Great Britain and Ireland trail 4-2 in Bel-Air - News - Irish Golf Desk