United States' pleasure at going 4-2 ahead at the end of the first day of the 37th Curtis Cup match at The Nairn Golf Club was tempered by an unfortunate accident to their team captain, Dr Patricia Cornett.
She was taken to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness with a suspected right ankle fracture. It is understood that the golf cart in which she was a passenger was involved in an incident as it was driven past the spectator grandstand adjacent to the first tee after the three four-ball matches had set off.
Carol Semple Thompson, who had played in 11 Curtis Cup matches for the United States and captained the team twice, including the last match in Scotland - at St Andrews in 2008 - stepped in as acting team captain.
Mrs Thompson played in the Past Players' Match at The Nairn Golf Club on Thursday and also in the Supportters' Saucer at Nairn Dunbar the previous day.
Martha Lang, chairman of the United States Golf Association, said that Dr Cornett had her injured ankle put in a plast but she is in "good spirits and will resume her captaincy of the team on Saturday."
"I am very relieved that Patricia will resume tomorrow," said Carol Semple Thompson. "It's the most bizarre incident I can recall in all the Curtis Cup matches in which I've been involved. I did nothing out there while Patricia was away but I went round with the matches and was on hand if asked for any advice."
The American players were not told during their afternoon matches of the unfortunate accident.
Dr Cornett's husband is also in hospital but in Nairn. He was taken there on Thursday night after feeling unwell.
QUOTES FROM GB AND I CAPTAIN
TEGWEN MATTHEWS
"I am feeling a lot happier than I was a lunchtime after we had lost the foursomes 3-0 and even a lot happier than I was halfway through the afternoon four-balls and we were trailing.
"But the GB and I girls are fantastic at digging deep and to win the last two games was a terrific finish to the day. Now we have to start Saturday as we have finished Friday.
"I had a heart to heart talk with my players in the locker-room at lunchtime. They had made too many schoolboy errors. Their scoring was very poor. I know the weather and the wind was not very good but the Americans' short games were immaculate and ours were not.
"I give full credit to the the United States team whose play in the foursomes very good. They came out very strong. But I think our strong finish to the day could have a massive influence on the overall match. I think the GB and I players are now in the right frame of mind for Day 2."
SATURDAY'S FOURSOMES
8.00 Amy Anderson and Tiffany Lua v Pamela Pretswell and Charley Hull.
8.12 Austin Ernst and Brooke Pancake v Holly Clyburn and Amy Boulden
8.24 Lindy Duncan and Lisa McCloskey v Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire.
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report
